Is there anything better than salty-sweet desserts? I’ve taken my best ever brown butter chocolate chip cookies recipe and made them even more irresistible with salty pretzels and milk chocolate chips for that perfect balance of salty and sweet. These Brown Butter Pretzel Chocolate Chip cookies are a must-make!

I first shared this delicious pretzel chocolate chip cookie recipe on my friend’s site, Amanda’s Cookin’.

I love my go-to brown butter chocolate chip cookie recipe, but every once in a while you just crave something a bit different. These cookies are perfect when you want something sweet and salty, and the pretzels retain their crunch even after baking. If you love chocolate-covered pretzels, this cookie is perfect for you.

Brown butter is just plain butter which is melted on the stove, but you keep cooking it until it achieves a caramel-brown color. It takes on a more pronounced butter flavor and makes these cookies absolutely mouth-watering.

These cookies make a great treat anytime, but I love wrapping them up and giving as gifts because they are such a crowd-pleaser! They last up to week in a sealed container.

I wrapped a few up for my mom with this gorgeous black and white striped tissue paper and a red tin for a gift that really pops – in more ways than one.

Ingredients to Make Salty Sweet Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1/2 cup browned butter (or melted butter)
• 4 tablespoons shortening
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1-2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt (plus extra for sprinkling on top, optional)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1-2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup pretzels, broken into small pieces

Tip: if you don’t have time to brown the butter and allow it to cool slightly, you can use melted butter instead.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful:

• Stand mixer
• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cookie scoop
• Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
• Cookie sheet
• Cooling rack

How to Make Delicious Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookie Recipe

Brown the butter in a saucepan – melt the butter and continue to heat until the butter takes on a caramel-brown color and milk solids start to form and turn chocolate-brown. Watch carefully and take the saucepan off direct heat once the caramel color appears to prevent burning.

Allow the browned butter to cool as you assemble the remaining ingredients. You do not have to skim the milk solids out of the butter but you can if you wish.

Cream the sugars with the slightly cooled, melted butter, and then whip in shortening before adding the molasses, vanilla, and eggs.

In a separate bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon) together, and then add half to the butter-sugar mixture. Incorporate fully before adding the second half of dry ingredients.

Add the chocolate chips and broken pretzels.

Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to measure out your cookies onto a lined baking tray.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes until just slightly golden and remove to a cooling rack.

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Salty-Sweet Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup browned butter (or melted butter)
• 4 tablespoons shortening
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1-2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt (plus extra for sprinkling on top, optional)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1-2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup pretzels, broken into small pieces

Instructions

1. Brown the butter in a saucepan - melt the butter and continue to heat until the butter takes on a caramel-brown color and milk solids start to form and turn chocolate-brown. Watch carefully and take the saucepan off direct heat once the caramel color appears to prevent burning.
2. Allow the browned butter to cool as you assemble the remaining ingredients. You do not have to skim the milk solids out of the butter but you can if you wish.
3. Cream the sugars with the slightly cooled, melted butter, and then whip in shortening before adding the molasses, vanilla, and eggs.
4. In a separate bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon) together, and then add half to the butter-sugar mixture. Incorporate fully before adding the second half of dry ingredients.
5. Add the chocolate chips and broken pretzels.
6. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to measure out your cookies onto a lined baking tray.
7. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes until just slightly golden and remove to a cooling rack.

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These pretzel chocolate chip cookies combine salty and sweet into one wonderful treat for cookie lovers! Pretzel and chocolate lovers unite!

For more delicious cookie recipes, check out our healthy lentil chocolate chip cookies recipe or our double-chocolate caramel-stuffed cookies recipe.