These addictive chocolate chip caramel pretzel cookies are stuffed with a generous caramel filling and crunchy pretzels. The salty pretzels combined with the chewy caramel make an irresistible combination!This simple and delicious cookie dough will take you less than half an hour to make, as the no-mixer dough does not need to rest in the fridge!
Servings 22cookies
Prep Time 25 minutesmins
Cook Time 10 minutesmins
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
225 grams (1 ½ cups + 3Tablespoons)All-purpose flourI use Gold Medal
48 grams (6Tablespoons)Instant ClearjelPlease make sure it is labeled as "INSTANT." Instant Clearjel is a bakery ingredient you can use at home–see Note #1
¾cupSemi-Sweet Chocolate ChipsI use Nestle Tollhouse
80 grams (1cup)chopped Pretzels (¼-1/2 inch pieces)You can smash them in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin.
44Werther's Soft CaramelsSee Note #2
22wholeMini Pretzels for decorationI used Rold Gold Tiny Twists
½cupM&Ms(optional) I used Valentine M&Ms
Instructions
Dip the Pretzel Decorations (optional)
Use premade chocolate dip or make the simple chocolate dip in this Cake Truffle recipe. Dip half of each pretzel in the dip and place them on a parchment-lined tray. Immediately sprinkle the dipped pretzels with your choice of sprinkles before the dip dries. Allow the chocolate to cool and harden in the fridge.
Prepare the Caramel Filling
Unwrap all the Werther's soft caramels. Press 2 together then fold them in half so that each double caramel is more of a square shape instead of a rectangle.
Make the Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies
I recommend preparing your pretzels and caramels before beginning the cookie dough (so that the dough doesn't get too soft at room temperature).
In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients until blended.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the softened salted butter, and mix until the dough comes together with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula. Use your hands as needed to combine the ingredients into a uniform dough, as the dough will be thick. Make sure the butter is fully incorporated.
Reserve a few chocolate chips for the tops of the cookies. Add the remaining chocolate chips and chopped pretzels and mix them into the dough, using your hands as needed.
Using a 1.5-ounce scoop, scoop the cookie dough and place the balls onto cookie sheets/ sheet pans lined with parchment paper. (If you don't have a cookie scoop, you can just divide the dough into 22 equal cookie dough balls).
Stick your prepared double caramels into the bottom of each cookie, pressing the cookie dough around it. Make sure the caramel is fully encased in cookie dough so that it can't escape.
Press the reserved chocolate chips into the tops of the cookie dough. If using plain (undipped) pretzels decorations, press them into the tops of the cookie dough. *Because M&Ms tend to crack as they bake, we will be pressing them into the warm baked cookies. If you are not concerned with cracked M&Ms, you can press them into the dough at this time).
Bake the cookies on the middle or top rack (avoid bottom rack) in the 325 degree preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the top is only slightly shiny. The cookies will look slightly underdone but will continue to bake on the cookie sheet as they cool. Avoid overbaking (if they are baked even a couple of minutes too long, they will be less chewy).
Right after they come out of the oven, lightly press the M&Ms and a dipped pretzel decoration on top of each warm cookie, then allow the chocolate to cool so that it will stick to the cookie. Serve at room temperature for a chewy caramel center, or heat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds for a gooey, soft caramel center. Enjoy!
Notes
Read my article Instant Clearjel: a Magical Bakery Ingredient to see why I think this ingredient is worth having in your pantry. Instant Clearjel is what gives these cookies their extra soft and chewy texture and keeps them from overspreading in the oven. Instant Clearjel must always be whisked thoroughly with other dry ingredients before being added to wet ingredients to avoid clumping. I use Prepared Pantry Instant Clearjel–use the code AMYCAKES to get that linked 18 oz package at 50% off! Make sure whatever brand you purchase is labeled as “Instant.” Cooktype or Original Clearjel is a different product that does not work the same in baking.
I made several batches of this cookie recipe with different caramels and found the Werthers Soft Caramels to be the clear winner.
*I found that Kraft Caramel squares did not melt at all during baking and were way too firm and chewy in the cookies, especially at room temperature.
*You can use those little Kraft caramel bits mixed into the cookie dough with the chocolate chips (instead of as a filling)--they stay chewy and do not melt, but are delicious.