Peanut Butter-Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies
I’m an open book when it comes to things that I like and don’t like. You know that I don’t turn down much of anything if it includes peanut butter. Especially if it’s a cookie… That also includes chocolate… And salty pretzels. For as often as I make chocolate chip cookies, I feel like I neglect peanut butter cookies a bit. While I can never get enough of peanut butter, those cookies are something I never think about making except during the holidays. What a travesty! After making these cookies, I’m vowing to never let more than two months pass before making a batch of peanut butter cookies again. They’re too good to ignore!
I played around with the ingredients a little bit and made my first batch of cookies. Those turned out a little on the mushy side, so I did more tweaking and ended up adapting my very favorite classic peanut butter cookie recipe. The end result was perfect; everyone who tasted them couldn’t get enough. We kept grabbing cookie after cookie… needless to say, they didn’t last very long!
These cookies are everything fabulous about the combination of pretzels, peanut butter and chocolate. If you’ve ever enjoyed a bowl of Chubby Hubby ice cream, you know how absolutely delicious it is. The combination of creamy peanut butter, the salty pretzels and sweet chocolate chips is heaven. I admit to taking a spoonful of peanut butter, crushing some pretzels on top, sprinkling on chocolate chips and calling it dessert. Perfectly acceptable, right?
If you love the combination of salty and sweet with a touch of chocolate, you won’t be able to resist these cookies!
One year ago: Sticky Buns
Two years ago: Root Beer Float Cake
Three years ago: Classic Lemonade
Four years ago: Chocolate Chip Cookie-Topped Brownies
Five years ago: Buttermilk Pancakes
Peanut Butter-Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (60 g) finely crushed pretzels
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) salt
- 1¼ cups (275 g) light brown sugar
- ¾ cup (193.5 g) creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup (102.5 g) vegetable shortening
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup (60 g) mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Line baking sheets with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
- Whisk together the flour, crushed pretzels, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
- Combine the brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, milk and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add the egg and beat just until blended. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture gradually, mixing just until combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips.
- Use a medium cookie scoop (or 2 tablespoons) to scoop dough and roll into a ball between the palms of your hands. Place on the baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Dip the tines of a fork into a cup of water and make a crisscross patern on the cookies, flattening them slightly. Repeat dipping the fork in water as necessary if it starts to stick to the dough (I did it every few cookies).
- Bake for 8 minutes or until set and beginning to brown around the edges. Cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
I have an allergy to eggs and I am wondering whether there is a substitute for this recipe. Or can I make it like a shortbread cookie with the same ingredients?? Please reply asap
Thank you
Hi Maria, A common egg substitute is applesauce, but I have no idea how that would work in this recipe, as I haven’t tried it. Likewise, I haven’t tried playing around with a traditional shortbread. If you give it a try, let me know how it goes!
I’ve made these several times and LOVE them! I substituted butter for the shortening and it worked out well. I also decreased the milk by 1 tbl.
They’re delicious and always a big hit. Thanks for the great recipe!
These were delicious!!! Mine turned out so perfectly that I linked to them and provided a review on my blog – tstidbits.blogspot.ca :)
I was searching for different cookies for my nephew’s wedding cookie table. I made these for a trial run and they are AWESOME! They are now my son’s favorite cookie I make. I am a Pittsburgher also so I got to get my bake on for the wedding.
Have you ever doubled this recipe? Any hints? It sounds great, but 2.5 dozen cookies doesn’t seem like enough – I’m thinking of bringing them to a party, but I’ll need to leave some at home for my family, and then I’d love to freeze some.
Hi Lynne, Yes, you can definitely double this recipe. Enjoy!
I broke in my new kitchenaide mixer with these cookies the other day. What a hit! I used butter instead of shortening and they turned out perfect. I also used regular size milk chocolate chips (I am just not fond of semi-sweet) and they turned out just fine. The texture is amazing! It is a soft and moist cookie. I will be making these again in the future!
my son and girlfriend made these peanut-butter choclate chip pretzle cookies and drizzled them with carmal after cooling great!
Made these yesterday, and they are one of the best things I’ve ever made from your site. I substituted butter for shortening, as I live outside the US and it’s hard to find shortening here, but it worked just fine – the cookies are extra soft and chewy! Also, the raw cookie dough is the best cookie dough ever. I might just mash up some melted chocolate, pretzels and peanut butter when I need a sweet treat!
