I’m not really a sweet tooth kind of person. I like desserts. Even candy sometimes (especially these…), but sweet always takes a back seat to my unhealthy, artery hardening passion for salt. I love it. I really really love it.
I used to live down the street from Ezra’s Pound and on some lucky days when I went in to get my coffee they would have these chewy chocolate chip cookies dusted with cinnamon and sea salt. Normally, I wouldn’t get excited about cookies but these were different. These were salty. And sweet. And cinnamon-y. And just wonderful.
I moved and now I make my coffee at home and after many cookieless months I realized I could probably make them for myself. And so I did, and I think they turned out rather nicely. I used a basic recipe from Gourmet, as I mentioned I’m not much of a cookie person so I don’t have my own favourite chocolate chip cookie recipe… but if you do, use it.
Just one last little thing. I’m rambling a bit, I know… Get some flaked sea salt – such as Maldon – if you can. The texture is perfect for the cookies. It can be a touch pricey but it’s worth it, great to have around for any dish where a good quality sea salt is called for.
Makes about 36 cookies
cinnamon + sea salt chocolate chip cookies
adapted from Gourmet, October 2003
ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
- 3 tbsp cinnamon
- 3 heaping tbsp flaked sea salt
preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F with a rack positioned in the middle.
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
Beat together butter and sugars in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time until mixture is creamy. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture slowly and mix until just blended, then stir in chips.
Scoop 1 heaping tbsp of batter for each cookie and roll into a ball, arranging balls 3 inches apart on 2 baking sheets. Flatten mounds into 3-inch rounds using moistened palm of your hand. Take a generous pinch of cinnamon (about 1 tbsp for each baking sheet) and dust over cookies lightly then sprinkle with a generous amount of flaked sea salt.
Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until golden, 10-11 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool and continue making cookies in same manner until batter is used up.
These sound and look great. I love the salt with sweet flavor too – and I’ve always told people I have a “salt tooth”.
thanks alicia