Pomegranate Stuffed Chocolate Covered Pretzel Cookies

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I went canoeing & camping on the Buffalo River in Middle TN with a group of friends. Yet somehow I managed to forget to bring s’mores supplies = fail. Once I got home I decided to remedy that error by eating some homemade s’mores ice cream. The ice cream also worked to remedy the pain I felt when discovering that the Ohio State football head coach, Jim Tressel, resigned. Obviously he was in the wrong, but I still loved him. May the sweater vest still be feared!

Alas, not everything can be fixed… but my most recent kitchen “Oops” could, and was! What better way to use up treats than to add it to another treat? Cookies!  These are super soft thanks to the addition of pudding mix. And although I couldn’t really taste any of the pomegranate, nor could I really see any of the cream cheese (except for the little bit stuck between two pretzel pieces, shown in the photo), those ingredients must have some role in making them delicious.

I think the cookies need a better name. But I am lacking the creative brain power to come up with something today. What do you think they should be called? If I like what you come up with, I will rename them!

Ingredients:

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

2-1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

4 -oz box instant chocolate pudding mix

2-1/2 cups Pomegranate stuffed chocolate covered pretzels, chopped*

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or line with a silpat liner.
2. In a stand or electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined.
3. Place flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl, mixing to combine. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate pudding mix and chopped pretzels. Mix until just combined. With a medium cookie scoop, place onto baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, until cooked through. Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring.

*If you don’t want to make the chocolate covered pretzels, chop up a cup of each, dark chocolate and pretzels. Mix 1 Tbsp POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate juice with 2 oz. cream cheese and as the final step, swirl into the cookie dough.

Source: Adapted from Picky Palate