These Chocolate Caramel Cookies with Pretzels are the perfect combination of salty and sweet. The cookies are indulgent with a soft and gooey center and a perfectly crisp outer edge.

Breaking apart a chocolate caramel cookie with pretzels.

If I could dream up a favorite cookie that is both salty, sweet, crunchy AND soft…it would be these Chocolate Caramel Cookies made with crushed pretzels.

Topping the cookies with some flake sea salt is optional but highly recommended!

These cookies have perfectly crisp edges with a soft and gooey center. It is best to underbake the cookies just a little so that they set perfectly while cooling.

The chocolate caramel squares make these cookies stand out from any other.

Lastly, the smooth caramel pairs perfectly with the rich milk chocolate and crunchy pretzels, creating the perfect bite!

Main Ingredients

Ingredients measured out to make Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Cookies.

Types of Chocolate Caramel

There are many different types of chocolate caramel candies that you can use for this recipe.

In this recipe, I used Ghirardelli’s Milk Chocolate Caramel Squares. They worked perfectly because not only are they delicious but they have a great ratio of chocolate to caramel filling.

Also, they are incredibly easy to cut which helped to distribute them evenly throughout the batter.

However, I will also link some other options below that I think will work well in this recipe –

You can also use any caramel filled chocolate bar that you find at your local grocery stores. Just make sure to chop it up in chunks that can fold easily into the batter.

Lastly, but importantly, you want to make sure that the chocolate and pretzel chunks are evenly distributed in each cookie!

How to Make the Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Cookies

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking pan with parchment paper, set aside
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add in your softened butter and sugar
  3. Cream together with a hand or stand mixer until fully combined
  4. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until fluffy
  5. Add in the flour, baking soda and baking powder (incorporate slowly, mixing in a little bit at a time)
  6. Crush the pretzel pieces if not already done
  7. Add the pretzel pieces to the batter
  8. Chop 6 of the chocolate caramel squares in chunks and add to the batter
  9. Fold into the batter until the mix-ins are evenly spread out 
  10. Scoop ~2 tbsp of dough at a time and place them evenly spaced on the prepared cookie sheets
  11. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are golden but not a dark brown
  12. While the cookies are baking, chop the last 3 chocolate caramel squares into 4 pieces each 
  13. Remove the cookies from the oven when ready
  14. Gently press in the chopped pieces of pretzel and chocolate caramel squares on top of each cookie
  15. Sprinkle the cookies with some flake sea salt
  16. Let the cookies sit on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack
  17. Enjoy!
Pretzels on a cutting board
Chop the pretzels into small pieces
Chocolate caramel candies on a cutting board
Cut the chocolate caramel squares
Making the Chocolate Caramel Cookie Batter in a mixing bowl.
Add the wet ingredients to a mixing bowl
Making the Chocolate Caramel Cookie Batter in a mixing bowl.
Use a hand mixer to combine
Making the Chocolate Caramel Cookie Batter in a mixing bowl.
Add the dry ingredients
Making the Chocolate Caramel Cookie Batter in a mixing bowl.
Fold into the batter until just combined
Making the Chocolate Caramel Cookie Batter with pretzels in a mixing bowl.
Add the chopped pretzels
Making the Chocolate Caramel Cookie Batter in a mixing bowl.
And chopped chocolate caramel bars
Making the Chocolate Caramel Cookie Batter in a mixing bowl.
Mix until evenly distributed
Scooped cookie dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Portion the dough
Baked Chocolate Caramel Cookies with pretzels on a baking tray.
Bake
Holding a Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Cookie in my hand with a bite taken out of it.
Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use gluten free flour?

Yes! Just make sure to use Gluten Free All Purpose Flour, substituting at a 1:1 ratio.

Do I have to use salted butter?

No, you can use unsalted butter. However, you will want to add a little bit of salt to the batter (about 1 tsp).

What chocolate caramel candy did you use?

I used Ghiradelli Milk Chocolate Caramel Squares. They are easy to cute and fold into the batter perfectly creating pools of chocolate and caramel.

Can I freeze the cookie dough?

You can, but I don’t recommend it as the pretzels may get soggy. It is best to make this cookie recipe fresh prior to consuming.

How do I store leftover cookies?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Chocolate Caramel Pretzel cookie with a bite taken out of it.
Breaking apart a chocolate caramel cookie with pretzels.

Chocolate Caramel Cookies with Pretzels

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes
Yield: 12 cookies
These Chocolate Caramel Cookies with Pretzels are the perfect combination of salty and sweet. The cookies are indulgent with a soft and gooey center and a perfectly crisp outer edge.
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Ingredients
 

  • 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 9 squares Ghirardelli caramel filled milk chocolate, chopped
  • 1 cup pretzels, chopped
  • flake sea salt, optional, for topping

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking pan with parchment paper, set aside
  • In a large mixing bowl, add in your softened butter and sugar
  • Cream together with a hand or stand mixer until fully combined
  • Beat in the eggs and vanilla until fluffy
  • Add in the flour, baking soda and baking powder (incorporate slowly, mixing in a little bit at a time)
  • Crush the pretzel pieces if not already done
  • Add the pretzel pieces to the batter
  • Chop 6 of the chocolate caramel squares in chunks and add to the batter
  • Fold into the batter until the mix-ins are evenly spread out
  • Scoop ~2 tbsp of dough at a time and place them evenly spaced on the prepared cookie sheets
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are golden but not a dark brown
  • While the cookies are baking, chop the last 3 chocolate caramel squares into 4 pieces each
  • Remove the cookies from the oven when ready
  • Gently press in the chopped pieces of pretzel and chocolate caramel squares on top of each cookie
  • Sprinkle the cookies with some flake sea salt
  • Let the cookies sit on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 225kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 34mg, Sodium: 207mg, Potassium: 52mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 257IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 22mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Jessica Selensky
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keywords: baking, Chocolate Caramel, Chocolate Caramel Cookies, Chocolate Caramel Cookies with Pretzels, cookies, Cookies with Pretzels, Dessert, Pretzel Cookies

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