Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Position the oven rack in the middle and preheat to 375°F (190°C), then line a light-colored aluminum half-sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted and cooled butter, packed dark brown sugar, and granulated white sugar for approximately 30 strokes until smooth, glossy, and no visible sugar granules remain.
- Add the 2 room-temperature eggs, extra egg yolk, and pure vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture and whisk vigorously for a full 60 seconds until the mixture looks slightly lighter in color, thickened, and ribbony when the whisk is lifted.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and Diamond Crystal kosher salt until evenly combined, then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients all at once and fold with a silicone spatula using slow bottom-upward strokes for approximately 12 to 15 strokes until no dry flour streaks remain — do not overmix.
- Add the dark chocolate chunks to the dough and fold in using 8 to 10 deliberate strokes until evenly distributed, reserving 20 to 25 chunks to press onto the tops of the dough balls before baking.
- Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough into 12 balls of approximately 60 to 65g each, place them at least 3 inches (7.5cm) apart on the prepared pan, press 3 to 4 reserved chocolate chunks onto the top of each ball, and finish with a generous pinch of Maldon flaked sea salt on each.
- Bake on the middle rack at 375°F (190°C) for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges look set and lightly golden and the centers still look slightly underdone, puffy, and matte — pull the pan at this moment and do not wait for the centers to look fully done.
- Leave the cookies on the hot pan for exactly 5 minutes without moving them, then transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before eating.
Notes
- Butter: melt fully and cool until warm to the touch — hot butter causes excessive spread and tighter, less fudgy centers.
- Flour: weigh to 300g — volume measurement runs short and produces flat cookies.
- Eggs: must be room temperature — cold eggs prevent clean emulsification and cause greasy, uneven spread.
- Extra yolk: do not skip — it is the fat source that keeps the centers fudgy rather than firm when fully baked.
- Chocolate: dark chunks at 70% cacao melt into pools — standard chips hold their shape and will not produce the same interior.
- Flaked salt: Maldon only — fine salt dissolves into the surface and disappears; crystals must stay intact.
- Baking soda: test freshness before baking — drop ¼ tsp in hot water with vinegar, confirm active bubbling.
- Storage: airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days — do not refrigerate, cold air dries the crumb.
- Freeze unbaked: portion, top with chunks and salt, freeze solid, bake from frozen at 375°F for 13 to 15 minutes.
- Make ahead: dough can be portioned and refrigerated up to 48 hours — bake directly from cold, add 1 minute.
- Scaling: this recipe doubles cleanly — do not scale baking soda linearly beyond a double batch.
- Altitude: above 3,500 feet, reduce baking soda by ⅛ tsp and increase oven temperature by 15°F (8°C).
- Allergens: contains gluten, dairy, and eggs — chocolate chunks may contain soy; check packaging.
- Tip: reserve 20 to 25 chunks to press on top of dough balls before baking for consistent chocolate coverage on every cookie.