I remember a very dark period in my life when I didn't care for toffee. I know, I know it's crazy to think that there are people in this world who don't like toffee, but they exist, and I sadly used to be one of them! I don't remember when I switched over to the other side (re: the happier side) but I kind of have a feeling that these salted toffee and brown sugar cookies had something to do with it.

I'm a pretty simple person when it comes to cookies: any kind that has chocolate in it I will most likely eat and love until the end of time. And any other kind of cookie that doesn't have chocolate in it like a peanut butter or sugar cookie are perfectly adequate in my opinion, but I don't usually go gaga over them.

But with these non-chocolate cookies, I can and will eat 5 in a sitting without even thinking twice about it. The toffee just melts in your mouth, the texture is so chewy and addicting, and the juxtaposition between the brown sugar/toffee combo and salty topping is perfect. Who needs chocolate when a cookie can deliver all of this?

So the next time you're at the grocery store and you find yourself in the baking aisle right near the chocolate chips (I find myself here more often than not), grab a bag or two of toffee bits, make sure you have a good supply of brown sugar, and for the love of God don't forget the precious flaky sea salt. I know I'm a bit zealous with my sprinkling of sea salt on baked goods (evidence #1 and evidence #2), but trust me on this one: you NEED the salt on top.

Salted Toffee and Brown Sugar Cookies

Yields about 25-30 cookies, depending on size

Recipe adapted from Everyday Annie

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks, 6oz.) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup brown sugar (any kind works)
1 large egg, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup toffee bits
Flaky sea salt, to finish

Directions

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Set aside.
Using a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until combined and scrape the bowl again.
Add the dry ingredients to the stand mixer and mix on low until just combined. Fold in the toffee bits with a spatula. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and using a spoon or a cookie scoop (I use the medium size), scoop out 1.5-2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie.
Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet halfway through. The cookies are done when the edges are set and slightly browned, with the center still soft. Do not overbake! Once taken out of the oven, sprinkle with flaky sea salt and allow the cookies to sit on the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.