Salted Peanut-Butter-Pretzel-Chocolate-Chip Cookies

Chilling Time: 1 hour

Makes about 40 cookies

This crunchy cookie recipe is from America’s Test Kitchen cookbook The Perfect Cookie. I love the peanut butter, oats, and chocolate chip combo and have made it without the pretzels and sea salt. Be careful not to overbake the cookie as it will dry out.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (156 grams)

1 cup quick oats (90 grams)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar (275 grams)

2/3 cup crunchy peanut butter (172 grams)

1 large egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (163 grams)

2/3 cup/1 1/2 ounces pretzel sticks, coarsely crushed (43 grams) (optional)

Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon (optional)                         

Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Set aside.

Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add peanut butter, egg, and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour mixture until just combined. Add chocolate chips and pretzels. Mix until just incorporated. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough is firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350oF.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 2 tablespoons dough at a time or #40 scoop, roll dough into balls and space them evenly on prepared sheets. Using bottom of greased dry measuring cup, press each ball to 1/2 to 3/4-inch thickness.

Bake cookies just until puffed and cracks form on top, 9 to 11 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheets for 1 minute. Sprinkle cookies with sea salt, then transfer to wire rack to cool.

Store in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to five days.