Chocolate Chip Cookies With Olive Oil and Sea Salt

Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 375°. Cook ⅓ cup (42 g) all-purpose flour and ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula, until mixture darkens ever so slightly (think the color of desert sand) and smells slightly nutty, about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer to a large heatproof bowl and let cool 20 minutes.

Add ¾ cup (packed; 150 g) dark brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract, remaining ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, and ⅓ cup water to flour mixture and vigorously whisk until sugar dissolves slightly, 30–60 seconds. Add 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda, and remaining 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour and stir with clean rubber spatula until no pockets of dry flour remain. Add 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, and stir to evenly distribute.

Using a #16 cookie scoop or ¼-cup measuring cup and working one at a time, scoop out dough and divide between 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2" apart. (You should have 6 cookies per sheet; dough will be soft.) Sprinkle tops with a little flaky sea salt.

Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until tops of cookies are puffed and cracked, 11–13 minutes. Firmly tap baking sheets on counter once or twice to deflate cookies. Let cookies cool on baking sheets at least 1 hour before serving. (Cookies will be very soft when hot.) Do Ahead: Cookies can be baked 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.