Salted Caramel Pretzel Cookies
Are you ready for a new amazing cookie recipe with the perfect blend of sweet, salty, and crunchy? These Salted Caramel Pretzel Cookies are it my friends. If you’re an experienced baker or just getting started, this easy cookie recipe will be your new favorite with every chewy, gooey bite.
Imagine sinking your teeth into a chewy caramel cookie, full of crunchy pretzels and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Each bite offers the perfect mix of sweet and salty, making these cookies an instant hit any time of year.
Ingredients for Salted Caramel Pretzel Cookies:
- Salty pretzels: Crushed pretzels and whole pretzels add a salty crunch to each bite.
- Gooey caramel: Indulge in chewy caramel bits or soft caramel candies cut into pieces.
- Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips would work here
- Butter: These cookies get salt from the pretzels and flakey salt on top- so I like to use unsalted butter.
- Vanilla extract: vanilla beans or paste would work too
- Light or dark brown sugar: Either light brown sugar or dark would work for this recipe.
- Large egg and yolk: Using a egg and a yolk gives these cookies that perfect chewy texture.
- Flour mixture: A combination of dry ingredients, including flour, baking soda, and kosher salt, ensures the cookies rise perfectly.
- Flaky Sea Salt: Sprinkle on top for that salty-sweet contrast.
How to make Salted Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies:
- Preheat your oven to to 350F and prepare your baking sheets with parchment paper or a sil-pat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour mixture, including the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add in the egg yolk and mix until combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, caramel bits, and crushed pretzels until evenly distributed.
- Use a large cookie scoop to form cookie dough balls and place them on the prepared cookie sheet. Press a whole pretzel onto the top if you like and a bit of caramel or two if you want that melty gooey-ness on top.
- Bake the cookies until the edges are golden brown and the tops are set. Sprinkle the top of the cookies with flaky sea salt while still warm for that extra salty kick.
- Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before indulging. For the best chewy texture, store them in an airtight container.
Can I use Caramel Sauce instead of candies?
No I wouldn’t. It will just melt into the batter and the pockets of chewy caramel candy is what really makes these to die for. You can use Kraft Caramel Bits which I find in the baking aisle of grocery stores, or whole unwrapped caramel candies cut into pieces.
What size pretzel is best?
Any size that can be broken into small pieces for a little crunch will work. My first choice would probably be mini pretzels, but I have used sticks or larger twisted pretzels with good results.
The best part about these salted caramel pretzel cookies? The perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors, the crunchy pretzel pieces, the gooey caramel pockets, and the chewy cookie base. Each bite is a little slice of cookie heaven.
Sweet and Salty dessert lovers may also like:
- Fudgy Sea Salt Brownies
- Miso Peanut Butter Cookies
- Sweet & Salty Monster Cookies
- Sweet & Salty Layer Cake
Salted Caramel Pretzel Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 12 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
- 1 ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup of crushed pretzels plus a whole pretzel for each cookie
- 1 cup caramel candies, unwrapped and diced*
- *optional- sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Adjust oven racks to a middle position. Preheat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl; set aside. With electric mixer, or by hand, mix butter and brown sugar until creamy. Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat at low-speed just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips, pretzels and caramel bits.
- Bake, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy (10-12 minutes.) Do not overbake.
- Sprinkle cookies with flakey sea salt.
- Cool cookies on sheets for about 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.
- Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
The crushed pretzels, caramels, and sea salt were a mouthwatering combination. These cookies are to die for!
These cookies were the perfect sweet and salty combo that I was craving. Easy to make and a big hit with my teenager.
Thanks for letting me know! :)