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The very BEST Salted Pretzel Cowboy Party Cookies for your winter weekend baking. Homemade chocolate chip cookies, made with oats, shredded coconut, plenty of chocolate chunks, pretzels pieces, and a small pinch of flaky sea salt. Each cookie dough ball is hand stuffed with salty pretzel pieces before baking them to perfection. There’s nothing not to love about these sweet chocolate (crunch) cookies. Each bite is slightly crisp on the edges but soft and gooey in the center…with just a little pretzel crunch.
The last day of January just feels like it deserves a good cookie…I mean, it’s been a long month. On one hand, it feels like this month flew by, but on the other, it feels like it’s been the longest month. We shared a lot of new recipes, with almost all of them geared towards a Healthy January. Today is the exception (well, maybe yesterday too). But I just had to share these cookies because they’re insanely good and so perfect for this weekend! We truly do loooove them, but I can’t really say there’s anything that “healthy” about them. While…there’s oats…and unsweetened coconut?
But they also have butter, some sugar (not a ton), and plenty of semi-sweet chocolate too.
Please do hear me out. I tried, and tried, and tried again to create a delicious, soft, moist, and healthy cookie. But I just could not get them right. There were batches of peanut butter cookies, banana cookies, oat cookies, vegan cookies, butterless cookies. Pretty much every kind of cookie. But none of them were good enough. If you follow on Instagram you may have seen my many failed attempts.
Feeling pretty defeated, I caved in and made these cookies. And I got them right the very FIRST batch. I was immediately sold. Then I gave them to my mom to try. She said she was beyond sold and couldn’t stop eating them. We both agreed that the recipe needed to be shared, preferably before Super Bowl Sunday. So yes, technically it is still January, but sometimes you just need a really good, buttery, sweet, heavy on the chocolate cookie.
Trust me, you do. And I am here to share it with you all.
PS. I haven’t given up on my “healthy” cookie testing, just taking a break.
the back story…
What inspired these cowboy cookies? While I saw a recipe on Pinterest for cowboy cookies. They had oats, coconut, and pecans stirred into a classic chocolate chip cookie. They sounded very interesting, but it also felt like there was something missing from the cookie. Like, if you’re going to add so many “stir-ins” to your basic chocolate chip cookie, at least one of them should be a little more exciting.
For a second I couldn’t figure out what the cookie was missing, but then it hit me, a loaded cookie needs a “salty” component and maybe even a little crunch.
P.R.E.T.Z.E.L.S.
I thought back to these chocolate chip cookie stuffed soft pretzels I made last year. And then these snickerdoodles I made back in December. And I knew that a little salt and a little crunch from a pretzel would make a cowboy-style cookie even better. I tested it and the verdict came in quick. These are indeed the best…MOM says so! And she does not mess around when it comes to chocolate chip cookies.
To make these salted pretzel cowboy party cookies…
One, gather your ingredients. You’ll need the basics, butter, sugar, flour, etc. Simple, nothing fancy, but all good.
Two, the stir-ins are the most important part. You’ll need old fashioned oats, shredded coconut, salted pretzel twists, and semi-sweet or milk chocolate chunks.
Three, beat, mix, stir, bake, wack that pan on the counter, bake again, wack again, eat warm…ENJOY!
Yes, there’s not one complicated thing about this recipe. These are EASY cookies.
A few keys for success…
…smashed pretzels on the outside, only just a few for the slightest salty, crunch with every sweet bite.
…flatten the cookies dough balls a bit before baking. You must do this to help your cookies bake evenly and spread.
…tap that baking sheet on your counter midway through baking, then finish cooking. When the cookies have completely finished baking, remove them from the oven, and tap the baking sheet once more. You guys, this step is KEY. It will ensure you have the least cakey chocolate chip cookie. Instead, you’ll get a cookie with crisp edges and a gooey center. Tapping the baking pan on the counter deflates the center of the cookie, pushing the edges out. I used this same method for my pumpkin cookies and I now do it whenever I bake any cookies…because it works. I learned this tip from the New York Times and you need it too.
…a little pinch of flaky sea salt, which isn’t a must, but it sure is delicious.
What I love about these cookies is that they’re so easy to make. They require no chilling and truly take just thirty minutes from start to finish. I almost always have these ingredients on hand. And when it’s Friday night and the urge for a delicious yet simple chocolatey cookie comes on? These cookies will be my new go-to.
They’re just perfectly crisp on the edges, but soft and gooey in the center, with a nice crunch and a little saltiness from the pretzels on top. The best kind of cookie.
