This caramel pretzel skillet cookie is irresistibly chewy, buttery, and full of crunchy texture. Topped with flaked sea salt and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it’s the perfect dessert to share (or keep to yourself).
This skillet cookie delivers a delightful contrast: soft, chewy dough studded with crunchy salted pretzels and pockets of caramel. It’s salty, sweet, and utterly satisfying.
This version is incredibly chewy with a tender, buttery crumb and plenty of crunch from the pretzels. It’s everything you want in a cookie, but baked in a skillet for dramatic presentation and warm, gooey appeal.
I first fell for a caramel pretzel cookie from a local bakery and knew I had to recreate it at home. This skillet version captures all of the bakery’s best qualities — the buttery caramel notes, crunchy salty pretzels, and a chewy cookie base — and might even top the original.
The texture is the star: chewy dough, crunchy pretzels, and caramel that melts into little pockets of buttery goodness. Serve it warm with ice cream and extra caramel sauce for the ultimate crowd-pleaser.
I tested this as a skillet cookie first, though the dough also adapts well to individual cookies or bars. If you love a giant, shareable dessert, a 12-inch cast iron skillet yields a gorgeous presentation that’s easy to portion into wedges or squares.
Short verdict: it tastes just like the bakery version — maybe even better. Chewy, salty, sweet, crunchy, and buttery all at once. Add flaky salt and a scoop of ice cream, and you’ve got dessert perfection.
The ingredients that make this skillet cookie extra wonderful:
- Brown sugar — gives the cookie that deep, chewy texture.
- Extra yolks — using a couple of yolks in addition to a whole egg boosts chewiness and richness.
- Caramel bits or chopped caramels — these create pockets of soft, buttery caramel throughout the cookie.
- Salted pretzels — crushed for texture and whole pieces for big, salty bites; the crunch and salt are essential.
Serve this warm with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce. The contrast of hot cookie, cold ice cream, and melty caramel is dreamy.
Caramel Pretzel Skillet Cookie
Caramel Pretzel Skillet Cookie
6 people
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg yolks
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 11 ounces caramel bits, or chopped caramel squares
- 10 caramel squares (optional, for pressing into the top)
- 1 cup crushed salted mini pretzels
- Handful whole salted mini pretzels
- Flaked salt for topping
- Caramel sauce for topping (optional)
- Ice cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
- Heat a 12-inch oven-safe skillet (cast iron preferred) over low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the butter and let it melt completely, then stir in the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Turn off the heat (or remove the skillet from the burner).
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and egg yolks together. Add them to the warm skillet mixture and stir immediately and quickly so the eggs don’t scramble. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined; the dough will be thick. If needed, wipe flour off the skillet edges with a damp towel.
- Fold in about ¾ of the caramel bits and the crushed pretzels. Use a sturdy spoon to incorporate evenly. Smooth the top and press the remaining caramel bits, caramel squares, and a few whole pretzels into the surface.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the cookie is mostly set in the center. Remove from oven and sprinkle with flaked sea salt.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
Share a photo on social media and tag the creator if you’d like — it’s always wonderful to see how your version turned out. Enjoy!
Seriously — everything I want in a dessert: warm, chewy, salty, sweet, and utterly delicious.