Salted Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies feature cold butter beaten with brown and white sugars for thick, chewy texture, stuffed with gooey soft caramel pieces, loaded with milk chocolate chips and chopped pretzels, then finished with coarse sea salt for perfect sweet-salty balance.
You’ll love this recipe because the unique cold butter method creates bakery-style thickness while the caramel centers ooze dramatically when warm, making these cookies irresistibly addictive.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (cold, two sticks), sliced
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour (add 1 Tbsp at a time if sticky)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ cups milk chocolate chips
- 1½ cups chopped pretzels
- 15 soft caramels, cut in half
- 1 Tbsp coarse sea salt
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
-
Beat cold sliced butter until smooth. Add sugars; beat 1-2 minutes until creamy.
-
Mix in eggs and vanilla until just combined.
-
Add flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; mix on low until dough forms.
-
Fold in chocolate chips and chopped pretzels.
-
Scoop 2 heaping tablespoons dough; flatten, place half caramel in center, and roll to enclose completely.
-
Place 9 cookies per sheet. Bake 8-12 minutes until golden (about 10 minutes).
-
Sprinkle warm cookies with coarse sea salt. Cool on pan 5 minutes, then transfer to rack.
Tips for Success
-
Cold butter creates thicker cookies don’t soften it.
-
Add flour gradually if dough feels too sticky.
-
Enclose caramels completely to prevent leakage.
-
Higher oven temp (400°F) gives signature golden edges.
-
Don’t overbake; centers stay soft while edges crisp.
Delicious Variations
-
Swap milk chocolate for dark or white chocolate chips.
-
Use salted caramel candies for double saltiness.
-
Add chopped nuts like pecans for crunch.
-
Press whole pretzel on top before baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why cold butter instead of room temperature?
Creates steam pockets for thicker, chewier cookies.
Can dough be made ahead?
Refrigerate up to 48 hours or freeze scooped balls.
How to store?
Airtight container 3-4 days or freeze up to 2 months.
Gluten-free option?
Use 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
Can I bake from frozen?
Add 1-2 minutes baking time.
Print
Salted Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 18-20 cookies 1x
Description
Cold butter beaten with brown and white sugars for thick, chewy texture, stuffed with gooey soft caramel pieces, loaded with milk chocolate chips and chopped pretzels, finished with coarse sea salt for perfect sweet-salty balance.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter (cold, two sticks), sliced
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2½ cups all-purpose flour (add 1 Tbsp at a time if sticky)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1½ cups milk chocolate chips
1½ cups chopped pretzels
15 soft caramels, cut in half
1 Tbsp coarse sea salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
Beat cold sliced butter until smooth. Add sugars; beat 1-2 minutes until creamy.
Mix in eggs and vanilla until just combined.
Add flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; mix on low until dough forms.
Fold in chocolate chips and chopped pretzels.
Scoop 2 heaping tablespoons dough; flatten, place half caramel in center, roll to enclose.
Place 9 cookies per sheet. Bake 8-12 minutes until golden.
Sprinkle warm cookies with coarse sea salt. Cool on pan 5 minutes.
Notes
Use cold butter straight from fridge for thick cookies.
Add flour gradually if dough too sticky.
Enclose caramel completely to prevent leaking.
High oven temp (400°F) creates thick texture.
Space cookies well as they spread.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28
- Sodium: 280
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
Keywords: salted caramel pretzel cookies, chocolate chip pretzel cookies, gooey caramel stuffed cookies, sweet salty cookies, thick chewy cookies
