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Salted caramel pretzel cookies with chocolate chips are the definition of sweet-meets-salty indulgence. The dough bakes up with crisp edges, soft middles, and melty chocolate pockets, while chewy caramel bits and crunchy pretzels work overtime on texture. A pinch of flaky sea salt on top seals the deal.

A large caramel pretzel cookie with several more cookies in the back ground.
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If you can’t resist salted caramel sauce, these caramel pretzel cookies will be right up your alley, and so will our Heart-Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies with gooey caramel centers.

Why You Need These Caramel Pretzel Cookies 

Balanced flavor: Sweet chocolate, buttery caramel, and salty pretzels play off each other for a layered, addictive bite.

Chewy-meets-crunchy texture: Soft centers give way to crisp edges and pops of pretzel crunch.

Easy make-ahead: The dough chills beautifully, meaning you can bake fresh cookies on demand.

Garnish that works hard: A pretzel twist and flaky sea salt turn them into bakery-style showpieces without extra fuss.

Several cookies loaded with pretzels and caramel next to dishes of caramel squares and miniature pretzels.

Just like our Chocolate Chip Potato Chip Cookies, these salted caramel and pretzel cookies are all about that sweet and salty combination.

Recipe Tips

Chill the dough: A short rest in the fridge helps control spread and deepens the flavor.

Use flaky salt: Large crystals melt slowly on the tongue; table salt will overwhelm.

Press the pretzels in firmly: They’ll stay centered and keep their crunch after baking.

Don’t overbake: Pull them when the edges are set and centers still look a touch soft; they’ll firm up as they cool.

Portion evenly: A cookie scoop keeps size consistent so everything bakes at the same rate.

A chocolate chip cookie loaded with pretzels and caramel.

Salted Caramel Pretzel Cookies

These salted caramel pretzel cookies nail the sweet-salty balance, with gooey caramel, crunchy pretzel, and melty chocolate all packed into one. Take a bite, and you’ll want the whole batch.

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A salted caramel pretzel cookie with a pretzel on top.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
5 from 11 votes

Salted Caramel and Pretzel Cookies

By Dahn Boquist
You will love the combination of sweet and salty flavors in these salted caramel pretzel gourmet cookies! With crisp edges, soft centers, crunchy pretzels, and bits of gooey caramel, these cookies are just too good to resist. No need to chill the cookie dough before baking, but they will be thicker and softer if you do.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: 36 large cookies
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Ingredients 

  • 1 cup butter, softened (227 grams)
  • ¾ cup brown sugar, 150 grams
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar, 150 grams
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour, 330 grams
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Add Ins

  • 1 ½ cups chocolate chips
  • 1 ½ cups crushed pretzels
  • 1 cup caramel bits or chopped caramel candies
  • 36 miniature pretzel twists for the tops of the cookies
  • large-flake sea salt (such as Maldon)

Instructions 

  • If you don’t want too chill the dough before baking the cookies, preheat the oven to 350*F before you begin. 
  • Place the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes or until creamy and pale in color. 
    Creaming sugar and butter with an electric hand mixer.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well. Scrape down the bowl between additions. Add the vanilla extract and blend well. 
    Adding the eggs to the creamed sugar and butter.
  • Sift the dry ingredients over the mixing bowl (flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt). Start the mixer on low and beat until well incorporated. 
    Mixing the flour mixture into the creamed sugar and butter mixture.
  • Stir in the chocolate chips, crushed pretzels, and caramel bits. 
    Mixing pretzels and caramel chunks into chocolate chip cookie batter.
  • Use a 2 tablespoon sized cookie scoop to form balls of cookie dough. Place the balls of dough on a tray and press a miniature pretzel on top of each one. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. 
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheet pans with parchment paper or a baking mat.
  • Place the chilled balls of dough on the baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until the edges are set but the centers are still soft. Smaller cookies will need less time in the oven.
  • Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. 

Notes

Chill for control: For thicker cookies, chill the dough before baking. Skipping this step works, but expect more spread. Always preheat the oven so they bake evenly from the start.
Freeze for later: Cookie dough balls can be frozen for up to 3–4 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding about 2 extra minutes to the bake time.
Salt smartly: If topping with sea salt, use large, flaky crystals (like Maldon). Fine table salt will dissolve into the cookie and make it overly salty.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 250kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 606mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 16g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

iconLike this recipe? Rate & comment below!
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About Dahn Boquist

Dahn Boquist is a retired nurse turned recipe developer, home cook, and baker with years of hands-on experience creating and testing from-scratch recipes. She specializes in whole-food cooking with creative twists on classic dishes. When she’s not in the kitchen, she enjoys sharing meals with family, exploring the Pacific Northwest, and spending time with her grandchildren.

Read More About Me

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5 from 11 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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2 Comments

  1. angiesrecipes says:

    Chocolate and caramel are fantastic together, so are the salted and sweet! These cookies look mega delicious, Dahn.
    angiesrecipes

    Reply
    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      Thanks Angie

      Reply