Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies

While most people are thinking of healthy meals and exercising, I’ve been thinking of these cookies. I made these cookies a while ago and to take on a weekend trip with friends. They were a bit hit. They combine sweet and salty into every bit. The pretzel sticks in the chocolate chip cookies also give a nice little crunch.

I always use Ghirardelli bittersweet chips in my cookies because I love the size of the chips almost as much as the flavor. They’re a bit bigger but flatter than the standard Nestle chocolate chips. If you see the Ghirardelli chips in your supermarket, I definitely recommend trying them!

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Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: ~5 dozen

Ingredients:

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar - I used light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups coarsely crushed pretzel sticks
2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing until combined after each. Mix in vanilla. Gradually add dry ingredients into the butter mixture and beat just until incorporated. Add crushed pretzels and mix briefly to combine. Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop dough using a tablespoon cookie scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets and flatten dough balls slightly. Place into the oven and bake cookies until they are lightly golden around the edges, about 9 to 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cookies cool for a couple minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

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13 Responses to “Alton Brown’s “The Chewy””

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    1
    Bridget — March 5, 2009 at 6:02 pm

    Aren’t they the best? They’re so addicting. I’ve actually starting using the same ingredients, but mixing them like a more traditional chocolate chip cookie (i.e., softened butter instead of melted), because I like the dough better with softened butter. The baked cookies were just as good. Best of both worlds!

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    2
    Laure — March 5, 2009 at 9:45 pm

    These look gorgeous. Don’t you just love AB??? 🙂

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    3
    Julie — March 6, 2009 at 4:06 am

    The cookies look great. I love AB too..he’s such a dork (in a good way).

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    CoCo — March 6, 2009 at 5:50 am

    I love the ATK/CI Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. I will have to try these to see what I think. I remember seeing that the recipes looked similar so I am sure I will love them.
    Another AB lover here. My husband gives me a hard time about my DVR list with him but loves it when I give him a fun tidbit or cook him something from AB.

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    5
    Jen — March 6, 2009 at 1:34 pm

    I completely agree CoCo. Hubby does the same thing. I sometimes even watch episodes I’ve seen before! Hubby doesn’t like to admit it, but he loves AB too. Sometimes he’ll be the one saying “AB says to do this…”

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    foodess — March 9, 2009 at 3:38 am

    They look SO good!! I am a sucker for a chewy chocolate chip cookie. Although, I must side with your hubby – I prefer mine with just a bit of chocolate.

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    7
    Naomi — March 9, 2009 at 6:46 am

    How much is a stick of butter? I’m not in the US and have never come across this measurement before.

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    Jen — March 9, 2009 at 11:08 am

    Sorry about that Naomi – 1 stick of butter = 8 Tbsp. Does that help?

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    Dani — March 9, 2009 at 11:46 am

    this is very similar to the ccc recipe i use, but anything that makes it chewier is good in my books! i will have to keep this one in mind 🙂

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    10
    Naomi — March 13, 2009 at 10:05 am

    Yes Jen, thank you!

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    Allie — June 2, 2010 at 8:43 pm

    Yum! I will definitely be trying these. I always chill my cookie dough too usually because I’m too busy with 3 little ones but I also read that article in the NY times awhile ago and I felt like I deserved a nice big pat on the back for always doing the 24hour chill 🙂 Great post and beautiful cookies!

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    Susan — June 23, 2015 at 4:41 pm

    I love Alton Brown because of his scientific approach to cooking and baking. I’ve been baking “The Chewy” for years. One thing I do differently: Before chilling the dough, I scoop it into balls. This makes the process much easier. Sometimes I freeze the balls for baking later. After I place the balls on parchment, I carefully place a few extra chocolate morsels on top, pointy side up. This extra step produces picture-perfect cookies every time.

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    13
    Desiree — July 2, 2016 at 1:56 am

    The Chewy is my go to recipe for cookies. I make a few alterations, occasionally, such as substituting 1/4 of the brown sugar with dark brown sugar. I bake small portions in mini muffin tins; one batch makes 48 cookie bites that are super chewy and the perfect size bite. I’ve made them every year for Christmas gifts for a few years now.

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