It’s Friday… know what that means?
It’s the perfect day to add pretzels to your cookies. Trash ’em up!
I don’t know about you, but I love “trashy” cookies — the ones that aren’t delicate or fancy, just fully indulgent. These little bites are everything I want in a snack: peanut butter, melty chocolate, and crunchy, salty pretzels. The result is a perfect sweet-and-salty combo that’s dangerously easy to eat.
These cookies are basically fat, mostly-cooked balls of dough — and they are delicious. I started with a tried-and-true giant cookie dough, added peanut butter and crushed pretzels, and the dough insisted on forming into thick, chunky bites rather than flat cookies. That turned out to be a plus: they’re chewy in the center, slightly crisp on the outside, loaded with chocolate chips, and studded with salty pretzel pieces.
Years ago my afternoon snack was simply pretzels dipped in peanut butter. Then I discovered eating spoonfuls of peanut butter covered in chocolate chips, and that became the slippery slope to complete cookie obsession. Now even store-bought peanut butter-filled pretzels aren’t safe — I still find myself adding Cadbury mini eggs or another chocolate fix because I can’t resist. If you feel the same way, these cookie bites will be your guilty pleasure.
These bites are simple to make and great for sharing — or hoarding. The peanut butter and melted butter give the dough a rich chew while the crushed pretzels add texture and a hit of salt that brightens the chocolate chips. If you like cookies that are a little rustic and totally comforting, this recipe is exactly that.
Peanut Butter Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites
Yield:
20
to 24 balls
45 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick, 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups pretzel twists, crushed
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
-
Whisk the flour, salt, and baking soda together in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the melted, cooled butter with the melted, cooled peanut butter and both sugars, whisking until smooth.
-
Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, stirring until incorporated. Gradually add the flour mixture and stir until dough forms — it may look crumbly at first but will come together. If needed, use your hands to press it so it holds. Fold in the crushed pretzels and chocolate chips.
-
Form the dough into 1-inch balls, pressing firmly so they hold together, and place them about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake 8–10 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are just slightly golden. Let cool 10–15 minutes before serving.
Notes
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