Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies
Posted Aug 15, 2025
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These chocolate chip pretzel cookies are the perfect sweet and salty treat – with melty chocolate chips and crunchy pretzels in every bite!
These chocolate chip pretzel cookies are a delicious twist on our famous chocolate chip cookie recipe.
They have chewy edges, gooey centers with melty chocolate chips and crunchy pretzels in every bite. Finished with a touch of flaky sea salt, they are an irresistible sweet and salty dessert.
Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or just because (since there’s truly no wrong time for cookies), these chocolate chip pretzel cookies are certain to become a favorite!
Pretzel Cookies: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Salted Butter. Unsalted butter, vegan butter sticks (like Earth’s Balance) and coconut oil are good substitutes.
- Granulated sugar. I recommend using organic cane sugar or regular white sugar.
- Light brown sugar. for a stronger molasses taste, use dark brown sugar.
- All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version use 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour.
- Fine sea salt. Use fine (not coarse) sea salt. If using iodized table salt, decrease the amount by half.
- Chocolate chips. use your favorite: semisweet, dark or milk chips! You could substitute some of the chocolate chips for caramel chips too.
- Pretzels. I suggest using small pretzels or pretzel sticks. Use gluten-free pretzels (with the flour) to make these gluten-free.
How to Make Pretzel Cookies
Let’s walk through this recipe together, and don’t forget to watch the video for additional guidance.
A beginning note – the dough needs to chill for at least two hours, so plan accordingly!
Begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to (190 degrees Celsius) and lining two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper, set aside.
Then, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
Next, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium-high speed for 1 minute.
Then, add the egg and vanilla and beat for an additional minute.
Next, add the dry ingredients and beat on medium speed until combined.
Then, stir in the chocolate chips and pretzel pieces until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Transfer the dough to an airtight container and chill for at least 1 hour.
After one hour, use a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop to measure out portions of dough.
Then, roll them into balls and place them evenly spaced on the two baking sheets (about 8 per sheet). Repeat until all the dough is used (makes 16-18 cookies depending on the size of your cookie scoop).
Then, press one pretzel on the top of each cookie before baking. Or, you can press pretzel pieces into the top for a different look.
Then, bake the pretzel cookies in preheated oven for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the top is just set and the sides are just barely beginning to turn light golden brown.
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt, then let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes.
After 5-10 minutes, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve
Serve the chocolate chip pretzel cookies room temperature or slightly warm (yum).
They are a great addition to any cookie or dessert tray, so don’t forget to check out our dessert recipes or Christmas cookie recipes.
Store
Once cooled, store chocolate chip pretzel cookies cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.
Freeze
- Freeze the dough before baking. Roll the dough into balls and freeze it in a single layer (or use parchment paper to separate the layers) in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
- To bake: remove the dough from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for 1-2 hours before baking according to the recipe instructions. Add pretzels to the top of thawed dough.
- Freeze baked cookies. To freeze baked pretzel cookies, let them cool to room temperature. Then store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months
- To thaw: let the cookies sit at room temperature until soft.
Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies Recipe FAQS
I suggest mini pretzels or mini pretzel sticks that are hard and salted.
Yes, I suggest following my detailed guide on How to Brown Butter! Then, use it in this recipe.
Absolutely, you can double the ingredients to double the recipe. Click the “2X” button in the recipe card and it will double the amounts in the ingredients list (not in the instructions).
If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!
Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter (softened)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¾ cup chocolate chips (5 ounces)
- ¾ cup pretzels (broken into small pieces)
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to (190 degrees Celsius). Line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper, set aside.
- Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Then, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about1 minute.
- Then, add the egg and vanilla and beat for an additional 1 minute.
- Add the dry ingredients, beat on medium speed until combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and pretzel pieces until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Transfer the dough to an airtight container and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Use a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop to measure out portions of dough, roll them into balls and place them evenly spaced on the two baking sheets (about 8 per sheet). Repeat until all the dough is used.
- Press one pretzel on the top before baking.
- Bake in preheated oven for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the top is just set and the sides are just barely beginning to turn light golden brown.
- Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Then, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes.
- After 5-10 minutes, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Salted Butter. Unsalted butter, vegan butter sticks (like Earth’s Balance) and coconut oil are good substitutes.
- Granulated sugar. I recommend using organic cane sugar or regular white sugar.
- Light brown sugar. for a stronger molasses taste, use dark brown sugar.
- All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version use 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour.
- Fine sea salt. Use fine (not coarse) sea salt. If using iodized table salt, decrease the amount by half.
- Chocolate chips. use your favorite: semisweet, dark or milk chips! You could substitute some of the chocolate chips for caramel chips too.
- Pretzels. I suggest using small pretzels or pretzel sticks. Use gluten-free pretzels (with the flour) to make these gluten-free.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
