National Pretzel Day :)

Happy National Pretzel Day! 
   I know I have been slacking on the update I said I would do but will go back to those posts (sorry I was on vacation and actually RELAXED and did nothing all week!). If you do not know me that you are not familiar with my obsession with pretzels and peanut butter and almond butter and whatever type of nut butter you can dip a pretzel into! If you do know me than you know it is right up there with my sprinkle and ice cream obsession. I may or may not have even received a Kate Spade bag for Christmas with pretzels on it :) It would have been the best present if there was a jar of peanut butter in it but it is still a pretty awesome bag. Anyways back to the post....my sister in law Tara (who really told me to start this blog) informed me (along with Buzz Feed) that today is national pretzel day. I didn't really need an excuse to bake today because I haven't all week and it is Sunday so I usually do but come on.....national pretzel day? So of course I needed to make something with pretzels in them. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to bake and decided on cookies or a bar instead of cupcakes...I am not sure how I would like cupcakes with pretzels in them. I am not a huge fan of peanut butter cookies....shocker I know and a lot of pretzel cookies I found were peanut butter ones. Because of this I decided to create my own cookie! I used the measurements for the flour, powders and oil from this recipe:  http://welltraveledwife.com/2013/03/coconut-chocolate-chip-cookies.html (this is one I have made a lot) but changed around what I added in.  I have been wanting to bake with my nuts 'n more peanut butter but haven't been sure what to make with it so also decided to add some in but not enough that I consider this a peanut butter cookie. It makes it even better that it is the toffee crunch flavor next time I am going to try and use the chocolate one. I was a tad nervous that the peanut butter would dry the cookies out a little but I think because it is a small amount it did not. Thanks to Tara and Buzz Feed here are the ingredients and steps to my new creation. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil melted

1 cup  dark brown sugar

 2 eggs 

1 TBS. pure vanilla extract (again I don't measure this but a nice pour will do)

1 3/4 cup white wheat flour

a pinch of salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 bar of dark chocolate chopped ( I used the Trader Joe's kind)

1 cup (or a little less) of crushed up pretzel pieces 

1 and 1/2 TBS of nuts 'n more toffee crunch peanut butter (any will work this is just what I have) 

(not all ingredients are in the picture)

Directions:

Before you start with the mixer chop the chocolate and crush the pretzels ( I just put them in a zip-lock and hit them! Be careful the bag does break sometimes! You want some smaller pieces and then crumbly pieces as well.)! 

1.  Use a mixer to beat the the melted coconut oil and dark brown sugar.  

2. Add in the eggs and beat until fluffy. 

3. Add in the vanilla extract and mix.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder with whisk. Don't be like me and drop the first one on the floor......

5. Pour and mix about 3/4 of the flour mixture into the mixing bowl with oil and sugars.  
6. Add in the chopped chocolate, pretzels, and peanut butter. Mix until just combined. 

7. Add in the remaining flour mixture and mix again until just combined. When combined use your hands to ensure that everything is mixed and distributed evenly among the dough. 

8. Roll into the size cookies you would like and place in a bowl or a dish to chill. Cover with press and seal (nice and tight!) and place in fridge for at least 1 hour.

 

 9. When ready preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take the cookie dough out of fridge and place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. These do not spread as they cook as long as you chill them but I did place them far enough apart in case!

10. Place in oven for 8-10 minutes. You need to check the bottom of these cookies because they are darker in color already. When the bottoms are golden brown or to your liking take out of the oven. Place on cooking rack lined with wax paper.....or eat a few first (melted chocolate is always better!)

11. ENJOY!