Chocolate Covered Pretzel Cookies

Ovenly’s “secretly vegan” chocolate chip cookie recipe, which substitutes water and oil for dairy and eggs, is brilliant and easy to adapt. Last month, I baked a chocolate maple version. Yesterday, I put a salty, crunchy twist on the recipe, swapping out chocolate chips for chocolate covered pretzels, adding toasted pecans, and upping the brown sugar for a butterscotch-like flavor. Chocolate covered pretzels are easy enough to make at home: just dunk mini pretzels in melted dark chocolate, and let the coating dry. If using the store-bought version, make sure the pretzels are dipped in real chocolate rather than candy melts, for best results.

Chocolate Covered Pretzel Cookies

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt or sea salt, plus more for sprinkling

1 cup chocolate covered pretzels, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans (optional)

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil or other vegetable oil

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, chocolate covered pretzels, and pecans, if using.

2. In another large bowl, whisk together olive oil, brown sugar, and water until smooth and well-combined, around two minutes. Add flour mixture to olive oil mixture, and stir with a spoon or rubber spatula until just combined.

3. Refrigerate dough for 12-24 hours (don’t skip this step.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and remove dough from refrigerator. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a baking mat (alternatively, use one sheet and bake multiple batches.) Scoop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough and place on baking sheets about an inch apart. Sprinkle with sea salt.

4. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are crisp but interiors are still gooey. Let cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Yields approximately 24 cookies.