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    Home » Recipes » Cookies

    Chocolate Pretzel Cookies

    Published: Jan 3, 2022 · Modified: Jan 9, 2025 by Liz Mincin · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    I'm a massive fan of salty sweet! These are the BEST chocolate pretzel cookies - the ultimate combination of a crunchy salty pretzel with semi-sweet chocolate morsels. The perfect cookie recipe for the chocolate pretzel lovers out there.

    Chocolate chip pretzel cookies on a wire rack.
    Jump to:
    • Equipment
    • Ingredients
    • Choosing Pretzels for these Cookies
    • How to Make Salted Pretzel Chocolate Cookies
    • Expert Tips
    • Storage Advice
    • FAQs
    • More Chocolate Chip Cookie Options
    • Chocolate Pretzel Cookies

    Equipment

    To make these cookies, you'll want the following items at hand to make the process quick and easy:

    • Large mixing bowl - you can also use the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
    • Hand held electric beaters - if you're using a stand mixer, this won't be necessary, but if using a standard mixing bowl, electric beaters make creaming so much simpler!
    • Sieve - for sifting your flour. I won't lie - I have absolutely made these cookies without sifting, but it really does help with final texture and with ensuring a good even mixing of the leavening agent. If you don't have a sieve it's not the end of the world and you'll still have tasty cookies at the end!
    • Spatula - a good spatula is essential for mixing the final dough together.
    • Ziploc bag - the easiest way to smash up your pretzels for this recipe will be in a ziploc bag. You can use other bags, but ideally use something that seals or you'll have pretzel pieces everywhere!
    • Rolling pin - or other heavy item to help smash the pretzels into bits. Technically you could use a food processor, rather than the bag and pin, but I find it more of a hassle than its worth and the pieces end up too finely ground.
    • Cookie scoop - I use a 1.5 tablespoon scoop for my cookies, but you can use larger or smaller scoops. Size of the cookies will impact baking speeds.
    • Baking sheet
    • Parchment paper - you could also use silicone baking mats or a non-stick spray. The key is to avoid the baking cookies sticking to the pan!
    • Wire cooling rack

    Ingredients

    These are essentially a twist on my classic chocolate chip cookies. You'll need:

    • Butter - unsalted butter, softened at room temperature. You might think these are the perfect opportunity to use some salted butter to get that extra salty kick, but you don't want to overpower it! Using unsalted butter allows you more control and helps avoid these cookies leaving your mouth dry from too much salt.
    • Light brown sugar - firmly packed measurements. I like to use muscovado, but any soft light brown sugar will work here. You can also substitute with dark brown sugar for added molasses-y flavors.
    • Egg - a large egg, ideally at room temperature.
    • Vanilla extract
    • Flour - all purpose or plain flour will work in this recipe.
    • Baking soda
    • Flaked sea salt
    • Salted pretzels - I like to use little salted pretzels here since you can then add some to the top to decorate the cookies.
    • Chocolate chips - this is where you have some flexibility. Personally I love a semi-sweet chocolate chip or a dark chocolate chip here. You could opt for milk chocolate or even white chocolate though - let you personal preferences be your guide.
    Overhead shot of small bowls and plates holding the ingredients for pretzel cookies with chocolate chips.

    Choosing Pretzels for these Cookies

    In theory you could use any hard pretzels in these cookies - large ones, pretzel sticks, sourdough pretzels, etc. As long as they can be crushed to small-ish bits to mix into the batter, they're able to be incorporated.

    In practice, it is best to use mini hard pretzels with salt. This is because they are small enough to make for easy crushing without pulverizing. Lightly smashing these with a rolling pin or other heavy kitchen utensil will give you small bits, that are still large enough to add a crunch to the cookie.

    Mini pretzels in cookies also offer an easier opportunity for adding a decorative touch to the top when ready to bake. Simply press an extra uncrushed mini pretzel straight on top of the dough ball before baking.

    How to Make Salted Pretzel Chocolate Cookies

    These are such a simple recipe to whip up! Follow these steps for your salty sweet treat:

    Step 1: Begin by creaming the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. I do this using a handheld electric beater, but you could use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

    Step 2: Add the egg and vanilla, beating to combine.

    Step 3: Sift the flour and baking soda into the sugar mixture and add the flaked sea salt. Stir this with a spatula to combine into a dough. If using a stand mixer, you may be able to continue beating with the paddle attachment, but beat until just combined.

    Step 4: Place 1.5oz of pretzels into a ziploc bag and seal. Smash the pretzels with a rolling pin or other heavy utensil until they are well crushed into small bits. You don't need to powder them, you want them to distribute in the batter.

    Step 5: Add the pretzel pieces and chocolate chips to the cookie dough and stir to combine.

    Overhead image of a ziploc bag full of pretzel pieces. A red rolling pin is on top of the bag, which has been used to smash and break the pretzels into bits.
    Image of Step 4 - Crushing pretzels.
    Overhead shot of ceramic mixing bowl with brown sugar cookie dough, pretzel pieces and chocolate chips waiting to be mixed together.
    Image of Step 5 - Adding chocolate and pretzels to the dough.

    Step 6: Using a cookie scoop, dollop out balls of cookie dough onto a plate or parchment. Place these in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly. I'd recommend at least 1 hour, but ideally 2-3.

    Step 7: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175C/155C Fan) and line a baking sheet with parchment.

    Step 8: Place the chilled dough balls well spaced (about 2" apart) on the cookie sheet. For decoration, gently flatten the tops of the balls with your hand and place an extra uncrushed mini pretzel.

    Overhead shot of cookie dough balls on top of a silicone baking mat with mini salted pretzels placed on top.

