Malted Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

To make the cookie dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, malted milk powder, baking soda, and salt.  

In a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave the butter in 20-second increments until just barely melted, then whisk until smooth and no chunks of butter remain. (Alternatively, heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until just barely melted and transfer to a large bowl.)

Add the light brown sugar, peanut butter, and granulated sugar and whisk until combined and smooth.  

Add the egg and vanilla and whisk to combine.  

Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Using a flexible spatula, stir until partially combined; there should be some dry streaks of flour remaining. Add the pretzels and chocolate and stir until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated, and the pretzels and chocolate are evenly distributed.  

Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 1/2 hours.  

While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment.  

To make the coating: In a small bowl, combine all the coating ingredients except for the pretzels. 

Divide the dough into 1/4 cup (66g) portions (a 4-Tablespoon Scoop works well here). Round each portion of dough between the palms of your hands. If desired, press a mini pretzel gently onto the top of each ball of dough. Roll the cookie dough in the malted milk sugar until evenly coated. Place the dough on the lined baking sheets, six cookies per sheet, spacing about 2 1/2" apart.  

Bake the cookies in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, rotating front to back and top to bottom halfway through, for a total of 12 to 14 minutes, until the cookies have spread and are just set and blonde all over. If you'd like your cookies to look perfectly round, place a 4" biscuit cutter, round cookie cutter, or wide-mouth jar or glass over each warm cookie and rotate it in a circular motion, rounding the edges. It’ll add a bit of height of the cookie and make them look like they came from a bakery.   

Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheets. Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Freeze for longer storage.