Caramel Pretzel Shortbread Cookies

I'm sure after that Sunday feast, you probably have no desire to turn on your oven or get within 10 feet of your mixer. And you probably have snowflake covered tins on your kitchen countertops filled with monogrammed butter shortbreads.And maybe you're still sleeping off a post-Christmas sugar coma. And there's still glitter embedded in the living room floor. And dirty dishes in the sink.

None of that matters. These sweet and salty cookies are just what you need to face the back-to-work blues. Dunk them in your morning coffee, grab one to fend off a mid-afternoon nap, share them with your coworkers and spread some much needed holiday cheer. Their tender bite and melt-in-your mouth buttery taste will have you back to your smiling self in no time.

Caramel Pretzel Shortbread Cookies
Yield: Approximately 4 dozen cookies
Recipe inspired by Betty Crocker's Cooky Book


Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup coarsely crushed pretzels (about half the mixture should be powdery, the other half should be in very small pieces)
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter for about 3 minutes, or until light in color and fluffy.
3. Add sugars to butter and beat an additional 3 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and crushed pretzels. Add the mixture to the butter mixture in 4 separate additions, beating for 2 minutes after each one.
5. Roll mixture into Tablespoon size balls and place on an ungreased or parchment lined baking sheet. Press down until each cookie is about 1/2 in thick.
6. Bake in the preheated oven fro 20 to 25 minutes or until just slightly brown on the outside and still slightly doughy looking in the middle. This leaves a chewy center. If you prefer crunchy shortbread, bake a few minutes longer.