My 1-ingredient upgrade for better chocolate chip cookies is a little controversial
Fish sauce chocolate chip cookies on wire rack
Dear friend,
For a while now, I’ve stopped adding vanilla extract to my cookie recipes. Instead, I reach for bold, flavorful ingredients that add real depth and help keep things not too sweet. If you know me, you know I love baking with miso—it’s packed with umami and transforms cookies in the best way.
While developing recipes for my upcoming cookbook, 108 Asian Cookies, I pushed even further, experimenting with ingredients like fish sauce, furu (fermented bean curd), and even Japanese whisky to elevate cookie flavor in unexpected, unforgettable ways.
That’s how these fish sauce chocolate chip cookies were born. They’re rich, complex, and wildly delicious, with notes of caramel and smoke. And no, they don’t taste fishy. The fishy scent and fishy flavor disappear in the oven, leaving behind a savory depth that enhances the brown sugar and semi-sweet chocolate beautifully.
I like to think my Vietnamese granny, Ah Ma, would be proud. She learned to bake French pastries under colonial rule—but I get to reclaim those flavors and ingredients, on my terms. These cookies are sweet, salty, bold—and unapologetically mine.
Topped with toasted sesame seeds and flaky sea salt, every bite hits with flavor, texture, and umami sparkle.
Love umami desserts? Curious about fish sauce in baking? Ready for a cookie that slaps? One bite, and you’ll understand why I’m the queen of Asian baking. <3
xoxoxo,
Kat Lieu
A note on the fish sauce: While I use a full tablespoon in this recipe, you may want to start with just ½ tablespoon and adjust to taste—especially if it’s your first time baking with fish sauce. My longtime go-to has always been the Three Crabs brand, but for this batch, I wanted to support a fellow creative and Asian American small business. I used Dear Mam fish sauce, handcrafted in California from fermented anchovies. It worked beautifully—and I’m so glad I gave it a try. (This post is NOT SPONSORED.)
Kat Lieu's Fish Sauce Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe is the Best
These bold chocolate chip cookies are crisp-edged, tender, and packed with deep, savory flavor—thanks to a secret ingredient: fish sauce. Inspired by my Vietnamese granny, Ah Ma, I use just a splash to enhance the richness of brown sugar and the warmth of Japanese whisky.
Each cookie is loaded with dark and semi-sweet chocolate, then finished with toasted sesame seeds and flaky sea saltfor extra crunch and umami sparkle.
Big and unapologetic—about ¼ cup of dough per cookie—these Asian-inspired chocolate chip cookies are anything but ordinary. Bake them to impress, or just to spoil yourself.
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
- Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze these cookies to store indefinitely.
- Other add-ins are great, such as dried berries and nuts. It's your choice!
