I don’t know what to call these cookies that are filled with bits and pieces I have in the pantry. The base is a chocolate chip cookie, but oatmeal, shredded coconut and pretzels are added to make these cookies chewy and crunchy at the same time. The results are amazing.

Tips:

• Don’t have pretzels on hand? Try this with potato chips. The salty/sweet combo is so good.

• You can freeze the balls of cookie dough to make up to three months later. Just line up the cookie dough on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then you can transfer the dough to a baggie or container until you are ready to bake them. Once ready, thaw out the cookie dough on a baking sheet and proceed with recipe.

Pantry Cookies

Makes 25 large cookies

PREP 15 minutes

COOK 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

1  cup shredded unsweetened coconut

2 cups bitter-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup mini pretzels, broken into pieces

Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl cream together the butter with sugars.

3. Add the eggs, one at a time until combined.

4. Mix in the vanilla, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Add the flour and mixture until combined.

5. Switch to a rubber scraper and add the oats, coconut, chocolate chips and pretzel pieces. Mix well.

6. Using an ice cream scoop portion out round balls of cookie dough. Space the cookies about 2”-3” on a cookie sheet. You should get about 5 cookies per sheet. Use the heel of your hand to gently flatten each ball, maintaining their round shape.

7. Bake for 5 minutes then remove the cookie sheet and bang it a few times on your counter to flatten the cookies. Put the cookies back in the oven for another 5 minutes. The bottoms will turn golden and the sides will be golden too. Remove from the oven and bang the cookie sheet again on the counter a few times. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet, as they will continue to cook and the centers will not look so undercooked. Sprinkle some flakey sea salt on the cookies out the oven. Repeat with remaining cookie sheets.

8. Enjoy the cookies hot out of the oven or store in an airtight container for a few days once they are cooled.