Next Post
30 Minute Chinese Egg Drop Chicken Rice Soup with Garlicky Chile Oil.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
The BEST Salted Caramel Pretzel Snickerdoodles for your holiday cookie baking. Homemade snickerdoodle cookies, made with browned butter, plenty of chocolate-covered caramel chunks, pretzels pieces, and a small pinch of flaky sea salt. Each cookie dough ball is rolled through cinnamon sugar for that classic snickerdoodle finish before baking to perfection. There’s nothing not to love about these sweet Christmas cookies. Each bite is slightly crisp on the edges but soft and gooey in the center…with just a little pretzelly crunch.
The minute Thanksgiving was over, I received message after message about holiday dinner menus, entertaining ideas, and most of all…Christmas cookies! I couldn’t believe the number of messages from those of you inquiring about holiday cookies. Questions like, “when will you be sharing your 2019 Christmas Cookie Box?” “What’s your favorite Christmas cookie?” “What’s the best cookie to gift?” “What are the best boxes to use?” …and so many more.
I have to say, I’m pretty happy you all are so excited to bake this season because I am too! So much so that I’m stressing about the fact that I really do not have enough days leading up to Christmas to share everything. It’s a good problem to have, but I have SO much I want to share with you. Fingers crossed I can get you all everything you need by the 24th.
So, I’m officially kicking the holiday baking season off with these snickerdoodles. These are decadent in all the best ways. And yes, you do need to make them this December, preferably several times!
My snickerdoodle story.
I didn’t grow up eating snickerdoodles, but instead grew up eating mom’s chocolate chip cookies. Even at Christmas time, she’d opt for chocolate chip cookies over anything holiday-themed. I didn’t know other cookies existed. But then I grew up, and I made snickerdoodles, and wow, they are so GOOD.
But here’s the thing. I love a crisp on the edges, doughy in the center, chocolate chip cookie more. So much more.
Which brings me to this cookie. It’s a snickerdoodle on the outside, but a chocolate chip cookie on the inside. And it’s all done up with extra special touches like pretzel crumbs and chocolate-covered caramels.
Delicious!
To make the best snickerdoodles…
One, brown half of your butter, but leave the other half at room temp. This gives you the flavor of browned butter but leaves you with a cookie that has great texture too. Shocker, I know, I added brown butter. But the browned butter really does add so much to cookies. It’s worth the extra step.
Two, 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 snickerdoodle 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.
It’s a method I learned from the New York Times and you need to do it too.
The “special” Christmas touches.
…chocolate-covered caramel chunks, you can use regular chunk chunks of course, but these are better. I use Dove milk chocolate caramels.
…cinnamon sugar, roll the dough balls through the mix to your liking.
…smashed pretzels on the outside, only just a few for the slightest salty, crunch with every sweet bite.
…a little pinch of flaky sea salt, simply because it makes everything better.
What I love about these cookies is that they’re easy to make, require no chilling, and take less than an hour…simple.
But my favorite part? These are just perfectly crisp on the edges, but soft and gooey in the center. The best kind of cookie. I’m not normally such a decadent cookie person, but as I always say, I like to really do it up for the holidays. They only come once a year, so let’s just have fun and enjoy every minute of the season. It’s cheesy, but they do only come once a year!
Let’s bake cookies on a Tuesday night and enjoy them while watching your favorite holiday movie. Then take the leftovers to work and make everyone’s day. You should do this.
‘Tis the season for giving after all!
PS. if you’re looking for a snowman version try these cute little eggnog frosted chai snickerdoodle snowmen!
If you make these salted caramel pretzel snickerdoodles, 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 Caramel Pretzel Snickerdoodles
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 217 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
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
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups chopped chocolate covered caramels or chocolate chunks
- 1/3 cup cinnamon sugar
- 1 cup mini pretzel twists crushed
- flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- 1. Add 1 stick butter to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Cook until the butter begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Stick in the freezer to chill, 10-15 minutes, but no longer.2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the remaining 1 stick butter, the cooled browned 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, baking soda, and salt. Fold in the chocolate caramels.4. Roll the dough into rounded 1 tablespoon size balls and then roll through the cinnamon sugar. Place 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Gently push a few crushed pretzel pieces into each dough ball (see above photo). 5. Transfer to the oven and bake for 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 2 times to flatten them down. Return to the oven and bake another 1-3 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 1-2 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. Eat warm (highly recommended) or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
Cinnamon Sugar: mix 1/3 cup sugar with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon. Store in an airtight container.
