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Close-up of freshly baked peanut butter pretzel cookies with golden edges, melted chocolate chunks, and pretzel pieces on parchment paper

Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies

These peanut butter pretzel cookies combine sweet and salty flavors perfectly with rich peanut butter, crunchy pretzels, and decadent chocolate chunks. Each cookie delivers soft centers with slightly crispy edges for the ultimate texture experience.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chilling Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 32 minutes
Servings: 18 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Base Ingredients
  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter room temperature
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
  • 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Mix-ins
  • 1 ½ cups chopped chocolate semi-sweet or dark, plus more for tops
  • 1 cup mini pretzel twists chopped into pieces, plus more for tops

Equipment

  • Stand mixer with paddle attachment
  • Large mixing bowls
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • 2-ounce cookie scoop
  • parchment paper
  • Two baking sheets
  • Wire cooling racks

Method
 

  1. Add the butter and sugars to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream together on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add the peanut butter and mix on medium speed for one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  3. Add the egg and vanilla and mix to combine well.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed only until just combined. A few streaks of flour remaining is okay – do not over mix.
  6. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a large spatula to stir in the chocolate chunks (chips) and pretzel bits.
  7. Using a large 2 ounce cookie scoop, scoop rounds of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Chill dough for two hours or overnight.
  8. When dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Transfer the chilled dough to the prepared pans, leaving 2 inches between each cookie as they will spread in the oven.
  9. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, stopping half way through to remove the pan from the oven and firmly tap it on the counter top to help flatten the cookies. Rotate the pan and continue baking until the edges are set and the centers of the cookies are still puffy and look slightly under baked.
  10. Remove the pan from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt if desired.

Notes

For best results, use room temperature ingredients and chill the dough for at least 2 hours. The tap method halfway through baking creates bakery-style flat tops. Store in airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.