Salty Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

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on Feb 17, 2025

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This salty chocolate chip cookie recipe has a rich, nutty flavor from browned butter with a chewy center and crisp, golden edges. The addition of walnuts and a sprinkle of coarse salt make these cookies an irresistible treat!

A salty chocolate chip cookie with sea salt flakes graces a white scalloped plate, while part of another cookie rests on a cooling rack. A glass of milk sits in the background on a light, textured surface, completing this delightful scene.

I love how the brown butter adds complexity to these cookies, creating deep toffee notes that perfectly complement the chocolate chips. When I’m making them, I take extra care to watch the butter as it browns, waiting until the milk solids turn golden and release their nutty aroma – it’s this step that truly takes these cookies from good to extraordinary.

When they come out of the oven, I can’t resist breaking one open to watch the chocolate slowly ooze out, and that first bite, with the contrast between the crunchy exterior, chewy middle, and bursts of salt, is absolutely heavenly.

Why You’ll Love This Salty Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
How to Make Salty Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe FAQs
Expert Tips
Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies To Try
Salty Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Recipe

Chocolate chip cookies with a sprinkle of sea salt cooling on a wire rack, placed on a white surface. Some cookies are on a white plate nearby. The cookies appear freshly baked and golden brown.

Rich, Nutty Flavor: The browned butter adds a deep, toasty, and nutty dimension that makes these cookies stand out from traditional chocolate chip cookies. With a chewy center, crisp edges, and crunchy walnuts, these cookies offer a delightful mix of textures in every bite.
Simple Ingredients: Every component is a pantry staple – no need to hunt down specialty items or make an extra trip to the store.
Make-Ahead Magic: These cookies freeze beautifully, either as unbaked balls of dough or as baked cookies.

🍪 I’m known for some of the best cookies—from cast iron chocolate chip cookies to gluten-free ones that are absolutely amazing!

Recipe Ingredients

All-purpose flour
Baking soda
Butter
Sugar — Granulated and brown
Vanilla extract
Salt
Eggs
Chocolate chips
Walnuts
Salt — Coarse for sprinkling

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

A flat lay of cookie ingredients on a white surface. Labeled bowls contain flour, brown sugar, vanilla, chocolate chips, salt, baking soda, sugar, butter, and eggs. A small dish of flaky salt is also included.

How to Make Salty Chocolate Chip Cookies

Various baking ingredients arranged on a white surface: flour, chocolate chips, brown sugar, vanilla extract, white sugar, eggs, salt, baking soda, and two sticks of butter.

A cast iron skillet on a stovetop contains browning butter. The butter has melted and is bubbling, with small brown specks visible, indicating its reaching the stage of being browned.

Step 1: Combine all the ingredients and preheat the oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda and set aside.

Step 2: In a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, melt 10 tablespoons of butter, stirring constantly, until it turns dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma (about 1-3 minutes). Transfer to a large mixing bowl, stir in remaining 4 tablespoons butter until melted, and let cool for 10 minutes.

A stainless steel mixing bowl containing melted butter and brown sugar, viewed from above. A spatula with an orange handle is partially visible on the side.

A metal mixing bowl with light brown cookie dough and a wooden spoon on a white textured surface.

Step 3: Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt to the cooled butter mixture. Beat for 3 minutes until smooth. Mix in the egg and egg yolk, beating for another 30 seconds until the mixture is shiny and fully incorporated.

Step 4: Gently stir in the flour mixture until just combined (do not overmix), then fold in chocolate chips and walnuts if using.

Six balls of chocolate chip cookie dough are arranged on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. The baking sheet is on a light-colored surface.

A baking sheet with six freshly baked chocolate chip cookies on a silicone mat, placed on a light, textured surface. The cookies are golden brown and sprinkled with a touch of salt.

Step 5: Using 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie, roll into balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Step 6: Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers remain soft and puffy. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with coarse salt. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Recipe FAQs

Can I skip browning the butter?

While you technically can, don’t. The 8-10 minutes spent browning the butter is what gives these cookies their signature toffee undertones and nutty aroma. Using plain melted butter will result in a completely different cookie.

The bottoms are getting too dark before the centers set?

Your butter was probably too hot when you mixed the dough. After browning, let it cool until you can hold your finger in it for 3-4 seconds. Still getting dark bottoms? Place an empty baking sheet on the bottom rack while baking – it helps diffuse the heat.

Can I skip the walnuts?

Absolutely! If you’re not a fan of nuts or have an allergy, you can omit the walnuts without affecting the texture or structure of the cookies.

Expert Tips

Let Butter Cool: Letting the butter cool for 10 minutes after the browning step will help the cookies bake up just right for the crispy-chewy balance we’re trying to get.
Creamy Perfection: Don’t rush the butter-sugar creaming process. Three minutes of beating is about the perfect time needed to create air pockets for perfect texture. However, once you add the flour, mix just until combined – overmixing here leads to tough cookies.
Same Size Cookies: Use a 3-tablespoon (#20) cookie scoop for consistent sizing. If you want rustic tops, tear each dough ball in half after scooping and place the torn sides up when arranging on the baking sheet. These craggy surfaces create beautiful ridges as they bake.
Chocolate Choices: You can use chopped chocolate in place of the chocolate chips for a slightly fancier looking cookie! The cookies pictured here have regular semisweet chocolate chips, which was yummy, too.