Toffee Brown Butter Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies

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"Thank you to our sponsor, Incredible Egg—who represents America’s egg farmers. Eggs are a very affordable grocery item, and can be used in any variety of holiday baking treats to help make this season extra special for you, your friends, and your family. One or two dozen eggs can help create delectable holiday treats perfect for enjoying at home or gifting to friends, family, and colleagues."
-- @thefeedfeed

A Note from Feedfeed

When it comes to CCCs, I'm a bit of a Goldilocks. Too cakey, not enough chocolate, too sweet, not enough salt; I could go on and on. For the better part of my adult life I've been on a chocolate chip cookie quest and I've definitely found a few to love. The classic Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe by the amazing Jaques Torres will always be a favorite, but sometimes a gal just doesn't have two days to wait for the dough to cure to perfection. Enter these cookies filled with just a few of my favorite things; brown butter, crispy toffee, rich dark chocolate and crunchy pretzels. The brown butter adds a ton of flavor to the dough without any downtime in the fridge. Sure, the homemade toffee may be a little over the top but IT. IS. WORTH. IT!  If you don't have time for this step, feel free to pick up a bag of store bought toffee chips. They will for sure work in a pinch! 

Oh, and I forgot the best part! Bourbon! Since I'll be making these as gifts this holiday season I was sure to add in a splash of cheer. Perhaps you can gift these with a bottle of bourbon to boot? A match made in cookie heaven!

When these bake, some of the toffee chips may create some unruly edges, but to get perfectly uniform rounds, all you need to do it run a mug or large circular cookie cutter around the edges quikly while they are still warm to work them back into shape. 

Bake a batch (or two) and spread the love with these cookies this holiday season!

Recipe and Headnote Molly Adams

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  • Recipe Card
Prep time 55mins
Cook time 30mins
Serves or Makes: 60

Recipe Card

For the Cookies

ingredients

  • 6 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 3 3/4 cups brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 eggs, at room temperature
  • 3 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoon bourbon, or whiskey (optional)
  • 1 1/2 pounds dark chocolate, chopped
  • 3 cups mini pretzels
  • 3 cups toffee chips, homemade (recipe below) or store bought
  • Flaky salt, for garnish, optional

To Make the Cookies

Method

  • Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 350˚F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Add butter to a medium sauté pan and set over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, it will begin to foam. Move the pan around a bit to keep it from burning, and allow it to cook until foaming stops and brown bits form on the bottom of the pan and it smells nutty for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer and set in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes or until semi-firm.

  • Step 2

    Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.

  • Step 3

    When butter is firm, add brown sugar and granulated sugar to mixer bowl and cream for 4 minutes, or until very light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add eggs, vanilla and bourbon. Beat for about 2 minutes more.

  • Step 4

    Add flour and process at low speed just until combined. Add chocolate, pretzels and toffee chips and mix until well combined, about 1 minute.

  • Step 5

    Scoop cookie dough using a large (3 ounce) cookie scoop, spacing the cookies about 3 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Cook for about 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through.

  • Step 6

    Remove from oven and sprinkle with flaky salt and let set on the pans for about 3 minutes, then let cool on a baking rack. Repeat with remaining dough.

For the Homemade Toffee Chips

ingredients

  • 12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

To Make the Homemade Toffee Chips

  • Step 1

    Line a small rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. Add butter, sugar, and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water to a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Set over medium heat and cook for about 14 minutes, swirling occasionally, until the temperature reaches 300˚F. Remove from heat and carefully pour onto prepared pan. Tap out any air bubbles and let sit for about 20 minutes, or until very hard. Chop or break into chip-size chunks.