Experiments in Decadance

Chocolate-Dipped Pretzel Peanut Butterscotchies

I've been on a baking kick lately. Perhaps it's the fall weather that makes me want to fill the house with oven-warmth and the scents of vanilla, chocolate, and sugary goodness. Last week, on a whim, I threw together some chocolate chip cookies. Jordan (always a source of food-inspiration) had the idea of doing something with butterscotch chips as a deviation from the chocolate-chip default. I mused over this and came up with some tasty ideas. Jordan provided the butterscotch chips. I always love the combination of sweet and salty and decided for this tasty treat I would put together a variety of beloved snack flavors. While these cookies are perfectly delicious without the chocolate coating . . . I figured if you're going to do the thing, you should do it right! Feel free to omit the chocolate dip . . . your call. You are the master of your own cookie destiny. Enjoy! (And by the way, the cookie dough was awesome!)

Ingredients
- 1 1/4 c. sugar
- 2 c. flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 1/2 sticks of butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1 c. creamy peanut butter
- 2 Tbsp. corn syrup
- 2 c. butterscotch chips
- 2 c. crumbled pretzels
- 2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350˚ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, peanut butter, sugar, vanilla, and corn syrup with an electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, and blend ingredients thoroughly. Add flour and baking soda in batches until mixed. Using a wooden spoon, mix in butterscotch chips and broken pretzel pieces. With a cookie scoop or tablespoon scoop equal portions of dough and place on prepared baking sheet, spaced several inches apart (cookies will spread a bit while baking.) Bake in batches for 9-11 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a metal rack.

When cookies have cooled completely, place chocolate chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt in microwave for 1 minute, stir chips around and return to microwave. Cook for another minute, stir again until chips are melted and smooth. Dip cookies, one at a time, into melted chocolate and then place on a sheet of waxed paper for chocolate to cool and harden. Eat!