Description
These bakery-style chocolate chip cookies are rich, buttery, and flavored with vanilla and a hint of honey for a butterscotch undertone. Featuring crisp, caramelized edges and a chewy, gooey center, these cookies are the perfect balance between crunchy and soft. With dark chocolate chunks folded throughout and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top, they deliver an irresistible gourmet cookie experience right from your oven.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt (or ¾ tsp salt if using unsalted butter)
Wet Ingredients
- 10 tbsp (140g) salted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (165g) packed dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp (80g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp (5ml) honey or corn syrup
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
Chocolate & Toppings
- 7 oz (200g) dark chocolate (55-70% cocoa), chopped into chunks
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly blended. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, combine softened salted butter, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Using a wide rubber spatula, vigorously cream the mixture by hand until smooth and slightly fluffy, resembling damp sand rather than fluffy aerated mixture. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium-low speed for 1-2 minutes, scraping sides as needed.
- Add Honey and Egg: Mix in the honey or corn syrup, then add the large egg and mix well until fully incorporated.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Chocolate: Add the entire flour mixture to the butter mixture at once. Stir until most of the flour is absorbed, then fold in the dark chocolate chunks evenly throughout the dough. The dough should be soft and moderately moist.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough surface directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours for maximum flavor and texture. You may bake after 4 hours if pressed for time, but 8 hours is ideal.
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Portion and Shape Dough: Using a 1 ½-ounce cookie scoop (or divide into 16 balls), form smooth dough balls. If dough is too firm, let soften at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Place dough balls at least 2 inches apart on baking sheets without flattening. For smaller cookies, divide into 18 balls.
- Add Extra Chocolate Chunks: Press a few additional chocolate chunks onto the top of each dough ball for an attractive finish and extra chocolate pockets.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake 6 cookies per sheet for 9-11 minutes, until the cookies are puffed, golden around the edges, but still soft in the middle. If making smaller cookies, bake for 8-10 minutes. Avoid over-baking as residual heat will continue cooking the cookies on the hot sheet.
- Cool and Serve: Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and cool cookies on sheets for 2 minutes. Carefully move each cookie to the wire rack and let cool completely. Sprinkle flaky sea salt over warm cookies if desired for a gourmet touch.
Notes
- These cookies boast a rich, buttery flavor enhanced with vanilla and honey for subtle butterscotch notes.
- The texture contrast features crisp, caramelized edges with soft, chewy, and gooey centers.
- Refrigerating dough for 8-24 hours dramatically improves cookie flavor and texture.
- If you prefer smaller cookies, divide dough into 18 balls and reduce baking time by 1-2 minutes.
- Flaky sea salt topping adds a sophisticated touch and balances sweetness perfectly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (based on 16 cookies)
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
