Crushed Pretzel M&Ms lend a crunchy and a sweet and salty bite to some chewy oatmeal cookies.
In the world of cookies it would seem that adding candy to cookie dough might be overkill, but not so. Candy plus cookie equals, three words: holy freak’n goodness, especially when it comes to these M&M Pretzel candy.
Here’s the thing. I bake and my boys are, at best, mild dessert consumers. But what I have discovered as I recently wrote, Matt’s sweet tooth lies in a cookie crumb and so does my 4-yr-old. A freshly baked cake, a cupcake stacked with mile high frosting, warm pie filling spilling over a flaky crust—all these things will be given a cursory glance.
A warm cookie sheet on the other hand will be greeted with eager hands and ready to-go milk glasses for dunking. These were no exception. The only difference was I thought these M&M Pretzel Oatmeal Cookies topped his favorite Snickers Cookies, but then he surprised me last night and declared my next cookie post is his second favorite next to Alice Medrich’s Coconut Macaroons.
I guess if I can’t come in first, being second to my favorite baker is pretty darn good to me.
Now that I have your curiosity peaked for my next cookie post . . . stay tuned. Until then, take a bite out of these and enjoy a sweet and salty combination that will last as long your will power will allow.
A few notes:
- I bypassed crushing the Pretzel M&Ms in a food processor, because if you have ever tried to crush candy in one-it’s earsplitting. I also bypassed using a chef’s knife as they rolled around too much and I really didn’t want to play dodge the blade with my fingers. What worked best to crush the Pretzel M&Ms was a meat tenderizer-just pound to crush. If you don’t have a meat tenderizer, try using a rolling pin.
- To keep the cookies nice and chewy, I place half a slice of bread in the cookie jar with it. Try it—I swear it works. The bread piece ends up like a crouton while the cookies stay moist and chewy.
- Make sure to use quick cooking oats and not old fashion, or you will have a crisp cookie instead of soft chewy ones.
- Of course you can substitue the Pretzel M&M candy for any add-in, but really, if you love the love sweet and salty combo these cookies will probably knock your socks off.
M&M Pretzel Oatmeal Cookie
Makes 31/2 dozen cookies | Preparation: Line bake sheet with parchment. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 11/2 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup flour
- 1 ½ cup oats, quick cooking
- 1 9.90oz Bag of M&M Pretzel
Instructions:
1. Melt and heat butter until it is brown and nutty. Set aside to cool slightly.
2. Place softened cream cheese, egg, sugar, dark brown sugar, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on medium until mixture is fully combined and shiny, about 1-2 minutes. Add browned butter and mix to combine. Turn off mixer.
3. Place flour and quick cooking oats in a bowl and whisk to combine. Use a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon to fold flour mixture into wet mixture and mix to combine.
4. Using a meat tenderizer crush M&M Pretzel in a plastic bag and add to cookie dough and fold to combine.
5. Scoop one heaping tablespoon of cookie dough onto parchment lined baked sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms of cookies are golden brown.
Cookies will keep 2-3 days in a tightly sealed container.
I’ll take a whole plate full of these beauties, I love sweet and salty treats!
I love M&M’s! Who doesn’t! I may have just found my new favorite cookie!
Beautiful Naomi! I love the ‘crushed’ look of the m&m’s.
My grandmother was just talking about how much she loved M&M Pretzels… I see a sweet treat in her future! Thanks for sharing!
Brilliant idea to use your meat tenderizer and kinda fun too! The cookies look delicious!
Yum! I love the sweet and salty combo!
I love the sound of these cookies. I’m adding this to my holiday cookie box!
Cream cheese in a cookie?! LOVE!
Sinful. Delicious. Must have now! What a great reacipe.
There is no such thing as cookie dough overkill. Add all the candy you like. Especially pretzle m&ms! Love those little suckers! These cookies sound fantastic.
These look sooo delish! I will definitely be making these this fall
Candy in cookies are always a welcome addition in my home.
Oh, I love how fat and fluffy they are! Gorgeous cookies!
I’m obsessed with pretzels in desserts, but even if I wasn’t, I’d be drooling over these from your gorgeous food styling alone, Naomi! You’ve really got a gift. These look like positively scrumptious cookies. 🙂
OMG the cookies sound and look to die for and that first photo is absolutely gorgoeous.
You said cookie…that’s all I needed to hear! I may need to make these for my crew…they get way tired of the regular. And you’re absolutely right about the bread trick!
Just baked these cookies! Oh so amazing!! Thank you for this recipe 🙂 ps- gave some to my boyfriend and he says cookies don’t get better than this!
Love those old peweter platers, I’ve been looking for some like those.