6/19/2011

first summer bbq and a recipe

It's finally starting to feel like summer around the Bay Area, of course that could change in two days. But today we acted like summer was here to stay for a while. It helps to get out of the city and over to the East Bay where it's always warmer. Some pics and a recipe for the chocolate chip cookies with pretzels, peanut butter chips, and sea salt that I brought to the BBQ. They are pretty delicious and super easy to make.



Chocolate & Peanut Butter Chip Pretzel Cookies

(Originally spotted on Pinterest which led me to the original source of the recipe.)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. of salt
1/4 tsp. of baking soda
1/2 cup of butter at room temperature (I forgot to do this and just melted my butter in the microwave)
1/2 cup of tightly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1 egg (beaten)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup broken up pretzel pieces
Sea Salt

Directions:
Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a larger bowl, beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy. On low speed, slowly add the beaten egg and vanilla extract. Beat to combine, scrape down the sides of the bowl. (I didn't have a mixer and did this step by hand, the cookies still came out delicious)
Add the flour mixture and combine. Stir in the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and pretzels. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or use a non-stick cookie sheet). Scoop out well rounded tablespoonfuls of the dough and sprinkle with pretzel salt. Leave about 2 inches between each ball. I pressed my cookies down since I had read that they don't spread too much while baking. Bake for 10 minutes. If you prefer crispier cookies increase the baking time by 1-2 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing.