I guess I’m under the belief that you can never have too many cookie recipes. Sometimes it shocks me how many wonderful, delicious combinations there are to try. From decadent to healthier, and from classic to trendy, there are just so many types of cookies to be made. Just when you feel like you’ve baked up every combination, another one comes to mind. I love a classic cookie, but I love also love testing new recipes. And you never know, you may just discover your new go-to cookie, as I did with these! These are VERY SPECIAL. I’m still in awe of how delicious these are and the ingredients used to make them. As I said above, I really adore these cookies. When it comes to baking I’ve said it before, sometimes you just need to go all out. Add the real sugar, use all the flour, and even top with candies. But for every day, I’m trying more and more to bake healthier – no refined sugar desserts. All about that 80/20 thought process. 80% healthy/20% have fun. To me these cookies are healthy (everyone has their own view of healthy), but they’re also fun. They’re a win/win type of cookie!
Onto the details
As I often do, we’re going to first brown the butter. Cookies made with browned butter are just better. I recommend using a high-quality organic butter with 80% butterfat. My favorite brands are Straus Organic European Style Butter and Vital Farms Butter (there’s a $1.00 off coupon on their site). Love them both. Let the butter cook until it bubbles up and foams on top. This is when I turn the heat off and continue to allow the butter to cook in the pan. Little brown bits will form on the bottom of the pan. Those are the nutty little bits that will make your recipes extra delicious.
Mix it all together
Once the butter has browned, the rest goes pretty much as you would think. I don’t use a mixer for these, just a good old-fashioned spatula will do the trick. Mix the butter with the maple syrup, peanut butter, egg, and vanilla. Nothing fancy. For the peanut butter, the secret is to use peanut butter with just peanuts and salt. Don’t use a no-stir peanut butter that contains oils and or sugar. You just want natural peanut butter. This will give you the best flavor and texture for your cookies! After you’ve added your wet ingredients, then add the dry. Almond flour (you can also use all-purpose if you prefer), oats, baking soda, and a small pinch of salt. Then mix in the chocolate chips, crushed pretzels, and peanuts (if you’d like them). The pretzels really add something special to each cookie. A bit of crunch and salt, which is such a delicious combination with chocolate and peanut butter. Let the dough sit on the counter for 10-15 minutes to help stiffen it. The almond flour will soak up some of the moisture in the dough, making them easier to roll. Don’t skip this step. Then bake.
The results!
But my favorite part? These cookies are perfectly crisp on the edges, but soft and oh-so-chewy in the center. The best kind of cookie. And they’ll stay that way over time too! These don’t get hard once cooled, gotta love that! Looking for other healthier dessert recipes? Here are my favorites: Homemade Twix Bars 5 Ingredient Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies Healthier Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies Healthy…ish Homemade Samoas Cookies Tahini Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Salted Tahini Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Lastly, if you make these Wholesome Peanut Butter Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies, 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!
