Martha-Stewart-Fired-Me Cookies

(Viral chocolate chip cookies from Sarah Gormley, a former Martha Stewart employee—yes, really!)

Ingredients:

2 sticks salted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
2 ¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate chunks
Flaky sea salt, for topping

Instructions:

1. Cream the Butter & Sugars

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened salted butter, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, and light brown sugar. Beat until light and fluffy—about 2–3 minutes with an electric mixer. This creates the base of that perfectly chewy texture.

2. Add Eggs & Vanilla

Crack in the 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then stir in the vanilla extract. The mixture should now be thick, glossy, and caramel-colored.

3. Mix Dry Ingredients Separately

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder to ensure everything is evenly distributed.

4. Combine Wet & Dry

Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring just until combined. Don’t overmix—stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour.

5. Fold in Chocolate

Stir in the semisweet chocolate chips or chunks. You can use a mix of chips and chopped chocolate bars if you like puddles of melty chocolate in your cookies.

6. Chill the Dough

This step is recommended but flexible:

Ideally, chill the dough for 24 to 48 hours for best flavor and texture.
At minimum, chill for 1–2 hours—as Sarah Gormley herself did. The cookies will still turn out rich and delicious!

Chilling helps the flour hydrate, and the sugar and fats settle, creating a deeper flavor and chewier texture.

7. Preheat & Prepare Pans

When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

8. Scoop & Sprinkle

Scoop dough into balls (about 2 tablespoons each) and space them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Lightly sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt before baking. Don’t skip the salt—it balances the sweetness and adds that addictive finish.

9. Bake

Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the centers still look slightly underbaked. They’ll firm up as they cool.

10. Cool on the Pan

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely (or not—warm cookies are magic).

Tips for Success:

Use good butter since it’s the base of your flavor.
Dark and light brown sugar combo = deep flavor and chewy texture.
Don’t overbake! Slightly soft centers mean gooey, chewy perfection.
Chop your own chocolate if you want bigger pools of chocolate and a more rustic bakery look.
These cookies freeze beautifully. You can scoop dough balls onto a tray, freeze, then store in a zip-top bag. Bake straight from frozen—just add 1–2 minutes to the bake time.

Final Thoughts:

These cookies are all about balance—sweet, salty, crisp edges, and soft, gooey centers. The story behind them only adds to the charm. Whether or not Martha would approve, these cookies have gone viral for a reason: they’re amazing.