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!
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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’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 :)