There are few flavor combinations better than caramel and chocolate, and these Salted Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies take that combo to a whole new level with rich toffee baked into buttery chocolate chip cookie dough. These are extra special because I use my homemade toffee bits which are very easy to make and taste a million times better than store-bought. These cookies are golden with crisp edges and then chewy all the way through. They have a rich, buttery vanilla flavor and a perfect salty & sweet balance. You would think they'd be too sweet from the toffee, but they are just right! The layers of chocolate and toffee through the cookie dough are incredible. If you love these, you should also check out my popular Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies and Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy cookie recipe - this cookie recipe is easy to make because you don't need an electric mixer. You can simply make the cookie dough with a spatula in a large mixing bowl.
- Homemade toffee bits - I use my homemade toffee recipe, and if you haven't made toffee before, you'll be pleased to know it is SO easy and worth it! It only takes 10 minutes and the flavor is so good. If you don't have time, you can also use SKOR bits, but I really encourage you to make your own.
- Chewy chocolate chip cookies - these chocolate chip cookies are so chewy thanks to the homemade toffee bits and they have the most delicious crisp, caramel-y edges. The toffee also helps them stay chewy for longer since the amorphous sugar is hygroscopic and locks in moisture.
- Make ahead recipe - these cookies are great for gifting, shipping or making ahead for a special occasion since the toffee keeps them chewy.
INGREDIENTS FOR SALTED TOFFEE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
- Unsalted butter - soft butter adds incredible flavor and helps build some structure during the creaming step for crisp caramelized edges. Pull it out at least 2 hours before baking so it is softened to room temperature. You can also use salted butter, but then I recommend reducing the added salt by half to ¼ teaspoon.
- Brown sugar - the molasses in brown sugar gives these cookies a toffee-like flavor to complement the toffee pieces that are going in! I like to use dark brown sugar for a more pronounced flavor, but you can also use light brown sugar.
- Granulated sugar - this recipe uses both brown sugar and white granulated sugar. The white sugar will help them crisp up for crunchy edges.
- Pure vanilla extract - vanilla will elevate the butterscotch flavor and it is really important in this recipe. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
- Toffee bits - I use my easy foolproof homemade toffee and break it up into small pieces. It is so delicious, easy to make and rewarding. You can also use SKOR bits or another brand that is made with real butter and not hydrogenated fat.
- Dark chocolate - I recommend dark chocolate with at least 60% to 70% cocoa content for a rich taste that will contrast the sweet and salty toffee. You can use semisweet and it will just be sweeter. I also like to use block chocolate and chop it up so it melts more evenly and I like the variation in size.
- Sea salt - this is optional but I highly recommend sprinkling a little bit of flaky sea salt on top of the dough balls before and after baking! It really elevates the flavour and is a sweet & salty dream! I like Maldon Sea Salt Flakes for this.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- STEP 1). Cream butter and sugar. Beat together the soft butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and a bit fluffy. It will look more like wet sand than a pale and aerated mixture.
- STEP 2). Mix in egg. Add the egg mix until well combined. Mix in vanilla.
- STEP 3). Add dry ingredients. Mix in the baking soda and salt. Then, sprinkle in the flour mixture and fold it in until mostly combined, but a few streaks of flour still remain.
- STEP 4). Add chocolate and toffee. Fold in chocolate chips, then lastly fold in the toffee pieces until just combined.
- STEP 5). Chill the dough. Cover the dough in the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- STEP 6). Bake. Scoop mounds of dough and roll into smooth balls. Place them on lined baking sheets and top with flaky sea salt. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden and still soft in the middle.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Measure the flour accurately to ensure you get the right texture. Too much flour will makes them dry and crumbly, and too little will cause them to spread excessively.
- For best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients.
- Use a trigger-release ice cream scoop to portion these cookies for even baking and roll the dough portions into smooth balls for a uniform shape.
- Let the baked cookies sit on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring them. They are delicate while still warm from the molten toffee so they need a few minutes to set up.
