A few years back, the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild asked me to contribute a recipe for their 12 Days of Holiday Cookies feature. I didn't even hesitate: it had to be these. Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bonbons show up in my kitchen more than almost anything else I make, holidays or not, because they hit that salty-sweet spot better than just about any treat I know.
Consider this your official invitation to make a batch yourself.
Ingredients:
1½ cups pretzels
½ cup creamy peanut butter (natural peanut butter works better; it has more natural oils)
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 tablespoons brown sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Sea salt, for finishing
Instructions:
Crush pretzels into small bits (a food processor works well, or a baggie and a rolling pin).
In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, butter, brown sugar, and salt until smooth.
Add pretzel bits and mix thoroughly.
Add powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time, mixing until the ingredients adhere and form a ball.
Chill for about 30 minutes.
Line a cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper.
Scoop into balls using a small cookie scoop.
Chill again for 15 to 30 minutes.
Form into round balls (if sticking to your fingers, add a bit more powdered sugar or run hands under cold water).
Chill again for 15 minutes.
Melt chocolate in the microwave for one minute, stirring until sm
ooth (add 10-second increments as needed; a tablespoon of vegetable oil thins chocolate that's too thick).
Dip balls in chocolate using a fork or dipping tool, place on a tray, and sprinkle with a few grains of sea salt.
Chill until set.
Make a batch, keep them in the fridge, and try not to eat the whole tray while they're chilling. We won't tell. And if you'd rather skip the dishes and let someone else do the baking, there's usually something sweet waiting at A' Tuscan Estate. Book your stay and we'll see you at the breakfast table.
About the Local Expert
Erin Gilchrist
Owner 
and Innkeeper of A' Tuscan Estate in McMinnville, where her hospitality career (from Big Sur to Bandon Dunes) and deep ties to Willamette Valley winemakers shape every recommendation she shares.