Salted Peanut Butter Cup Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (with Pretzels!)
Everything you didn’t know you needed in cookie form–these salted peanut butter cup brown butter chocolate chip cookies with pretzels are a mouthful of deliciousness. Every bite has sweet and salty in it, which (in my opinion) is the best flavor combination out there. Chewy, crunchy, peanut buttery, chocolate-y: does it get any better? I say nay.
I was wanting to come up with a cookie recipe that had both sweet and salty in it for our small group get together this past weekend. For some reason I couldn’t stop thinking about having pretzels baked into said cookies. Perhaps because Mitch and I, along with a childhood friend of Mitch’s, went walking around the 2013 “America’s coolest small town” where the oldest pretzel bakery in America is located: Lititz, PA. I used Tom Sturgis Little Ones for this recipe–they’re the perfect size and yummy little pretzels.
I thought a peanut butter based chocolate chip cookie is where I would start. And I definitely wanted to have brown(ed) butter in there as well. Brown butter just adds a whole other level of flavor to baked goods and I happen to love it. My mom used to bake with it a lot and I will continue that tradition in our family. I used the Golden Barrel Brown Butter Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookie as the base recipe here, adding all the additions you see to it.
There are chopped peanut butter cups, three different types of chocolate chips (just because I could), pretzel pieces, and flaky sea salt in these here cookies. Or in other words, they’re loaded.
I wasn’t sure how they would go over at our small group last Sunday, but let me just tell you–they were a hit. Like, a one-bite-in hit. I think the thing with these cookies is that they’re just so full of flavor–from the brown butter and peanut butter, to the molasses undertone, to all the add-ins, these are not a boring cookie.
I used my large cookie scoop to make substantial cookies here. So feel free to use whatever size you want. I think next time I’ll try my medium-sized scoop. Either way, these cookies didn’t last long. One tip–refrigerate your dough for at least an hour. This prevents the cookies from spreading too much. I chilled my dough overnight and about an hour or so before I was ready to bake, I let the bowl sit on the counter.
I recommend your making them this weekend for a sweet treat for your friends and family. They’re sure to put a smile on your face as you bite into that flavorful mouthful. 🙂
| Servings |
| about 20 large cookies |
|
| Everything you didn't know you needed in cookie form--these peanut butter cup brown butter chocolate chip cookies with pretzels are a mouthful of deliciousness.
|
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, divided
- 3/4 cup Golden Barrel Dark Brown Sugar
- 1/3 cup Golden Barrel organic cane sugar
- 2 Tbsp Golden Barrel Supreme Baking Molasses
- 2/3 cup peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped peanut butter cups
- 1 cup broken pretzel pieces
- flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
- (If baking right away, preheat oven to 350 degrees F, or wait till dough is chilled to preheat. I chilled mine overnight.) Line baking sheets with parchment paper, or use baking stones. In skillet over medium heat, melt one stick of butter. Stir occasionally, until frothy and brown bits appear and butter smells nutty, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and pour in bowl to slightly cool.
- In a bowl attached to a stand mixer (or with hand mixer), cream together the other stick of softened butter, cooled brown butter, sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, and molasses for several minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for several minutes until light and creamy.
- In separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt. With mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips and peanut butter cups. (You can then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and stick in the fridge for at least an hour or up to several days.)
- With a large-sized (or whatever you prefer) cookie scoop, scoop out dough onto prepared baking sheets. Press dough down slightly and press a few broken pretzel pieces into dough. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake one sheet at a time in preheated oven for 5 minutes, then take out and tap the sheet on counter to flatten the cookies a bit. Bake for another 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. After removing from oven, tap the pan again and let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring onto wire rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container.
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