Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugars and beat with an electric mixer until combined.
3. Add vanilla and egg and beat for a minute or so until combined. Add flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt, if using, and mix briefly until a chocolately dough forms.
4. Roll the dough (approximately 1.5 tablespoons each) into balls using your hands and place onto your prepared oven trays. Press a pretzel on top of each cookie dough ball (make sure its firmly on top, it’s ok if you squash the cookie dough ball a bit – see photo below).
5. Bake cookies in the oven for approximately 10-11 minutes. Carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. To decorate cookies, melt chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until smooth and creamy.
7. Carefully dip each cookie into the chocolate, letting any excess chocolate drip off, then place on a wire cooling rack. Before the chocolate sets, sprinkle over crushed candy canes.