Bake these tonight, or sometime this weekend for the Super Bowl…and then every other day you’re craving something sweet and easy!
If you make these salted pretzel cowboy party cookies, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Salted Pretzel Cowboy Party Cookies.
Servings: 32 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 207 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
- 1 cup mini pretzel twists, crushed
- flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, until combined. Add the vanilla, beating until creamy. Add the flour, cinnamon (if using), baking soda, and salt. Fold in the oats, coconut, chocolate chips, and chocolate chunks.3. Roll the dough into rounded 2 tablespoon size balls. Place 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Gently push a few crushed pretzel pieces into each dough ball (see above photo), then flatten the dough ball down with the palm of your hand to 1/2 inch thickness.4. Transfer to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 3 times to flatten them down. Return to the oven and bake another 4 minutes or until the cookies are just beginning to set on the edges, but still doughy in the center. Remove from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 2-3 times to flatten them down again. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. They will continue to cook slightly as they sit on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with flaky salt. 5. Eat warm (highly recommended) or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
Freezing: the cookie dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw, then bake as directed.
This post was originally published on January 31, 2020
These are hands down the best cookies I’ve ever made. I only had sweetened coconut, so I halved that, and I used pretzel goldfish (quarantine makes you creative!!). LIFE CHANGING. Next time, I’m going to have to freeze 3/4 of the dough (they make a TON) so I don’t eat them all in one go!
Haha I love that you used pretzel goldfish! The cutest cookies haha. I am so glad you enjoyed these Jamie! Thank you so much! xTieghan
I only have sweetened coconut too. I was wondering what to do! Thanks for posting. Going to make these now!
I hope you love the recipe Jeanie!
Yum! These were easy and delicious and I stuck half of the dough in the freezer so I don’t eat all of them this weekend.
Thank you! The salty crunch was the perfect addition.
Thank you so much Kate!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
If you dont have oats- is there a replacement or can it just be omitted?
Hi Anne,
So sorry but unfortunately the oats are an important part of this recipe! I would recommend trying another chocolate chip cookie recipe of mine until you have the oats. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! Can I brown the butter first? Would that be good? Thanks!
Hi Joanna,
You could totally do that, I would only brown 1 of the sticks! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi there!
I only have brown sugar, no white sugar at home 🙁
Can I use all brown sugar without ruining the texture or recipie altogether??
thanks!
Hi Jennifer,
Yes, that is totally fine! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
To make them healthier you can things such as unsalted butter and coconut oil or avocado oil, coconut sugar or brown sugar, 1/2 oat flour 1/2 whole wheat flour, the cookies should still taste good and be better for you.
Thank you Jennifer! xTieghan
Sorry disregard above! Just saw you’ve answered this!
Could I do these without the coconut. Not a fan, but I see a substantial amount, so would it change the consistency?
Hi Andrea! Yes, these should work great without the coconut! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I just made these for the second time. They are great, but i usually need to add a few more minutes to the baking time. I probably don’t flatten them enough, but they are still good! Thank you for the creative recipes you share!
Thank you so much for trying them! I am so glad you are enjoying this! xTieghan
I didn’t have any chocolate chunks, so added in some salted caramel chips I had. They were still fabulous! Thanks for such a delicious cookie?
Yum! I am really glad these turned out so well for you Laurel! Thank you! xTieghan
Can I substitute light brown sugar, for the dark brown sugar, as that is what I have?
Hey Gwen! Yes, that will be just as delicious! Great idea! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Just made these and they were fantastic. We made them with two changes: no coconut, 1:1 substitution of honey for the white sugar. After a few batches, we found we liked them best encrusted with pretzels before smashing – so there was an even distribution when they spread. So good!
Thank you so much Molly! That is amazing to hear! xTieghan
My boys had these at a super bowl party and loved them! I’m making them this week for some friends. Could I make them a little smaller? How would I adjust baking time if they’re 1 T size? Thanks!
HI! I would bake 6=7 minutes total, but this is only a guess as I have not tested baking the cookies as 1 tablespoon size balls. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Fantastic recipe! I used sweetened coconut as I did not have unsweetened. I also used dark chocolate for the chunks, and replaced half the semi-sweet chips with butterscotch chips. I also added dried cranberries for an extra bit of tang! Delish!
Thank you so much Kim! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Oh boy people – these cookies are fantastic – the only change I made – just left them in the oven until brown around the edges. Did not take tray in and out of oven to tap on the counter and then back in oven. Make these cookies.
Haha so glad you loved these! Thank you Debbi! xTieghan