We Must Keep Up Our Strength: Dark Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies

I’ve been good for quite awhile now–not baking any cookies, not eating any, nor even thinking about them. But this can only last so long, and a few weeks ago I ran across a recipe on the Internet for Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies, and before I knew it, I was baking them for a luncheon at work. To my mortification, they were pretty ordinary, almost approaching hocky puck-like status, and I vowed to come up with a recipe worthy of such a wonderful name as Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies. I wanted them to be more buttery, tender, and just generally more mouthwatering.  I think I have succeeded. Jim and I each have had half a cookie–just for testing purposes–but how long this moderate, rational approach can last, I don’t know. These are large cookies with a moist center. Instead of using semi-sweet morsels, I used dark chocolate morsels, and instead of using regular pretzels, I used butter-flavored pretzels. So you get a brown sugary taste, then a buttery pretzel crunch, and then a pool of melted dark chocolate deliciousness, all in one bite. Why, why, why doesn’t broccoli do this for us? It’s so unfair.

Dark Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 cup Nestles Dark Chocolate Morsels
1 cup coarsely crushed butter-flavored pretzels

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place all ingredients into a large bowl, except the chocolate morsels and crushed pretzels. With mixer at medium speed, beat until blended, occasionally scraping bowl with a rubber spatula. Stir in morsels and crushed pretzels.

Using a 1/4-cup measuring cup, scoop up batter, pack down slightly, and upend onto cookie sheet. Bake for about 13 to 14 minutes. The centers should still be soft, and the edges lightly browned. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Makes about 12 cookies.

Baking notes: I used Snyder’s Butter Snap Pretzels. I measured them into a measuring cup, and crushed them using the washed and dried bottom of a soy sauce bottle.

The original recipe came from Bake It! from Good Housekeeping. The mixing method is a bit unusual, and its success depends on the butter being very soft, though not melted. I found that I had to finish mixing the dough with a large spoon. I think you could make this recipe using the more traditional method of mixing the butter, sugar and egg, and then adding the dry ingredients.

You certainly could make the cookies smaller, using a tablespoon to measure, but be careful not to overbake.