Chocolate, Caramel and Pecans OH MY! My daughter-in-love Sarah and I had fun making and baking two different treats with our favorite ingredients. First: Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bites. Second: Caramel Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies.
These chocolate caramel pretzel bites are the easiest candy to make! The hardest part is taking the gold foil wrappers off the candies. These are fun little additions to go on a cookie tray, or perhaps to leave out for Santa. I use Snyder’s of Hanover Butter Snap pretzels, but any mini-pretzel will work. These are the perfect combination of salty, sweet, and crunchy.
Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bites
INGREDIENTS
Small pretzels, such as Snyder of Hanover Butter Snaps
Chocolate covered caramel candies, such as ROLO®
Pecan halves
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 250°F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper, silpat, or foil.
2. Place one pretzel for each pretzel treat desired on prepared sheet. Top each pretzel with one unwrapped candy.
3. Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until chocolate covered caramel piece begins to soften, but not melt. Remove from oven; top with either pecan half or additional pretzel. Cool completely.
Microwave directions:
1. Line microwave-safe plate with wax paper.
2. Place up to 6 pretzels on plate and top each pretzel with one unwrapped candy.
3. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 30 seconds or until caramel has softened slightly. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 10 seconds. Carefully slide parchment paper and pretzels onto counter top. Top with either a pecan half or additional pretzel. Cool completely.
This was our first time to make these cookies. The recipe called them Pecan Pie Chocolate Chip Cookies, but they didn’t taste like pie at all to me. Plus, I have never put caramel into a pecan pie… but maybe I should. Anyway, these are yummy.
Caramel Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp melted butter
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. pecans
12 soft caramel candies
Flaky sea salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine melted butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla and whisk to combine.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Cut each caramel candy into 4 pieces. Fold in chocolate chips, pecans, and caramels. Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough (about 2 tablespoons) onto prepared baking sheets about 2″ apart.
Bake until cookies are slightly golden and set around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Top with flaky sea salt. Let cool in baking sheet 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.