Black bottom peanut butter pretzel cookies

I remember my parents sending me a care package when I was living in Leuven, Belgium my junior year of college.  In it, there was a jar of peanut butter and a bag of chocolate covered pretzels.  I unabashedly ate the whole bag of pretzels and half the jar of peanut butter!  Like most people, I've always craved that flavor combination.

Humble yet fabulous cookies before dipping

Then one day I thought, chocolate covered pretzels dipped in peanut butter...that would be an excellent cookie!  To guild the lily, I pressed the chocolate dipped cookie bottoms into crushed peanuts for added texture.

These are rich and soft from the butter and peanut butter, salty and crispy from the pretzel pieces, bitter from the semi sweet chocolate chips, and crunchy from the peanuts. An original recipe that is sure to please everyone this holiday season.

Mounds of textures and flavors

Eye catching!

Perfect for your holiday dessert table

Black bottom peanut butter pretzel cookies

1 stick butter, softened
2 T creamy peanut butter
1/2 C packed light brown sugar

Cream in stand mixer for 2 minutes.

Add:
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract

Mix to combine.

Then add:
1 C crushed pretzels
1 C flour
1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t baking powder

Mix some more.

Spray 2 cookie sheets with non-stick spray and using a small ice cream scoop, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes.  Let cool.

Place 1/2 C semisweet chocolate chips in a shallow bowl and microwave until melted.  Chop 1/2 C unsalted peanuts and place in a second shallow bowl.  Dip cooled cookie bottoms first in melted chocolate then press the bottoms into the peanuts.  Place cookies bottoms up on a cool, parchment lined cookie sheet and put in the freezer for 10 minutes to harden coating.

These keep well in an airtight container on the counter for 5 days.  I typically freeze whatever is left at that point.  Makes 2 dozen cookies.