RECIPE FAQ
You can use your favorite brand. My go-to is SKOR bits because they are made with butter and they have a thin coating of milk chocolate that makes them extra delicious!
I use fine sea salt or regular table salt for the dough because it distributes more evenly and dissolves easier. For topping, I like to use flaky salt and Maldon Sea Salt Flakes are my favorite.
I highly recommend chilling this cookie dough since it will help with the texture and it controls the spreading. The added toffee pieces will contribute additional sugar to the dough and cause it to spread more, so chilling will allow the flour to fully hydrate so the cookies don't spread excessively. Chilling will also help with the chewy texture. Nevertheless, do not chill for longer than 2 hours as it can have the opposite effect as the toffee dissolves into the cookie dough to promote spreading.
If your cookies spread a lot, then it could be that the dough either wasn't chilled at all or was chilled too long. A brief chill time will help hydrate the flour so the moisture is locked in, while a long chill time in this particular recipe will cause the toffee bits to dissolve and the dissolved sugar will cause excessive spreading. It could also be cause by too much baking soda or not enough flour added. Too little flour will mean the cookies will not have enough structure to hold their shape and the dough will be too wet. For best results, measure the flour is using a kitchen scale to ensure you use the right amount.
If your cookies didn't spread, then it is likely you added too much flour. I recommend using a kitchen scale for accuracy. Also, if the dough balls are too small, then the dough will not have enough time to spread before they are already cooked through. I use a 1.35 oz cookie scoop. If you are still having trouble with spread, flatten the dough balls slightly before baking.
These cookies are best stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
If you love cookies, check out these recipes!
Lemon Blueberry Cookies with White Chocolate Chunks Coffee Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies Double Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies Hazelnut Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies THE BEST Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies – Bakery Style! The BEST Fudgy Flourless Brownie Cookies Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies Chewy Brown Butter Snickerdoodles Cookies Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Ferrero Rocher CookiesCraving more cookies?
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Salted Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup (110g) packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoon (7ml) pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ⅓ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 6 oz (170g) dark chocolate coarsely chopped (about 1 ¼ cups, but you can reduce to 1 cup - I like a lot of chocolate)
- ½ cup (80g) Homemade Toffee Bits
- flaky sea salt for topping
For best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients.
Instructions
- Combine soft butter with both sugars in a large bowl and mix by hand using the creaming method (spreading the butter and sugar mixture back and forth along the bottom of the bowl) with a wide spatula until smooth, pale and a bit fluffy. You can also use an electric handheld mixer on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl a few times to ensure everything is evenly blended.
- Add egg and vanilla and mix until well incorporated.
- Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Add it to the butter mixture and fold it in until it is mostly combined but a few streaks still remain. Before all of the flour is combined, add the dark chocolate chunks and toffee bits and fold them through so they are evenly distributed.
- Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the dough in the bowl and refrigerate for 1-2 hours - do not skip this step or the cookies will spread too much. Also, I don't recommend refrigerating longer than this or it will have the opposite effect. Too much time will cause the sugar in the toffee to dissolve into the dough and cause it to spread and caramelize excessively.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Use a 1.35-oz cookie scoop to portion the dough into 14 portions and roll into smooth balls (if you try to make fewer larger cookies they will spread too much). Place them onto prepared baking sheets spacing them 3 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden around the edges and still slightly gooey in the center (they will set as they cool).
- Some of the toffee will have melted out of the dough and caramelized on the edges (which is delicious), causing the cookies to look a bit misshapen. To fix this, transfer baking sheet to a wire rack and immediately, while the cookies are still hot, use a large round cookie cutter or a spatula to shape the cookies into rounds by nudging the oozing toffee around the edges back towards the center. I either take my cutter, place it over the cookie so it contains it, then move it around in concentric circles to shape the cookies, or I just take my spatula and literally push in the edges. The cookies are still malleable while the sugar is hot so this works just fine. Let cookies cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt before the chocolate sets and enjoy!
Alex
These were tasty! I think the next time I make them I’ll brown the butter.
christina.marsigliese
Thank you Alex!