Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies
Soft and chewy, these peanut butter chocolate chip pretzel cookies are sweet and salty perfection! With a brown butter base and packed with chocolate chips and crushed pretzels. Vegetarian.
Note: This recipe is NOT dairy free. It was published before Cook Nourish Bliss transitioned to dairy free recipes and remains popular with long time readers. You can try using substitutions to make it dairy free, however I have not tested this myself and can’t say how it will turn out.
It took oh so many attempts to get these delicious soft and chewy peanut butter pretzel cookies just right.
But man was it soooo worth it.
Even the failed batches were delicious – although the amount we had in the house (and still have in the freezer) was / is borderline ridiculous.
So I started force-feeding them to friends. Apparently I’ve turned into the crazy cookie lady.
About These Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies
Kidding aside, these peanut butter chocolate chip pretzel cookies are incredibly good.
- They have that sweet and salty thing going on big time, which I just can’t get enough of lately.
- They are chewyyyy. Essential.
- There’s the brown butter factor. Which we just can’t overlook. Whole different level of goodness I tell you.
If you’ve never browned butter, don’t be intimidated. And don’t get too upset if you burn it the first time. Ahem, I may have some first-hand experience in that department.
After you do it a time or two you get the hang of it … and then there is no turning back. Your world will be changed.
So go make me proud and bake up a batch of sweet and salty cookie awesomeness.
Additional Cookie Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Lemon Lime Cookies
- Lime Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Cookies
- Flourless Peanut Butter S’mores Cookies
Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies
Soft and chewy, these peanut butter chocolate chip pretzel cookies are sweet and salty perfection! With a brown butter base and packed with chocolate chips and crushed pretzels. Vegetarian.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup roughly crushed pretzels
Instructions
- Cut the butter into chunks and add to a small skillet. Let the butter melt over medium heat and then continue to cook, whisking frequently, until it begins to brown (this takes several minutes). You should see brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Once you see those bits, turn off the heat and continue to whisk constantly for about 30 seconds, until the butter is golden brown. Be careful not to burn the butter - those bits can turn black quickly.
- Pour the butter into a bowl and let cool down so that it’s warm and not hot.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and sea salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cooled brown butter and peanut butter. Beat on medium speed until well combined. Add in the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until smooth and completely blended.
- Add in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Beat again on medium until well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the chocolate chips and pretzels. Transfer to the refrigerator and let chill for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- When the dough is done chilling, scoop about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of dough (I used my larger cookie scoop) and drop onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 to 3 inches apart. Sprinkle the tops lightly with some of the sea salt.
- Bake for about 9 to 10 minutes, until the cookies are set and the edges are a light golden brown (they may not look completely done but will continue to cook when you take them out). Let the cookies cool directly on the baking sheet for 10 minutes then remove to a wire rack.
Notes
I don’t usually use natural peanut butter when baking but it’s all I’ve been buying lately and it worked fine for me with this recipe on numerous occasions.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 140Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 134mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 9gProtein: 2g
Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.
Hello! The recipe doesn’t say that you bring the melted brown butter back to a solid (via refrigeration). That’s always how I’ve used it in the past. Just to confirm, in this recipe, you use liquid brown butter?
Thanks!
Hey Melissa! Correct – you’ll use the brown butter here in its liquid form (just cooled down a bit and not piping hot!). Hope you enjoy!
Could these be veganised at all?
Hey Caitlin – It’s not something I’ve ever tried, so it’s hard to say if they would work well. I’m sorry!
Had these at best friend’s house. SO awesome. Made some and brought them in to work, quite the hit. Question: can this be made WITHOUT peanut butter? How would you adjust the recipe? Cookies taste great as is, but I’ve always felt PB takes away from chocolate, and I am a chocoholic!
Hi Elle! So so happy to hear it!
It can be done … but it’s hard to say what would work since I haven’t tried it myself with this recipe. You could take another recipe and then just alter the add-ins to make it similar. Like this one from Joy and then use half chocolate chips and half crushed pretzels! http://joythebaker.com/2014/05/the-best-brown-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies/
OMG, Ashley, thank you SO much for the recipe! Browned AND regular butter – what a concept! I tried the above recipe from Joy, swapping out the pecans for crushed macadamia nuts. I couldn’t bring myself to reduce the amount of chocolate chips, just added about 1/2 cup of crushed pretzels. The texture is an amazing combination of slightly crispy outside and chewy inside. It made just over 3 dozen…not sure how many I am willing to share with co-workers this time! I think you’re right, browning butter is awesome and addicting. 🙂
Yay! So happy to hear this : ) Oh it is … there is just something about browned butter that makes my heart go pitter patter! haha
These cookies look fabulous Ashley! Sweet and salty is so awesome and I love that they are chewy and crunchy – they sound perfect. Haha – I totally force feed my friends and family with treats too and would gladly raid your freezer if I was closer to help take some off your hands 🙂
ooooo salty sweet goodness indeed! And DUDE brown butter. You could just have that be the title and I’d still come back for the recipe heehee. 😀 These look perfect, Ashley!
Ashley, these look fabulous!! Yes, the brown butter bit is important as is makes them just that little bit more special. As for long names, here is my longest (un-blogged!), Brown Butter Cupcakes with Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream and Salted Caramel Drizzle… 😉
Now that is one awesome sounding recipe!!
Hehe, my husband edits my recipe titles…but sometimes they need to be long…right? 😉
It looks like all your efforts paid off because these cookies look delicious. I love the sweet and savory going on here. 🙂
It’s SO much better to be the crazy cookie lady than a crazy cat lady. Plus, having hoards of cookies in the freezer to me is something we should all aspire to achieve.
And you are so right about brown butter. I started adding them to my cookies this year and it makes a HUGE difference! Pinned 🙂
haha very true. Or crazy beagle lady? Oh wait, that I am : )
The sweet and salty combo gets me every time! Yum!!
LOVE! Nothing beats a good cookie in my snack books.
These ARE AMAZING!!!!!
Thanks for perfecting this recipe to share with us!
So where do I sign up to be one of those friends you try to force the failed batches of these cookies on? 😉
I made browned butter for the first time a couple months ago and I was really blown away by it’s amazing taste! It truly amps up those baked goods. I love everything going on these cookies, and I totally get that freezer cookie stash force feeding friends thing 😉 What can you do? Practice makes perfect 🙂
These are everything I could ever want in a cookie, and then some. Drooling!!! And your photos are gorgeous! I love how you style your food 😉 Pinned!
Thanks Allie! : )
I would gladly take cookies off your hands! I can’t resist a sweet and salty cookie!
I may just take you up on that offer, Ashley! If you ever need a taste-tester, you know who to contact :). Umm, and do I even need to mention how fabulous these cookies are?? I am pretty sure you would be laughing so hard watching me trying to grab a cookie through the screen, ha. You did it again – they look amazing, dear!
haha thanks Kathi! And if you are ever in NC, come get some cookies! : )
I love the sweet and salty combo. And also, brown butter.
These look amazing Ashley! Salty-sweet treats are the best!
Haha! I am SO bad at naming recipes ridiculously long names that no one could or would ever repeat. Definitely need to cut them back! These cookies are awesome – love the sweet and salty combination! Pinned!
lol it was like a brain buster watching my friends try to remember (and repeat back) the whole name … and that was when I realized I should probably shorten it!
Um……YUM!!!! I’m glad you made them till they were perfect because these literally look amazing!!
There’s not much I enjoy more than a chewy cookie. I totally agree that the chewy part is essential! And sweet + salty…I’m sold! Beautiful pictures too 🙂
Thank you Brooke!
