Preheat Oven:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Cream Butter and Sugars:

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add Wet Ingredients:

Mix in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract, until fully combined.

Combine Dry Ingredients:

In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, and salt.

Mix the Dough:

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and caramel bits.

Shape the Cookies:

Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Bake:

Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers look slightly underbaked. The cookies will firm up as they cool.

Sprinkle with Sea Salt:

Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, sprinkle each with a pinch of flaky sea salt.

Cool:

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.