Salt Strikes Twice

In December I did it.  Now I've done it again.

Yup, I've sprinkled more salt on cookies, and the result is absolutely divine. I might need to change the name of my blog to "Allyson, Salt Ranger."

I've slightly adapted this recipe from Jenny at Picky Palate, a fabulous food blog that focuses on feeding the pickiest of eaters.  Ok, yes, that begs the question what was I doing on this site as I am about as far from picky with food as tomatoes are from being vegetables.  I really don't know how I found the site, just know I did, and below is one of the best cookie recipes I've made.

Double Chocolate & Pretzel Peanut Butter Cookies...with Sea Salt
adapted from Picky Palate

1 stick softened butter, 8 tablespoons
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup white chocolate chips, to melt
1 1/4 cups creamy peanut butter (reserve 2 tablespoons)
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup broken pretzel pieces*
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. 
2. Melt white chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons peanut butter over a double boiler until melted.  (If you don't have a double boiler, simply put a glass bowl over a saucepan of boiling water...just make sure your bowl doesn't make contact with the water.  It should simply sit on top and be heated by the steam of the boiling water).
3. Add melted chocolate chips and remaining peanut butter to beaten butter and sugars.  Beat in egg and vanilla.
4. Place flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; mix to combine.
5. Add to wet ingredients, a third at a time, just until combined (do not overmix!). Pour in pretzels and semisweet chocolate chips and allow paddle to stir until mixed throughout.
6. With a cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet.  With the palms of your hand, gently press down each cookie to about 1/2" thickness (dough will be crumbly, so "gently press" is key).  Sprinkle each cookie with a touch of sea salt.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges become golden and slightly crisp.  Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet before removing.

yields 3 dozen cookies

*I used Trader Joe's Honey Wheat Pretzel Sticks.  I broke them by placing a good handful into a ziploc bag and pressing a rolling pin over them till they were sufficiently crushed.  In doing so I also exploded the bag and created a dusty mess...you might want to cover the plastic bag with a towel to avoid said mess.