YUM!!!!! I love anything sweet and salty, and these cookies look amazing! I wish I lived closer to come over and raid your freezer for these cookies! Pinned 🙂
Peanut butter.. chocolate .. and pretzels.. what a great combination. I just love pretzels dipped in chocolate.. I can not resit it:)
Omg Ashley! I was just saying I was craving something sweet and salty. And you brown buttered them. You rock…. Gotta run and make these.
hehe do it!
I made some whole wheat choc chip cookies today and I’m wishing I could offer you a swap so I can try yours. Chewy is definitely mandatory and I’m really interested because I don’t think I’ve yet had cookies with pretzels in them (I live under a rock). These sound fantastic – pb makes everything so rich and delicious – and it’s amazing you went through all the iterations to get the recipe right.
Thanks Monica! The pretzels are pretty awesome – this was my first time doing it with this recipe and I’m definitely in love!
I’ve been busy formulating a salty-sweet chocolate peanut butter treat of my own lately so I loved seeing these cookies — serious weakness right here for me. Add brown butter, and I’m really in love with these! I hear you on titles getting crazy — they must be stopped somewhere. haha These look great, and I’d love some out of your freezer. 🙂
haha you don’t want to leave anything out but at some point it’s just too long to say!
Ashley…this combination! You know its pretzel month right?! These look AMAZING The sea salt on top is the perfect ending topping . Chewy and crunchy is the best, next to the super combination of peanut butter and chocolate.
I did not know it was pretzel month! Happy coincidence I guess : )
You and I are n’sync lately! I’m totally posting a recipe with brown butter tomorrow — a savory one though. THESE these look/sound seriously sinful and addictive. Definitely whipping up a batch of them soon!
Ha! We really are – great minds think alike I guess : )
I was sold on these just by the title and THEN you added brown butter! These sound like the ultimate sweet and salty cookies. Love that they’re chewy and have those crunchy pretzels in them too! If you’re looking for people to send the extras to, I volunteer. 🙂
I love everything about these cookies. They look so yummy!!
Haha … your first sentence made me laugh, Ashley, because I had exactly the same problem with my latest post title but decided just to shove the whole lot in there anyway, because I really couldn’t decide which ingredient to leave out! Oh dear, the trials and tribulations of a food blogger!
The cookies look and sound amazing, Crazy Cookie Lady! I wish I was one of your friends over there to help you ‘clean up’ all those trial versions!
haha seriously – sometimes it takes me forever to decide on a name!
Sweet and salty is my weakness! I will make you proud and come raid your freezer and make these cookies! Then we can hang out and stuff our face with even more cookies!
That sounds like a plan!
Yes, yes, yes, a million times YES. My salty-sweet cravings are no match for these gorgeous, delicious pretzel cookies! I want dozens!
I am convinced that I now need to put pretzels in my almond butter chocolate chunk cookies that I made a couple of weeks ago. I don’t know what I didn’t think of that before considering I LOVE the sweet/salty combo.
Ooooo do it! lol It’s so good!!
Some persistency there! That’s really cool…and the cookies must be just fantastic! Especially the pretzel pieces are very appealing to me! 🙂 ela
Ooooh….yum, yum, yum! I love the sweet and salty combo going on here! That’s one of my favorites; plus, I love the fact that they are a chewy cookie. Chewy cookies are waaay better than crunchy ones in my opinion!
Yes they are! I completely agree!
Very interesting recipe.. thanks for sharing!!
Ahh these sound like my kind of cookies, chewy and crunchy and the nutty tones from the brown butter. Delicious!
See, now I have a HUGE problem with moderation. Especially when cookies are involved. I’m never going to be able to eat just one of these! And I’m not sure I even care. They look so good and sound totally my style. I love sweet and salty, so these are perfect. Love!
haha I’m the same way with cookies – trouble!
A nice and fun idea to add pretzels to those cookies. They look delicious!
I’ve been craving cookies like crazy! I love that they are chewy and crunchy, so perfect. Don’t mind if I grab a few for an afternoon snack.
I’d be happy to share : ) There are soooo many in our freezer right now! haha