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?
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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!!