Chocolate + Pretzels + Cookie = Brain Power

It should come as no surprise that food (read: treats) can be a highly motivating reward--and powerful tool of persuasion--when working with high school students.

I'm fortunate enough to have a job that I love, doing work that I find both fulfilling and inspiring. The students I work with are bright and determined, and they certainly make sure that no day is a dull day!

They also like to remind me that homework will get done faster during tutoring, and they'll listen more intently during programming, if they have a snack to power up their energy.

My response? Bring on the treats!

Tonight I baked a Chocolate Pretzel Cookies to take for the students this week. I found this perfectly sweet n' salty recipe on Monet's blog, and knew that it would be the ultimate after-school snack to power their brains through tutoring.

If you like chocolate-covered pretzels, this one's for you. I love the crunch, I love the chocolate, and I love the hint of salty peanut butter--these little guys showcase a great twist on the classic chocolate chipper, and they don't require any elaborate or unusual ingredients. I added a half cup of peanut butter to my batch because, well...when do I not add peanut butter to my chocolate?

Grab your apron and cookie up! It's Chocolate (plus peanut butter) Pretzel Cookie time, friends.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies

(adapted from Monet's recipe)

These cookies are the perfect kid-pleasing treat--salty pretzels, yummy peanut butter, and chocolate, all wrapped up into cookie form.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet, milk, or white--or a combo of all three!)
• 1 - 1/2 cups crushed pretzels

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat baking sheets with cooking spray.

2) With an electric mixer, cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until well-blended. Sift in flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until thoroughly combined. Stir in pretzels and chocolate chips.

3) Drop by rounded spoonfuls on baking sheet. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned around the edges.