Caramels: I use Dove milk chocolate caramels.
Freezing: the cookie dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw, then bake as directed.
This post was originally published on December 3, 2019
These are amazing, and I’ve received so many compliments (and requests for more). The combination of flavors work so well together. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Megan! xTieghan
I couldn’t find the right chocolate caramels so I just used a cup of chocolate chips and 1/2 a cup of chopped up caramels and they came out fantastic!! This might be my go to winter cookie from now on!
Thank you so much Morgan! xTieghan
Made these tonight and they taste so good!
Mine didn’t flatten as much as yours. I smashed the pan as directed. Too gentle?
Thanks!!!! Gotta go back to eating more cookies…
HI! Yes, maybe just tap the pan a bite hard er next time to help the cookies flatten out. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am so glad you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
These were a major fail for me 🙁 the flavor was AMAZING but they spread so much they couldn’t be saved. Which was sad, because i couldn’t stop eating my crumby mess. I know it wasn’t my ingredients, as i made 4 other types of cookies with no issues. I put my butter in the freezer for 15 minutes, but it was still liquidy and my dough was REALLT runny. Do i possibly need to chill the brown butter longer? I’d love to try again!
Hey Jamie! Sorry you had some trouble. To me it sounds like you just need to chill the butter longer. The butter should no longer be liquid, but instead but more of a soft, room temp butter. You want to be able to whip the butter. I think this should help with the outcome of your cookie. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
These look so tasty, I can’t wait to make them!
For the dove chocolate caramels – do you cut them up or leave them whole? The dove chocolate caramels I see I the stores seem to be very big.
Hi! I chop the caramels. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
These were amazing and super easy to make. Will definitely be making them again. Thanks!
Thank you Kelsey! xTieghan
I’m confused about the 1 cup of crushed pretzels. Is this what gets pushed into the dough balls? I put them in with the caramel and then put some bigger pieces on top. Baking them now…
HI! Yes, the pretzels are meant to be pushed into the cookies, but what you did sounds great too! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
Can I freeze these after baking?
HI! Yes, you can freeze after baking. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
these are sooooo goooood. the brown butter is KEY. surprisingly simple for a scratch cookie, with major payoff. everyone will love these!
Thank you so much Christina! xTieghan
hi Tieghan,
where can i buy cinnamon sugar? is it the same when you mix cinnamon and sugar ? i could not find them in whole foods, trader joes and ralph hahaha any suggestion ?
Hi Josie! Cinnamon sugar is literally just cinnamon and sugar. I would mix 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon. Now you have cinnamon sugar! 🙂 Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
These were a huge hit at my book club! People took a my leftovers home for their husbands and kids. 🙂
I used the dark chocolate sea salt caramels that Trader Joe’s and Aldi sell….perfection!
Amazing!! Thank you so much Bethany! xTieghan
These cookies look amazing! It is my Christmas wish to make foods that my son with a severe egg allergy can enjoy with the whole family. Would egg substitutions work in this recipe (yogurt/applesauce)? Thanks!
Hi Sabrina! I have not tested these cookies with an egg sub, so I really cannot say. Have you tried a vegan cookie? That might be a better option for you as I am just not sure what the outcome would be. Please let me know if you have any other questions. So sorry I could not help more. Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
I made these cookies for a cookie exchange. I doubled the recipe in hopes to make 4 dozen, however, it made over 60. Can’t complain about a lot of cookies! I don’t bake all that often, but these were easy to make and turned out perfectly! Will definitely make again!
That is so amazing! I am so glad this turned out so well Chelsea! Thank you! xTieghan
I made these this weekend using Riesen chocolate chews for the office. OMG they were gone within the first hour!! Can you make a cookie recipe using Andes mints? Or anything for us mint lovers? 🙂
I have a recipe coming soon!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I so glad you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
Mine also came out thick, kind of like a scone and couldn’t bang to deflate. Not sure where I went wrong but they’re still tasty!
Thank you Alex! I am so glad you loved this! xTieghan