## Instructions
1. **Preheat & Prep:** Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. **Cream the Butter & Sugars:** In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
3. **Add Eggs & Vanilla:** Beat in the eggs one at a time, incorporating each fully before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract.
4. **Combine Dry Ingredients:** In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. **Combine Wet & Dry:** Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix!
6. **Fold in Chocolate & Pretzels:** Gently fold in the chocolate chips and chopped pretzels until evenly distributed.
7. **Scoop & Bake:** Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. If desired, sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top of each cookie.
8. **Bake:** Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are still slightly soft.
9. **Cool:** Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
## Short Tips
* **Don’t overmix!** Overmixing the dough can lead to tough cookies.
* **Chill the dough:** For an even chewier cookie, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours) before baking. This helps the flavors meld and prevents the cookies from spreading too much.
* **Room temperature ingredients are key:** Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature for the best results.
* **Experiment with mix-ins:** Feel free to swap out or add other mix-ins like pecans, toffee bits, or white chocolate chunks for endless variations!
* **Store them right:** Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months.
