Peanut Apple Pretzel Drops
Our friend Evelyn told us that she loves to snack on the sweet 'n' salty combo of pretzels and apples, and we made it even better by adding peanuts. A delicate brown sugar cookie dough brings this trio of awesome together for a perfectly chewy yet crunchy delight, sure to thrill young, old, or simply those who like to act immature. Enjoy as a wholesome after-school or post-work snack with a cold glass of soy milk.
2 generous cups mini pretzels, crushed into small pieces
1 cup roasted, shelled peanut halves
4 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups, lightly packed) dried apple rings
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon
baking powder 1/2 teaspoon
baking soda 1/4 teaspoon ground
cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon
salt 1/2 cup nondairy milk
2 tablespoons ground
flax seeds 1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup dark brown sugar, tightly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons
pure vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine pretzel pieces and peanuts. Using either kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, cut apple rings into bite-size pieces. Combine with the pretzels and peanuts.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the nondairy milk and flax seeds. Add the oil, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla. Beat with electric beaters for 2 minutes until the lumps of brown sugar are dissolved and the mixture is very thick. Stir in the flour mixture, mixing just until dry ingredients are moistened and a thick, soft dough forms (you might want to use a rubber spatula for this step). Fold in the pretzel mixture and stir to completely coat everything with batter. The resulting dough will be very chunky and sticky.
Drop heaping tablespoons of dough about 2 inches apart onto the baking sheet. Bake 14 to 16 minutes until cookies are firm and edges are lightly browned. Move from the cookie sheet to wire racks to cool. Store in a loosely covered container.
With all the chunky mix-ins, these cookies will look a little crazy. Don't be scared if they appear a little more free-form than you're used to.
