Toasted Flour (read: completely safe to eat) Cookie Dough Pretzels

I'm embarrassed to say just how many cookie dough pretzels I've made since Thanksgiving. A LOT ought to cover it. Actually, I shouldn't be embarrassed by how many I've made, just by how many I've eaten. Again, A LOT ought to cover it.

The idea and the basis for this recipe come from Sally's Baking Addiction. Gorgeous photos...always, always delicious treats over there.

These cookie dough pretzels will be the ultimate treat for New Year's Eve...to bring to a party or to eat at home while wearing your jammies. I'll give you one guess as to what I'll be doing.

I knew I'd be making these for lots of people, and even though I ignore that "don't eat raw flour" warning for myself, it was running on repeat in my brain as I thought about making these for a crowd. The cookie dough here doesn't have egg, so no worries there...it was the flour.

SO. I TOASTED THE FLOUR. It's a super easy fix to your raw cookie dough worries.
Do you have raw cookie dough worries? 

Easy peasy. Pour the flour onto a parchment-lined sheet. Don't skip the parchment; you'll see why in a minute.

Spread in an even layer and bake at 350 :) for 10 minutes.

See the cracks in the baked flour?

Use the parchment to pour into a bowl. You'll see that the flour is a little clumpy from baking. Whisk all of the clumps out.

Now it's time to make the safe-to-eat cookie dough!

Cream the butter and sugars. (I like salted butter in my cookies, so that's what I use here. It feels right.) Mix in the milk and vanilla.

Beat in the flour, then stir in mini chocolate chips.

Use a 2-teaspoon cookie scoop to scoop out the dough.

Press between two small pretzels. The two-teaspoon amount is perfect.

Next up...chocolate! I like Ghirardelli melting wafers. It tastes great and you don't have to worry about melted chocolate chips getting sticky or adding shortening for consistency.

Dip half of each pretzel into the chocolate. Place on a parchment or waxed-lined sheet. Place in the refrigerator to set.

Store in the fridge.

Toasted Flour Cookie Dough Pretzels

1 1/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 cup salted butter, cut into chunks
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
pretzels
1 10-ounce package Ghirardelli dark melting wafers

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment.

Spread the flour into an even layer. Bake for 10 minutes. Lift the parchment and use as a funnel to transfer flour into a bowl. Whisk out any clumps. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Beat in the milk and vanilla. In two additions, add the flour on low speed. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, mixing until well-combined. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.

Use a 2-teaspoon scoop to portion out the cookie dough. Press each dough portion between two pretzels and place on a lined cookie sheet. Freeze for at least 15 minutes.

Melt the dark chocolate wafers according to package instructions. Dip half of each pretzel sandwich into the melted chocolate. Place on a lined cookie sheet and put in the refrigerator to set.

Once set, remove to a storage container and keep in the fridge.
*adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

Cookie dough pretzels! You need them!