Name: Salted Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter, , softened (2 sticks); 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 3/4 cup light brown sugar; 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 2 large eggs; 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp kosher salt, , plus more for sprinkling; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 bag 60% cacao chocolate chips, (dark chocolate chips)

This Salted Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe yields a batch of cakey cookies filled with dark chocolate and topped with a sprinkle of salt. Divine!

It was Saturday night, a rare one in which my kids were home. My son had a friend over and they, together with my daughter, were watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — the newer film with Johnny Depp.

I cringed a little when they chose it. I prefer the older, classic version with Gene Wilder. And though I adore Johnny Depp — particularly from his 21 Jump Street TV days and, of course, as the venerable Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise — his portrayal of Willy Wonka is creepier than I’d like.

Maybe it’s just me.

Still, it all felt just right. Friends, movies, relaxation, fun. And next thing I knew, I started baking cookies.

I’d had these cookies in my brain for a little — an adaptation of the classic Toll House recipe that I posted about eons ago. But this version has more vanilla, dark chocolate chips and a sprinkle of salt on top — an idea inspired by chocolate chip cookies at a bakery and cafe in downtown Bangor that I like, Fork & Spoon. Their cookies are my guilty pleasure.

But mine, of course, are a little different. They’re smaller — a few bites big — and cakey. But like the ones I adore, these are loaded with chocolate and have that lovely salty finish that is pretty darn good. I make them uniformly shaped and sized with the aid of a medium-size cookie scoop. It’s my favorite tool for making cookies since it makes it so easy to get the dough from the mixing bowl to the baking sheet.

The kids ate them with milk … what is it about cookies eaten with milk that makes them even better?

Meanwhile, we’re settling into our new house. There’s still plenty to unpack but it doesn’t feel like one big storage area anymore. That’s a good thing. And on Sunday I hosted my first dinner party here. I would have loved to be totally unpacked, decorated and ready but sometimes you just have to roll with it.

The laughter alone was worth it.

Salted Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 2 dozen

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, , softened (2 sticks)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt, , plus more for sprinkling
1 tsp baking powder
1 bag 60% cacao chocolate chips, (dark chocolate chips)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and beat well until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. I like to use a whisk for this task -- it makes quick work of it.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Using a medium cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon, drop the cookies onto the prepared cookie sheet, leaving about 2-inches between the lumps. Dust each ball of dough with a sprinkle of salt -- only a few grains needed.
Bake for 8-12 minutes, until golden at the edges and cooked through.
Remove from the oven and cool slightly before digging in.