Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies
These Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies are the perfect sweet-and-salty twist on the classic peanut butter cookie we all know and love. They’re still soft, chewy, and full of that nostalgic peanut buttery goodness, but with a fun upgrade! We grind pretzels down to a pretzel flour that goes in the dough, and then a sprinkle of crushed pretzels on top. This makes for just the right salty crunch that pairs so well with peanut butter. The inspiration came from one of my go-to snacks—pretzels dipped in peanut butter (straight out of the jar, of course). So good on its own, but even better when turned into a cookie with the chewy center, sparkly sugar coating, and that salty pretzel crunch.
Ingredient Overview
- Unsalted butter: good-quality butter makes for the best flavor and texture.
- Granulated sugar: used in the dough and for rolling to give that classic sparkly crunch.
- Brown sugar: adds chewiness and keeps the cookies soft.
- Egg: helps bind everything together.
- Creamy peanut butter: the star of the show! Stick with regular peanut butter (not natural) for the right texture.
- Vanilla extract: a splash of high-quality vanilla makes everything better.
- All-purpose flour: just ½ cup to hold the cookies together.
- Pretzels: crushed into flour for the dough + coarsely broken for topping.
- Baking soda: for just the right lift.
- Salt: just a pinch, since the pretzels bring plenty.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Preheat the oven and prep pans.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
2. Prep the pretzels.
Using a food processor, finely grind about 2 ½ cups of pretzels into a flour-like consistency to yield 1 cup. Break up a handful more into coarse pieces, and leave a few whole for garnishing the tops of the cookies. Set aside.
3. Combine the dry ingredients.
In a small bowl, whisk together the pretzel flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. Cream the butter and sugars.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat together the butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. Add the egg, peanut butter, and vanilla.
Mix in the egg until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the peanut butter and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until smooth.
Baker’s Note: When measuring your peanut butter, lightly spray the measuring cup with non-stick spray before so it comes out easily with no mess!
6. Mix in the dry ingredients.
Add the dry mixture and mix on low speed until no streaks of flour remain. Give the bowl a final scrape to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.
7. Scoop and roll.
Using a 3-oz scoop, portion the cookie dough and roll each ball in granulated sugar until fully coated. Place on the prepared sheet pans, spacing about 1 inch apart. Top each cookie with crushed pretzels or press a whole pretzel into the center for garnish.
8. Bake.
Bake at 350°F for about 12 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden and crackly on top. Allow to cool completely on the pan before serving.
Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookie Variations
Chocolate drizzle: Once cooled, drizzle melted chocolate over the cookies for that classic chocolate + peanut butter combo.
Add-ins: Mix in ½ cup of chocolate chips, chopped peanuts, or even Reese’s Pieces for an extra indulgent (and fun!) twist.
Pretzel swap: Try chocolate-covered pretzels for a double hit of sweet and salty.
Blue Mountain Baker’s Tips
Room temp ingredients: Let your butter and eggs come to room temperature before mixing. This helps the dough come together smoothly and gives the cookies that soft, chewy texture we’re after.
Measure properly: For the most consistent results, use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients—especially the pretzels once they’re ground. All of my recipes are written in grams for accuracy and reliability. This is the kitchen scale I use!
Round your cookies: Want that bakery-style look? Use a large cookie cutter to shape the cookies after baking. While the cookies are still warm, swirl a cutter (or even a cup or small bowl) around them to nudge them into perfect circles—a trick I use for all my cookies!
FAQ
Nope! A food processor is quick and easy, but you can also crush pretzels in a freezer bag with a rolling pin or heavy pan. I actually just used my NutriBullet that I keep handy on the counter all the time for smoothies!
It’s best to stick with regular creamy peanut butter. Natural peanut butter tends to separate and can affect the texture of the cookies.
Yes—just swap the pretzels and flour for your favorite gluten-free versions. The texture may vary slightly, but they’ll still be delicious.
If somehow you have leftovers…
Room Temperature:
Store your peanut butter pretzel cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days. They’ll stay soft, chewy, and perfectly snackable.
Freezer-Friendly:
Once fully cooled, place them in a single layer on a sheet pan to freeze, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. To enjoy, let them thaw at room temperature, or give them a quick 10–15 second warm-up in the microwave for that fresh-from-the-oven taste.
Dough Storage:
Want fresh-baked peanut butter pretzel cookies anytime? Scoop the dough onto a sheet pan and freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to bake, let the dough balls thaw, roll them in granulated sugar, and top with extra crushed pretzels before popping them in the oven.
Soft, chewy, sweet, and salty—these cookies are everything I love wrapped into one bite. I hope you enjoy these peanut butter pretzel cookies, and if you bake a batch, I’d love to hear how they turned out in the comments below or see you share your creations!
Happy baking, and thanks for being here.
XO, The Blue Mountain Baker 💙
Recipe Card
Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies
Equipment
- sheet pans
- parchment paper
- Food processor
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- rubber spatula
- cookie scoop 3 oz
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter 1 stick
- ¾ cup (186g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (55g) granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup (94g) creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (65g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (112g) finely crushed pretzels about 2 ½ cups whole pretzels
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (110g) granulated sugar for rolling
- Extra pretzels coarsely crushed and whole for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prep pans.Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Prep the pretzels.Using a food processor, finely grind about 2 ½ cups of pretzels into a flour-like consistency to yield 1 cup. Break up a handful more into coarse pieces, and leave a few whole for garnishing the tops of the cookies. Set aside.
- Combine the dry ingredients.In a small bowl, whisk together the pretzel flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars.In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat together the butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the egg, peanut butter, and vanilla.Mix in the egg until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the peanut butter and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until smooth.
- Mix in the dry ingredients.Add the dry mixture and mix on low speed until no streaks of flour remain. Give the bowl a final scrape to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.
- Scoop and roll.Using a 3-oz scoop, portion the cookie dough and roll each ball in granulated sugar until fully coated. Place on the prepared sheet pans, spacing about 1 inch apart. Top each cookie with crushed pretzels or press a whole pretzel into the center for garnish.
- Bake. Bake at 350°F for about 12 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden and crackly on top. Allow to cool completely on the pan before serving.
