Salty Bee Pretzel Cookies with Caramelized Honey
This behemoth cookie was twice the size of your average cookie and packed with white chocolate chunks, pretzel pieces, and a drizzle of caramelized honey. And it performed really well in the pie shop’s last days.
After a little recipe tweaking, I decided to downsize the Salty Bee Monster Cookie into a more manageable size for you all and your regularly sized ovens. Thus, the Salty Bee Pretzel Cookie was born. Same irresistible flavor, just in a more convenient package.
These chewy cookies are full of contrasting flavors and textures. The sweetness of the white chocolate is well-balanced by the salty crunch of the pretzels, while the caramelized honey adds a touch of sticky-sweet to each bite. Topped with sea salt, and it’s a salted caramel lover’s dream.
So, whether you’re like me and reminiscing about the good old days of Milk and Honey Bakehouse, or just looking for your next cookie fix, this one’s got ya covered. I hope you love her like I do.
With love,
Your Baker, Hannah
Here’s Everything You’re Gonna Need!
- Salted Butter
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Brown Sugar
- Granulated Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Pretzels
- Honey
- Flaky Sea Salt
Ingredient Substitutions:
Salted Butter: Use unsalted butter with a pinch of extra salt, or a plant-based butter for a dairy-free version.
Honey: Maple syrup or agave syrup can work as substitutes, though the flavor will differ.
Pretzels: Crushed potato chips or salted crackers can add a similar salty crunch
Steps to Bake Salty Bee Pretzel Cookies:
Step 1: First, start by caramelizing the honey over medium heat until it turns a deep golden color. Watch it closely, as it will burn quickly.
Step 2: In the meantime, cream together butter and sugars, then add the eggs and vanilla.
Step 3: Stir in the dry ingredients and fold in crushed pretzels.
Step 4: Roll into balls and press a well into the center of the cookies.
Step 5: Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F until golden brown.
Salty Bee Pretzel Cookie Recipe:
Salty Bee Pretzel Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Hand Mixer
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Rubber Spatula
- Mixing Spoon
- Small Sauce Pan
Ingredients
Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup 2 Sticks Salted Butter
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 2/3 cup Brown Sugar
- 2/3 cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 TBSP Vanilla Extract
- 2 (3.5 oz.) Bars Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate
- Flaky Sea Salt as needed
Caramelized Honey:
- 1/2 Cup Honey
- 2 TBSP Salted Butter
Instructions
To Make the Cookies:
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Using a sharp knife, chop the white chocolate bar into bite-sized pieces. (They do not have to be uniform. A little difference in size between the pieces is encouraged.)
- Place room temperature butter into a mixing bowl.
- Add brown sugar and granulated sugar, and mix thoroughly to combine. You want the mixture to look a little light and fluffy.
- Add egg and vanilla to the sugar and butter mixture, and stir until homogenous and fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients remaining (flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda). Add the dry ingredients to the eggs, sugar, and butter.
- Stir all ingredients until a dough begins to come together. Add all of the white chocolate chunks and pretzel bits, and continue stirring until a cookie dough is formed.
- Place dough in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to rest and chill.
- While your dough is resting, place your honey into a small saucepan, and begin heating. Once it is warm, add the butter and allow it to melt
- Allow the honey to continue heating until it boils. Allow it to boil for about 1 minute and remove it from the heat. Allow it to cool slightly, and check the consistency. It should be sticky and thick, like caramel sauce. If it is still too loose, continue boiling it in one-minute intervals until the right consistency is achieved. (If you boil it too long, it will harden once it has cooled and you will not be able to use it. Be very cautious on this step. Regular caramel sauce can be substituted if you do not want to caramelize honey.)
- Once the dough has chilled, scoop 12 cookies and roll them into balls, placing them onto 2 separate cookie sheets (6 per sheet). Using your thumb, press a well into the center of each cookie. This is where the honey will sit before baking.
- Fill the well with 3-4 broken pretzel pieces, and about 1 teaspoon of caramelized honey. Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of sea salt.
- Place cookies in the preheated oven, and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- If you cookies have run together a bit, don’t worry. The caramel can cause that to happen. While they are slightly warm, you can use a spatula and lightly separate them from one another. After this, allow them to cool completely and enjoy!
FAQs About Baking Homemade Cookies:
- Why Did My Cookies Spread Too Much? This could be due to overly warm butter or skipping the chilling step.
- Can I Use Whole Pretzels Instead of Crushed? Crushed pretzels mix better into the dough and create a more uniform cookie.
- Why Are My Cookies Too Hard? Overbaking can lead to dry, hard cookies. Watch your baking time carefully!
Tips for Achieving a Perfect Chewy Cookie Texture:
- Use room temperature butter to ensure proper creaming of the dough.
- Slightly underbake the cookies to achieve a soft, chewy texture.
- Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading and keeps the cookies thick.
How to Prevent Your Caramelized Honey from Burning:
- Stir constantly over medium heat to avoid burning.
- Once the honey turns a deep golden color, remove it from heat immediately to prevent it from turning bitter.
How to Freeze Your Unbaked Cookie Dough:
- Scoop the dough into individual portions and place them on a baking sheet to freeze. Once solid, transfer them into an airtight container or freezer bag.
- When baking from frozen, simply add 1-2 extra minutes to the baking time.
