Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read the full disclosure here.

Soft and buttery Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies are stuffed with a gooey caramel center and loaded with chocolate chips and crunchy pretzels. You don’t need to chill the dough and these are the perfect cookie all year round!

If you love caramel desserts, be sure to check out my Chocolate Caramel Oatmeal Bars!

PIN these Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies to try later!

Pin

Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies

These Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies are a cookie lovers dream. Unlike a Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie, these are loaded with chocolate chips, crunchy pretzels, and the center is stuffed with a caramel candy that melts right in your mouth.

I love how these cookies are perfect all year round. Bake them for a summer BBQ, picnic, party or for your cookie platter during Christmas. This will easily become one of your new favorite cookie recipes. Made with a buttery cookie base and the perfect sweet and salty combination.

If you love sweet and salty treats, try my Peanut Butter Stuffed Pretzels.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Soft and chewy: These are the ultimate soft and chewy cookies. The extra chewiness comes from the brown sugar and the gooey caramel. We only bake these for about 10 minutes to keep them on the soft side.

Sweet and salty: They are the perfect balance of sweet and saltiness that compliments each other. From the salty pretzel bits to the sweet chocolate chips and caramel candy.

Portable: These cookies are perfect for any occasion and can be transferred easily by placing cookies in an airtight container or ziplock bag. Pack them up for a picnic, party, lunch box treat, or bring them to work.

No-chill time: You can make homemade cookies in under 30 minutes because you don’t need to chill the cookie dough. This is always a bonus for any cookie recipe!

Pin

What’s In Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies?

• Flour: Spoon and level regular all-purpose flour when measuring it. Be sure not to scoop it out of the bag using the measuring cup. This way, you won’t accidentally measure out too much. 
• Baking powder & baking soda: Used to help make the cookies rise and form to get the perfect cookie shape.
• Butter: Salted butter works well with this recipe as the salt helps balance out the sweetness. You want your butter to be soft at room temperature. If you use unsalted butter, make sure to add 1 teaspoon of salt to the recipe.
• Sugar: You’ll use both granulated sugar and dark brown sugar or light brown sugar. The brown sugar will make the cookies chewy and add a warm molasses flavor.
• Eggs: You’ll need 2 large whole eggs. It’s best if the eggs are at room temperature.
• Pure vanilla extract: Enhances and adds a warm flavor.
• Chocolate chips or chunks: Semi-sweet chocolates or mini chips is what I use. You can also use milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, and chocolate chunks.
• Pretzels: The star ingredient! You want to be sure the pretzels are salted so it adds that saltiness flavor. You can use any shape, I just used the standard Mini Pretzel twists. To crush up the pretzels, you can either chop them up on a cutting board with a knife, or place them in a ziplock bag and use a rolling pin or your hand to crush them. You want both large and small pretzel pieces. I also top each cookie with a whole pretzel but this is optional.
• Caramel candies: I use soft caramels and cut them in half. Some brands that you can find at the grocery store are: Werther’s Original, Kraft Caramels, Fleur de Sel Caramels (from Trader Joe’s), and Favorite Day (from Target).

Pin

How To Make Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies

• Prepare cookie sheets: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a Baking sheet with parchment paper or coat with nonstick spray.
• Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
• Beat butter: In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. About 2-3 minutes.
• Add eggs and extract: Add in eggs and vanilla extract and continue to beat just until incorporated.
• Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients: Slowly add in the dry ingredients and reduce the mixer to low speed. Beat together until combined and then add in the chocolate chips and pretzel pieces. Mix together until cookie dough has formed.
• Scoop and stuff cookie dough balls: Scoop the cookie dough into balls with a mini ice cream scoop (equivalent to 2 tablespoons of dough). Stuff each cookie dough ball with half of a caramel candy and be sure to cover it with dough by rolling the cookie. Be sure the caramel candy is not visible- otherwise it will easily melt through.
• Bake: Top each cookie dough ball with a whole pretzel twist (optional). Then place the cookies on prepared baking sheets, be sure they are at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until they are a light golden brown. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired. Let cool for a few minutes, then carefully transfer to a cooling wrack. The caramel inside will be very hot. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips & Variations

Peanut butter: Give these a peanut butter flavor by adding a few tablespoons to 1/3 of a cup of peanut butter to the cookie dough. Incorporate the peanut butter with the wet ingredients.

Chocolate chips: You can swap the chocolate chips for butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, caramel chips, white chocolate chips, or chop up a chocolate bar instead.

Caramel: If you are not able to find caramel candy for the filling, you can use Milk Duds, Rolos, mini Carmelo bars, and Dove chocolate and caramel candies.

Pretzels: You can use shape or size of pretzel. It doesn’t really matter since the pretzels will be chopped up and topping the cookie with a pretzel is optional. Pretzel sticks, pretzel crisps, or pretzel squares will all be great options as long as they are hard, crunchy, and salty. If you don’t want to use pretzels at all, swap them for regular potato chips.

Room temperature ingredients: It’s important that your eggs and butter are at room temperature. They incorporate with the other ingredients so much better then when they are cold. This will also help your cookies stay tender and soft.

Add-Ins: Want to add even more to these cookies? Shredded coconut, M&Ms, chopped nuts, toffee bites, and sprinkles are great additions.

Pin

Can I Make These Into Cookie Bars?

You can! If you prefer to have them in a bar form instead of cookie form, it’s easy to do. Add half of the cookie dough to a 9×9 inch baking dish lined with parchment paper. Add a layer of the caramel halves. Top with the remaining cookie dough, then top with pretzel pieces. Bake for 10 minutes longer than the recipe calls for- but always be sure to check since every oven is different.

Leftovers & Storage

To-Store: If you happen to have any leftovers, luckily these cookies will stay fresh, soft, and chewy for a few days. Place cookies in an airtight container or cover plate tightly with plastic wrap. Store at room temperature for up to 1 week. 

If you want your cookies to stay extra fresh, store with a soft piece of sliced bread. This will keep them softer and fresher longer. 

To-freeze: Bake your cookies in smaller batches and freeze the remaining cookie dough. Freeze by placing the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet and flash freeze for 30 minutes or until hardened. Transfer the cookie dough balls to a large freezer bag or airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. The pretzels may not be as crunchy once they defrost but they will still be just as delicious.

To-thaw: Place cookies on a baking sheet and sit out for a 30 minutes. You can also bake the cookies frozen, just be sure to add a few more minutes to the baking time.

Pin

Other Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

• Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chips Cookies
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
• Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Truffles

Pin