Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies are loaded with salty pretzels, gooey caramel bits and semi-sweet chocolate chips. A heavenly cookie that cures all the sweet and salty cravings.
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Why We Love These Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies
- This recipe makes 12 big buttery cookies loaded with caramel bits, chopped pretzels and chocolate chips.
- Cookies turn out ultra thick and chewy with the perfect balance of sweet and salty.
- A giant bakery style cookie recipe that is made easily in your own kitchen.
- No special ingredients needed, you probably have most of them on hand.
- No chilling needed makes this recipe come together quick.
- These cookies make the best gifts, are perfect for sharing and sell out at bake sales.
Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Ingredients
- Salted Butter
- Brown Sugar
- White Sugar
- Large Eggs
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Unbleached All Purspose Flour
- Caramel Bits
- Pretzel Sticks
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Substitution Suggestions
- Salted Butter: You can use unsalted butter. I suggest adding an extra ½ teaspoon of salt to the cookie dough if you do.
- Brown Sugar: I prefer light brown sugar for this recipe, but you could use dark brown sugar if you need to. The cookies might turn out a little darker, and spread or puff a little extra.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Pure extracts yield the best flavor. Imitation extracts can leave an unwanted after taste in the cookies.
- Unbleached All Purpose Flour: Whole wheat flour and white whole wheat flour can be used as well. Or you can use a blend of all purpose and whole wheat. The whole wheat flour will add a little nutty flavor to the cookies and may change the texture just a bit. I like to use all purpose flour for these cookies, I think it gives them the best texture.
- Caramel Bits: I like to use the bag of Kraft Caramel Bits. No need to unwrap or chop anything. If you can't find them, you can use square caramels. Unwrap them and cut them into quarters, then measure out 1 cup.
- Pretzel Sticks: You can use broken pretzel twists if you prefer. Break the pretzels first, then measure out 1 cup.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: You can use your favorite chocolate chips. Dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips or a mix of all chocolate chips can be used. You could also chop up any type of chocolate bar and use chocolate chunks in the cookies.
How to Make Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies
- First, preheat oven to 375°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream together softened salted butter, brown sugar and white sugar in stand mixer with paddle attachment or in large mixing bowl with hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract.
- Now add the dry ingredients: baking soda, baking powder, salt, and all purpose flour. Mix on low speed just until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Fold in caramel bits, broken pretzel sticks, and semi-sweet chocolate chips or mix in on low speed.
- Using a ⅓ cup or 3.25 oz ice cream scoop, make 12 cookie dough balls and place 6 on each prepared baking sheet.
- Roll dough into balls and flatten just slightly with the palm of your hand. Not too much. If desired, add a few extra pretzels or chocolate chips on top for an extra pretty presentation.
- Bake one pan at a time, in center of oven for 13-15 minutes until the edges are a perfect golden brown and centers no longer look wet.
- Let cookies cool on pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Storing Cookies
Storing: Completely cool cookies and store in an airtight container. Keep them in a cool dry place and they'll last 3-4 days. If you notice the cookies starting to get a little dry or hard, add a piece of bread or a flour tortilla to the container with the cookies. It will add moisture back into the cookies.
Freezing: These cookies freeze well! Place the baked cookies in a freezer safe airtight container in single layers, between pieces of wax paper. Label, date and freeze. Cookies will last 3-4 months in the freezer.
Thawing: To thaw the frozen cookies, simply let them sit at room temperature until thawed.
Heather's Favorite Tools for this Recipe
- I don't think I could live without my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. It's the best tool ever for making cookies and so many other things.
- Long ago, I used to be a Pampered Chef consultant and I still prefer their baking tools and pans to any others. Their cookies sheets are the only ones I use for cookies. Find yourself a consultant, host a party and treat yourself to a set.
- A 3.25 oz cookie scoop is great for this cookie recipe. I got mine at Sam's club, but this large scoop from OXO on Amazon is a great scoop too.
- Pre-cut parchment paper is a life saver and so easy. No cutting my fingers!
Tips for the Best Sweet and Salty Cookies Recipe
- Gather all your ingredients before you start baking. It is so much easier to bake when all your ingredients are ready. Plus, there is less room for error. Like forgetting an essential ingredient. I'm not saying I've done this, however, I am speaking from experience!
- Always read the recipe from start to finish before you start. Again, I am speaking from experience.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It helps everything mix together properly.
- Make sure to fluff your flour a bit before you measure it. When it sits for periods of time it becomes packed. Fluffy flour is better for the perfect cookie texture. To fluff your flour, just scoop it and dump it a few times or whisk it and then measure it out.
- Break your pretzels first before measuring them.
- Use a measuring cup or ice cream scoop to get the same size cookies, that way they will all bake evenly. I like to use a 3.25 oz scoop I got from Sam's Club.
- For best results don't over bake the cookies. Over baking will cause the cookies to not be as chewy as intended. The edges should be a light golden brown and the centers no longer wet.
- For an extra little salt flavor, sprinkle tops of cookies with coarse sea salt immediately after you take them out of the oven. It is super delicious!
More Bakery Style Cookies:
- Giant Frosted Sugar Cookies
- Gourmet Snickerdoodles
- Birthday Cake Cookies
- Frosted Cookies and Cream Cookies
- Gourmet Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Monster Cookies
- Jumbo Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies
Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies
Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies are loaded with salty pretzels, gooey caramel bits and semi-sweet chocolate chips. A heavenly cookie that cures all the sweet and salty cravings.
Servings: 12 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 1¼ cups brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup caramel bits
- 1 cup broken pretzel sticks
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer with paddle attachment or in large mixing bowl with hand mixer cream together softened salted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg.
- Then beat in the vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients: baking soda, baking powder, salt, and all purpose flour. Mix on low speed just until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Fold in caramel bits, broken pretzel sticks, and semi-sweet chocolate chips or mix in on low speed.
- Using a ⅓ cup or 3.25 oz ice cream scoop, make 12 cookie dough balls and place 6 on each prepared baking sheet.
- Roll dough into balls and flatten just slightly with the palm of your hand. Not too much. If desired, add a few extra pretzels or chocolate chips on top for an extra pretty presentation.
- Bake one pan at a time, in center of oven, for 13-15 minutes until the edges are a perfect golden brown and centers no longer look wet.
- Let cookies cool on pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cookie | Calories: 573kcal | Carbohydrates: 84g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 517mg | Potassium: 222mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 534IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 3mg
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