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Easy No Bake Pretzel Cookies with peanut butter and butterscotch chips are a great treat to make when you don’t want to turn on the oven. They are crunchy and have that fantastic salty-sweet combo, and are really easy to make. These are basically Pretzel Haystack Cookies and they are fabulous!
Table of Contents
What are no bake pretzel cookies?
No bake pretzel cookies are typically a type of cookie made with pretzels held together with something like chocolate, white chocolate, peanut butter, or butterscotch chips. Sometimes they’re called pretzel haystacks since they are made the same way as a classic haystack cookie.
I love them all year, but no bake cookies are really great in the summer when you don’t want to turn the oven on. They’re also great during the holiday season because they keep well, and they look great on a cookie platter.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- These pretzel cookies have a lot going for them: no bake, easy-to-make, sweet and salty, and a crunchy texture. Basically, they’re your dream no bake cookie!
- My pretzel cookies are like butterscotch no bakes with a combination of pretzels, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter. They are so easy and fun!
Ingredients
- Butterscotch Chips: These are like chocolate chips but they are butterscotch flavor, sold in the baking aisle.
- Peanut Butter: I used creamy peanut butter but you can use crunchy, be sure to use a no-stir peanut butter.
- Pretzel Twists: Just the normal pretzel twists, any brand
- Sea Salt: For garnish
How to Make Pretzel Haystack Cookies
- Combine the butterscotch chips and peanut butter in a bowl. Microwave them for 30 seconds and then stir. Keep warming the mixture in 15-second increments until you have a smooth mixture.
- Add the vanilla and stir. Mix in the pretzels and stir until they are completely coated.
- Scoop approximately one to two tablespoons and drop it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the salt over the top. Repeat this with the rest of the mixture, spacing each cookie apart, so they aren’t touching.
- Refrigerate the cookies for 10 to 15 minutes or until they are set.
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- Like other kinds of haystack cookies, these pretzel cookies can be a little delicate. If you need to store them, I recommend layering them with parchment paper in the container. Don’t just pile them in! Otherwise, they will break or end up stuck together.
- I use these cute tiny pretzels for this recipe, but you can use any kind of pretzel. If they are large, you should crush them into small pieces first. I’ve linked the type I use in the recipe card.
- You can keep no bake cookies at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If you keep them in an airtight container, they can keep well for up to two weeks.
FAQs
These will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container or 1 week if kept in the refrigerator. I don’t recommend freezing these cookies.
You can substitute any kind of nut butter (or allergy friendly alternative) for the peanut butter.
No Bake Pretzel Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 11 ounce bag butterscotch chips
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 cups mini pretzels or roughly crushed pretzels
- Maldon flake sea salt for garnish optional
Instructions
- Place the butterscotch chips and peanut butter into a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir together. Continue to microwave on 15 second intervals, stirring in between until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract until combined. Add the pretzels and stir until fully coated.
- Line sheet trays with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop or you can eyeball it, place 1-2 tablespoon sized mounds of the mixture, not touching.
- As soon as you place one cookie down, sprinkle with the flake sea salt and repeat.
- Place the sheet tray into the fridge until set, about 10-15 minutes.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- These cookies are crunchy, sweet, salty. I love that you can mix up the chip flavors and make different versions of these cookies.
- The flake sea salt adds an extra kick of salt but it’s not overwhelming. The butterscotch chips and peanut butter are plenty sweet to offset the saltiness from the pretzels and additional salt.
- You can also use any salt you prefer to sprinkle the tops.
- While they set up nicely, these cookies like most cookies of this style can be a little delicate so I do not recommend stacking a bunch in a container. Instead, layer them with parchment paper while storing.
- The itty bitty mini pretzels make these cookies extra cute, however they can be made with any pretzels. I do suggest crushing them up a bit if they are any bigger so it makes the cookies easier to eat.
- These are the pretzels I used.
Recipe Nutrition
These No Bake Pretzel Cookies are so good and they please almost everyone! They’re sweet and salty, easy to make and have the best, crunchy texture.
Favorite No Bake Desserts
Last Updated on May 6, 2023
Great recipe! I added robin’s egg chocolates on top to make it look like a nest for easter. Thanks, so yummy!
Love that!
Used cookie butter in place of peanut butter and added marshmallows. Very easy and delicious!
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