Chewy Chocolate Chip, Marshmallow, and Pretzel Cookies

These pretzel and chocolate chip marshmallow cookies are what dreams are made of if you're a cookie monster like me. When it comes to desserts, I don't go for overly sweet ones. That's why these are the perfect cookie.

They're made with brown butter for a caramel-like flavor and salty pretzels, two ingredients that help offset the sweetness from the chocolate chips and marshmallows. They're also delightfully chewy; the perfect texture in my opinion.

this recipe

These marshmallow stuffed cookies are great anytime of year. They're ooey and gooey and a fun twist to a traditional chocolate chip cookie. Bring them to the neighborhood cookout or make them for the holidays. They're great to add to a cookie tray or to leave for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. One thing I do know is that they'll be a big hit. When I make them, I have a hard time eating just one--I bet you'll have the same problem too.

If you're baking these chocolate marshmallow cookies for the holidays, you may need some more cookie recipes. I've got some great ones. Check out my Christmas pinwheels and praline pecan cookies. My vanilla whoopie pies can easily be customized by using different sprinkles. These salted caramel cookies are also fantastic. Finally, another fun treat with marshmallows is my mini s'mores pies. Now that you've got some extra ideas, let's bake these marshmallow chocolate chip cookies!

Ingredients

Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this chocolate chip marshmallow cookies recipe:

• all-purpose flour
• baking soda
• salted butter
• brown sugar
• granulated sugar
• large eggs
• vanilla extract
• dark chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
• mini pretzel twists
• large marshmallows

(See recipe card for quantities.)

Instructions

Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get baking!

1. First, brown the butter in a skillet. Remove from the skillet and let cool completely until solid again.

2. Then, mix together the flour and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside. Beat the cooled butter and sugars in a large bowl until creamy.

3. Next, add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, beaten just until the yellow disappears after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Mix in the flour mixture until smooth.

4. Stir in the chocolate chips and pretzels. Scoop the dough into 48 equal balls on a baking sheet and press into discs.

Substitutions

Need some ingredient substitution suggestions? Here are some ideas:

• Browned butter - If you don't feel like making browned butter use softened butter instead.
• Salted butter - I find that salted butter helps bring out the flavor in these cookies. You can use unsalted butter but be sure to add ¼ teaspoon kosher salt to the dough as well.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips - Use milk chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate chips if you prefer.
• Light brown sugar - For a richer caramel flavor, use dark brown sugar instead of light brown.
• Regular marshmallows - If you only have mini marshmallows instead of large, that's okay. Stuff about 2-3 mini marshmallows in the centers of the dough.

Variations

Here are some more ways to change up this recipe:

• S'mores Cookies - Instead of pretzels, use coarsely crushed graham cracker and you'll have all of the elements of s'mores in cookie form!
• Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches - These cookies are soft and chewy enough to work as ice cream sandwiches. Spoon ice cream onto the flat sides of 12 of the cookies and top with the remaining 12 cookies, flat sides down.
• Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies - Use peanut butter chips instead of chocolate chips.

Equipment

Here's the equipment you'll need for this recipe:

• dry measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• paring knife
• small or medium skillet
• large mixing bowl
• medium mixing bowl
• hand mixer
• cookie scoops
• rimmed baking sheets

Storage

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Freeze leftover cookies in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips

When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:

• Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
• When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
• I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
• When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

Food safety

Keep these few food safety things in mind when making this recipe

• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat or eggs
• Wash hands after touching raw meat or eggs
• Don't leave leftovers sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.