These caramel pretzel chocolate chip cookies have everything you could want in a cookie. Sweet chewy caramel, crunchy pretzels, loads of melted chocolate and a hint of sea salt for balance. They are the perfect cookie to satisfy your sweet tooth!

These gluten free cookies have perfectly chewy edges with a soft center plus all those yummy add-ins to take them over the top! I know you're going to devour these cookies, just like we did.

Several caramel pretzel chocolate chip cookies scattered on a wooden tray.

If you're a cookie monster like me, you should also try my walnut chocolate chip cookies, these delicious pecan chocolate chip cookies or my favorite oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. They're all gluten free!

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Ingredient Notes
Substitutions & Variations
How to Make Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies with Caramel
Expert Tip
Storage
More gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipes to try:
Recipe

Ingredient Notes

This delicious recipe mostly relies on simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. The one hard to find ingredient is the dairy free caramels, which I order from Amazon (but have also see at Whole Foods from time to time).

Ingredients for caramel pretzel chocolate chip cookies sitting on a marble counter.

Gluten-Free Flour Blend - I use Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Flour Blend for this recipe. You can use the gluten free flour blend of your choice, but ensure it contains xanthan gum or a similar binder. I haven't tested these cookies with any other brands of flour, so your results may vary.
Vegan Butter - I used Country Crock plant butter in these cookies, but any stick type vegan butter will work fine. If you're not dairy free, use unsalted butter in the same measure.
Cornstarch - Adding a little extra starch helps the cookies be light and chewy. If you don't have corn starch on hand (or avoid corn products), tapioca starch or arrowroot powder are the best substitutions. The measurement will be the same.
Maple Syrup - Not only does this unusual cookie ingredient add a lovely maple flavor, it also adds moisture and chewiness and helps to keep the cookies soft longer. If you don't have maple syrup, you can swap it for corn syrup or honey although it will definitely change the flavor.
Allergen Friendly Chocolate Chips - I always use Nestle Allergen Free chocolate chips or Enjoy Life brand chocolate chips. Since the caramel adds a lot of sweetness to these cookies, I recommend either dark chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Dairy Free Caramels - Caramel provides the perfect balance to the salty pretzels in these cookies. I use Cocomels dairy free caramels, which are made with coconut milk. These are the only vegan chewy caramels I've ever found. If you're not dairy free, use your favorite chewy caramels (I would go with the Kraft caramel squares).

See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.

Substitutions & Variations

Not Dairy Free - use dairy butter, regular chocolate chips, and dairy caramels in the same measure.
Chocolate Switchup - Replace chocolate chips with chopped chocolate bars or dark chocolate chunks for pools of melted chocolate in each cookie.
Get Nutty - You can replace part of the mix-ins with your favorite nuts. Just keep the total volume of add-ins to 2 cups.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies with Caramel

These delicious cookies are easy to make, but I do recommend using a stand mixer or handheld mixer. They will also need some chilling time (I'm sorry), but it really does make them turn out perfect!

Flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt combined in a small glass bowl sitting on a marble counter.

STEP 1: Combine the gluten free flour, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk together to mix well.

Granulated sugar, brown sugar and melted butter combined in a large metal mixing bowl.

STEP 2: Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and melted butter to a large mixing bowl. Beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 3 minutes.

Egg, maple syrup and vanilla added to the bowl with the creamed butter and sugar.

STEP 3: Add the egg, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the bowl with the creamed sugar and butter. Beat again for 1 minute.

Dry ingredients being added to the mixing bowl with the wet ingredients.

STEP 4: With the mixer on the low speed, add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Chocolate chips, pretzel pieces and caramels added into the bowl with the cookie dough.

STEP 5: Add the chocolate chips, pretzel pieces and caramel pieces to the cookie dough. Pulse it a few times with your mixer or stir them in with a spatula. Try not to break all of the pretzels.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Six unbaked cookie dough balls on a large baking sheet.

STEP 6: Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350F. Scoop the cookie dough into ¼ cupfuls and place the cookie dough balls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet spaced at least 2 inches apart.

Now you're ready to bake!

Expert Tip

Allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet otherwise they will be too delicate to lift and move to the wire cooling rack.

A caramel pretzel chocolate chip cookie broken in half showing the melted chocolate inside.

Storage

Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. I recommend reheating them before eating to soften the caramel a bit.

If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.

Recipe

Tiffany

Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.