Hi Michelle! I have a quest… the pretzels are sweet or salty… and if tehy are sweet can i replace them with sth else… and the second qest…
i live in Spain n here the buttermilk is a bit difficult to find. Can i use yoghout ?
Hi Vesi, The pretzels are salty. Buttermilk isn’t used in these cookies, but you could make your own (see substitution here: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/substitutions/) or use plain yogurt (but texture might be slightly different).
could you substitute the peanut butter for a salted caramel sauce? x
Hi Elizabeth, I wouldn’t recommend it. A sauce would be much thinner than the peanut butter, which would compromise the texture of the cookies.
Made these this morning after doing an online search for a peanut butter pretzel recipe. They are delicious, I ate far too much of the cookie dough itself! Thank you for sharing the recipe, it’s a great one!
Can you use crunchy pb without altering the texture too much? Thanks. Love your blog!!
Hi Adrienne, You can use crunchy peanut butter, but it will obviously create a crunchier texture; just depends on what you like.
Made these today! You and your site never fail me when I’m looking for something delicious!
I would like to incorporate some oatmeal. Would I sub one for one oatmeal for flour…so 1/2C flour 1/2C oats? Thoughts/suggestions?
Hi Susie, It’s not always a 1:1 ratio, unless you’re are grinding the oats into a flour mixture. Oats are more substantial than flour, so I would start with a smaller percentage and see how the cookies turn out, then adjust from there.
Salt and sweet are my fave….and since I eat peanut butter straight out of the jar with a spoon ….I think we have a winner here!!
ThIS cookie was FABOLOUS!!! So yummy! Thank you…
made these,using butter! they were fantastic!
These look amazing, perfect combination!
Just made these with a few minor adjustments. I added another 1/3 cup of flower and used butter instead of shortening. I cooked in a large glass pan so they were like brownies. I cooked at 325 for 25 minutes and then drizzled melted choc on top and sprinkled sparingly some powdered sugar. These are amazing! Thanks
LOVE the sweet and salty combo! Delish!
High altitude tips? I’m over 8000′
Hi Rhonda, I have some tips for high altitude baking here: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/high-altitude-baking/
I am imagining the pure awesomeness of these cookies right now. Pb cookies are always better with a salty element so the pretzels are perfect!
These look incredible!
Peanut butter, pretzels, and chocolate are a few of my favorite things! These cookies look awesome!
I have a feeling this will become my favorite cookie recipe. I’ll be heading to the grocery store soon so I can get started.
These look A-MAZING. Can i ask-why shortening and not butter? Would they work with butter?
The peanut butter cookie recipe used as the base is my mom’s old recipe, which I love, and they have shortening, not butter, in them.
Oh, girl…your Peanut Butter-Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies look scrumptious! It definitely is a travesty when we don’t make batches of PB cookies more often! Thanks for sharing!
because of this post I am now sitting here with a bowl of pretzels and a jar of peanut butter & co dark chocolate dreams peanut butter…
I’m obsessed with putting pretzels in baked goods these days and these are my next one! Yum!
Scrumptious! Love the pretzel add in! Yum!
I came home today trying to decide what to bake…….I quickly figured out what it would be! These cookies are a fine exemplar or two favorites but with an added twist. They are delicious and one to add to the recipe box.
I just made your cookies, oh my gosh! AMAZING! I had to change it a bit, by subbing the shortening for butter, but the rest is the same! They are so good and so perfect! I love it and my step-daughter loves them too!!! These ones will go in our cookie rotation!!! Thank you!
If my pictures turn out, will I be able to share them on my blog? I will of course give you the credit.
Absolutely! So glad you enjoyed them!
These cookies have a few of my favorite things in them! The combination of chocolate and pretzels is phenomenal. Add peanut butter and you have one fantastic treat!
I am a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie kinda gal and the thought of adding pretzels is too intriguing to ignore! What are your thoughts on using butter instead of shortening?
I have not made these with butter; it’s the peanut butter cookie recipe my mom has been using for years. You can try butter, but I can’t guarantee that the texture of the cookie will be the same.
Thanks…I’ll try it and report back! I made pie crust dough last night (the Cook’s Illustrated one that has vodka in it) and it also called for some shortening in addition to butter. I don’t even keep it in the house anymore so I subbed coconut oil since it has a similar consistency. I am baking the crust tonight for a strawberry pie and can’t wait to see how it turns out. That might be interesting in your mom’s cookie recipe too…
Oh. My. Word.
