This recipe for sea salt peanut butter chocolate chip cookies is what finally brought my years of searching for a soul mate to an end.

Okay just kidding, cookies can’t be your soul mate. Right? It just feels that way because they are everything I’ve ever wanted in a cookie. Super chewy, chocolatey, soft, flavorful and multidimensional due to the peanut butter. Then topped off with sea salt to create the most irresistible sweet & salty combination. I’m drooling a little just writing about them. Maybe I just love food way too much, but when I take that first bite of the perfect cookie it makes my heart skip a beat. But that’s enough mushiness, let’s get down to the facts. What makes these sea salt peanut butter cookies so amazing? Here are 4 things:

1.) The mini chocolate chips make the chocolate to cookie dough distribution perfect. Just the right amount of gooey, melty chocolate in each bite.

2.) Peanut butter makes these cookies extra soft and chewy even as they cool off and add a more complex, nutty flavor to the cookie dough.

3.) Greek yogurt and honey also help contribute to that chewy, soft texture.

4.) Sea salt sprinkled on top just after baking adds a balance to the sweetness and makes these cookies extra addicting!

Sometimes I think about making other cookies but then I realize anything else will simply be a disappointment. Don’t believe me? Try this recipe and get back to me after you’ve devoured the full two dozen!

Huge thanks to Monique at Ambitious Kitchen for the inspiration for this recipe. She is queen of the sweet & salty combo and my baked goods kindred spirit!

Ingredients For Sea Salt Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter at room temperature
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon plain greek yogurt or sour cream
12 oz bag mini chocolate chips (semisweet)

Directions For Sea Salt Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Combine the first four dry ingredients in a medium bowl (flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt).
Set aside.
Using a stand mixer or electric mixer, mix the softened butter and peanut butter together until they’re well blended.

Add the sugars and beat until smooth and creamy.

Then beat in the egg, egg yolk, honey, vanilla, and yogurt until combined.
Add the dry ingredients slowly and beat on low-speed until fully incorporated.

Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.

Chill dough in refrigerator for about an hour or 30 minutes in the freezer. I’ve seen so many different “tricks” to achieve that perfect slightly-crunchy-on-the-outside-but-chewy-in-the-center texture… But the truth is, there is no magical ingredient that will do that for you.

The MOST IMPORTANT thing you can do is chill the dough and don’t over bake the cookies.

If you do that, even the most basic store bought cookie will turn out perfect and delicious!
When your cookie dough is almost done chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
When cookie dough is chilled, scoop with a large spoon (or mini ice cream scoop) and roll in your hands to create 1″ balls.
Place cookie dough on parchment lined cookie sheet. (12 cookies per large sheet).

Bake for 9-12 minutes (depends on size of your cookie) or until cookies start to look slightly golden brown around the edges. Do not over bake! (If they still look a little underdone in the middle, that means they are ready! The internal temperature will continue to rise even once they are out of the oven and the cookies will set as they cool.)

Remove from oven and sprinkle generously with sea salt (or Kosher salt flakes). Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes before removing them from the cookie sheet. (You’ll notice that the sea salt peanut butter chocolate chip cookies look a bit puffy when they first come out of the oven. This is normal, they will settle as they cool.)

I’m a huge fan of salt and have been experimenting with different types for this cookie. These smoked sea salt flakes (found at Target) are one of my favorites so far!

Once the sea salt peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are cooled (if you really had the patience to wait five minutes), pour yourself a tall glass of milk and enjoy them while they are warm and gooey. Every bite will be filled with chewy, chocolatey goodness!

happy cooking,

Yuli