    Step 9: Bake these in the center of the preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes until the edges are starting to go darker/more golden.

    Step 10: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

    Expert Tips

    This is a fairly standard cookie dough for the most part. My top tips here are as follows:

    • For best results with this recipe, chill balls of cookie dough for at least an hour prior to baking. This isn't strictly necessary and you can definitely bake straight away if you're in a rush! But, the chilling will make them softer and chewier because it will help prevent too much spreading.
    • When ready to bake, press a pretzel in the top for decoration and place in the center of the preheated oven.
    • Since these cookies are made with brown sugar, they will bake darker than conventional chocolate chip cookies, so don't worry if they seem to be darker than normal from the start. This does mean that you'll need to pay attention to avoid leaving them in too long - you're looking for a deepening golden, not too for them to go too brown!

    Storage Advice

    These cookies are best kept at room temperature once baked. They'll last in an airtight container for several days, though they do start to lose freshness after a day or two.

    If you're wanting to get a head start or have on demand pretzel cookies - make a batch and freeze the dough! Essentially follow the recipe as written all the way up to scooping dough balls for chilling. All the dough balls to chill in the fridge for an hour or so, to firm up and then transfer to a freezer bag for easy storage. They dough balls will keep in the freezer for a few months and can be baked straight from frozen - just keep an eye as they may need a little longer in the oven.

    FAQs

    Can I make cookies with pretzels?

    So, adding pretzels to cookie dough is absolutely doable and delicious! This recipe for chocolate pretzel cookies incorporates pretzel pieces in the dough and also a pretzel on top of the cookie. The pretzels bake well as an add in to the dough, giving a bit of crunch and salt.

    What are pretzel cookies?

    Honestly there are a lot of interpretations for what a pretzel cookie is. If you're looking for a pretzel shaped cookie, then this isn't the recipe you're after. If you're looking for a cookie using pretzels, then you've come to the right place! This easy one-bowl salted pretzel cookie with chocolate chips is a salty sweet treat in cookie form!

    My cookies are dark around the edges but I can't lift them off the baking sheet. What's happened?

    So there are a couple of things that may be happening here. Firstly, these cookies are made with brown sugar, so they will be darker than conventional chocolate chip cookies and may start to brown more deeply than you're used to. This can make you think they are done early.

    Once you've removed the pretzel cookies from the oven, also be sure to allow these to cool on the pan for about 5 minutes. This will help them to stay nice, soft and chewy, but will also help the base of the cookie to firm up to make them easier to move across to a cooling rack. If trying to move them immediately from the pan when fresh from the oven, they will be too soft and may fall apart.

    More Chocolate Chip Cookie Options

    • Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies
    • Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar
    • Cookie Bottomed Brownies
    • Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies
    Chocolate chip pretzel cookies on a wire rack.

    Chocolate Pretzel Cookies

    Liz Mincin
    The ultimate salty sweet cookie treat. Chocolate chips and pretzels combined in a fun new easy cookie recipe.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Chilling 1 hour hr
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 18 cookies
    Calories 193 kcal

    Equipment

    • large mixing bowl or you can use the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment
    • hand held electric beater if you're using a stand mixer, this won't be necessary
    • Sieve
    • spatula
    • ziploc bag or other sealable sandwich bag for smashing your pretzels
    • Rolling Pin or other heavy utensil for helping to smash the pretzels into bits
    • baking sheets
    • Parchment paper
    • cookie scoop
    • wire cooling rack

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature
    • 1 cup light brown sugar soft brown sugar or muscovado, firmly packed
    • 1 large egg ideally at room temperature
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1¼ cup all purpose flour or plain flour
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon flaked sea salt plus a little extra to sprinkle on the baked cookies
    • 1½ oz salted pretzels plus a few extra to top the cookies
    • 4 oz semi sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

    Instructions
     

    • In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
      ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar
    • Next add the egg and vanilla, beating to combine.
      1 large egg, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • Sift the flour and baking soda into the sugar mixture and add the flaked sea salt. Stir with a spatula to combine into a dough.
      1¼ cup all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon flaked sea salt
    • Place 1.5 oz of pretzels into a ziploc bag and seal. Smash the pretzels with a rolling pin or other heavy utensil, until these are crushed into smaller bits.
      1½ oz salted pretzels
    • Pour the pretzel pieces and chocolate chips into the cookie dough and stir to combine.
      1½ oz salted pretzels, 4 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
    • Dollop balls of cookie dough onto a piece of parchment paper or a plate and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour (up to 3 days).
    • Meanwhile preheat your oven to 350°F (175C/155C Fan) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
    • Once the dough has chilled, place the balls of dough well spaced on the cookie sheet and top each with a pretzel pressed lightly into the top centre. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes until the edges are darkening.
    • Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat the baking process until you are out of dough balls.

    Notes

    Keep the dough in the refrigerator until ready to bake. This means if you're making batches, leave any dough balls that aren't going straight in the oven in the fridge to stay cool while you are baking.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 193kcalCarbohydrates: 28.5gProtein: 3gFat: 7.3gSaturated Fat: 4.2gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 163mgPotassium: 37mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11.8gCalcium: 12mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @waitingforblancmange or tag #waitingforblancmange!

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    Image of Liz Mincin blogger and recipe developer behind Waiting for Blancmange.

    Hi, I'm Liz! I'm an American expat in the UK, with over 20 years experience baking and creating desserts. Taught tricks and tips by my mother and grandmothers, I'm sharing recipes and baking tips from my Italian American and Southern roots, along with a few British staples picked up from my time living across various regions in the UK.

    More about me →

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