I make a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie with oatmeal in it that is similar to this one, but the pretzels part about blew my mind. I have to do this like ASAP. And then I’ll eat the entire batch and gain 10 pounds. 10 sweet, salty, and delicious pounds.
I’ve never had pretzels in a cookie. They sound delicious!
This sounds like a great combination together! I have never had chubby hubby ice cream.
I also tend to overlook peanut butter cookies sometimes. They really are the best!!
I love Chubby Hubby! These look fantastic.
I would also like to know if butter (rather than shortening) could be used? I try not to use shortening. Michelle, could you please advise?! THANK YOU!
Hi Lynn, I have not made these with butter; it’s the peanut butter cookie recipe my mom has been using for years. You can try butter, but I can’t guarantee that the texture of the cookie will be the same.
did you put your pretzels in the food processor? My dough seems very soft, and very hard to work with. Maybe I didn’t crush the pretzels fine enough? I did use butter instead of shortening.
Hi Kathryn, Yes, I did crush the pretzels in my food processor.
Since all I eat in life right now are peanut butter chocolate chip pretzel granola bars, I think it’s the time to take the next step: to cookies!!
Can you replace shortening with butter? Did you try that? Just have an aversion to shortening but I know your recipes are always delish. I am craving the salty sweet.
Hi Andrea, I have not made these with butter; it’s the peanut butter cookie recipe my mom has been using for years. You can try butter, but I can’t guarantee that the texture of the cookie will be the same.
Must. Have!
I love this flavor combination – nutty, salty, chocolatey and sweet! These cookies look so thick and delicious. Absolutely perfect!
those cookies look perfect! Sweet and salty all in one bite… I know I’d have a hard time resisting!
These cookies sound fantastic! Love the idea of adding in the pretzels. Sweet and salty is the best combo!
These are the perfect flavor combination and they’re perfectly round, too! Kudos!!
Mmm! Love the idea of pretzels in a cookie!
These look perfect! Love pretzels + chocolate together :)
Love peanut butter and pretzels together. Matter in fact I talk about that today on my blog. I happen to have pretzels and PB in the house. Going to make your cookies for Hubby’s lunch tomorrow!
These wouldn’t stand a chance at my house. I absolutely adore this flavor combo!
Do I have to finely crush the pretzels? I’d like to have pretzel chunks. Will it change the consistency of the batter too much do you think?
Hi Kristina, Yes, I would recommend finely crushing the pretzels. The first time I made them I didn’t crush them as finely, and I felt like like the chunks of pretzels got soggy when baked.
Not to counter the Baker herself, but I used quite thick pretzels and crushed them so there was a mix of fine crumbs and some chunkier bits. They gave the cookies a great texture/crunch, and (I imagine because they were thicker) didn’t get soggy.
1 – You may have possibly meant crushing pretzels in the third paragraph rather than crushing peanut butter.
2 – I have always struggled with the decision between pretzel m&ms and peanut m&ms, and with these cookies I GET BOTH. Thank you.
Hi Jaris, You’re right, thank you for pointing that out; I’ve edited the post.
Lovely cookies! I am craving for some now.
I just replenished on peanut butter today so you know I’ll be making these soon!
These look REALLY delicious!!!! I love seeing what comes out of your oven :-D
Greetings!
Johlene
Flavours&Frosting
Mmm, I was eating a peanut butter pretzel flavored mojo bar te other day thinking “this needs chocolate”, but I think really I just needed to be making these cookies:)
I could eat 1 or 5 of these right now!
I love the salty/sweet combo!
I always forget to make peanut butter cookies, too. Though I never forget to eat them when they’re around. I’d love to try this recipe. I can never stop eating peanut butter filled pretzels. I bet these are awesome.
I put more than a couple PB cookie recipes in my cookbook because you can never have too many! Same with my blog…more than a few :) It’s like banana bread recipes, you can always make room for another. I love this new version of yours.
The cookies look wonderful and the salty/sweet with the crunchy prezels/soft cookies…mmm, perfect!
Like you I love peanut butter, but do not make peanut butter cookies all the much. I do love the sound and look of these cookies though! Pretzels, peanut butter and chocolate! Sign me up!
Yum! These look super tasty, great cookies! :)
Wowww.. looks gorgeous.. your photography is so lovely.. Great job :)