Sea Salt Butterscotch Pretzel Cookies are my new salty/sweet obsession! Browned Butter adds depth to the flavor to this cookie recipe while the butterscotch and chocolate chips keep things perfectly sweet!
This easy cookie recipe has continued to be on e of the most loved cookie recipes here at Cookies and Cups. I get it…there is a lot of flavor packed into this easy cookie recipe. You have a browned butter based cookie dough, with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, salty pretzels, and a little extra flaked sea salt!
No Chill Time!
So many cookie recipes require a few hours of chill time before you bake them. I understand…I have plenty of those recipes here on my site. But these work without the chilling. The depth of flavor comes from the browned butter so you don’t need it to sit and allow the flavor to develop more, PLUS you have all the additional flavors you are adding in, that while you CAN chill the dough, you don’t have to!
But What If I Don’t Like Butterscotch?
I have never been a huge butterscotch fan… but I learned a few years ago that ACTUAL butterscotch is basically caramel made with brown sugar instead of granulated, which totally blew my mind. The intense butterscotch flavor that is in candies and the chips isn’t the real deal. BUT I do know that TONS of you guys are huge butterscotch [chip] fans.
Enter the most perfect cookie in the universe, made with all brown sugar and the EXACT right amount of butterscotch chips to get the point across without being offensive. Add to that browned butter, pretzels and sea salt and you have a cookie ace.
These cookies are actually a variation of the cookie that graces the cover of The Cookies & Cups Cookbook! Which if you don’t have my book yet, you NEED it and if you haven’t made those cookies you NEED to!
NO MIXER REQUIRED!
Nope, no mixer is needed for this cookie recipe! BUT you will need some elbow grease. The dough is a little thick, so you really need to get in there to get the chips and pretzels incorporated. Of course, you CAN use your mixer, I often do, but it’s not required or necessary!
Tools I Recommend:
- A Cookie Scoop. You know I almost ALWAYS use a cookie scoop when baking cookies. It’s easy, it produces cookies all the same size, to ensure even baking, and the cookies will all be the same shape! Here’s my favorite.
- Flaked Sea Salt. You can use whatever brand you prefer, but I like to use Maldon. The flakes are delicate and light, adding the perfect salty bite.
- Parchment Paper. I line my baking sheets with parchment paper to promote even baking and easy clean up!
These cookies turn out gorgeous every time, and I guarantee you that people will be asking for the recipe.
I based this cookie recipe off of a cookie I bought at a farmer’s market a few years ago. That cookie was much different…it was large and thin, but the flavors were similar. I really love the thickness and richness of the brown butter cookie dough base in my cookie.
- My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Triple Chip Pudding Cookies
- Extra Thick Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
- Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 30 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
These salty/sweet cookies are soft, delicious and flavor packed!!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3/4 cup butterscotch chips
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pretzels
- optional – flaked sea salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then bring it to a boil. Once the butter starts boiling, swirl the pan constantly until the butter passes the foamy phase and becomes a deep amber color. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the butter to cool for 20 minutes.
- While the butter is cooling, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
- Add the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla into the cooled butter in the saucepan and stir to combine. Pour this mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture. Stir using a a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until the dough comes together.
- Stir in the butterscotch chips, chocolate chips and pretzels.
- Using a medium (2-tablespoon) cookie scoop, drop the dough 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- If desired sprinkle with a tiny pinch of flaked sea salt on top of the cookies while cooling.
Notes
store in an airtight container for up to 3 days
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 16.6 g
- Sodium: 226.1 mg
- Fat: 9.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 29.6 mg
Keywords: cookies and cups, cookies, cookie recipe, chocolate chip cookies, pretzels, butterscotch
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The base for this cookie is my new go to for cookies!! They were delicious! The sea salt was the perfect addition for flavor and texture.
★★★★★
One of the best cookies I’ve ever baked! Watch your butter…it can spit. Other than that, easy and a real hit!
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed these!!
Can I use regular sugar if I do not have brown sugar?
I can’t remember when I first came across this recipe, but I would say probably shortly after you first posted it in 2016. These, without fail, make the Christmas cookie baking list every year! One of our faves!
★★★★★
Can you freeze these cookies?
yes absolutely!
Our family is a big fan of these cookies. Perfect balance of sweet, salty and crunchy. This is my first time making cookies from brown butter and the flavor is heavenly. I don’t know if I can go back to plain choc chip cookies with plain butter.
★★★★★