Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Start by lining a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. This prevents the cookies from sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. This ensures that the dry ingredients are evenly distributed, which is crucial for achieving the perfect cookie texture.
Using a stand mixer, cream together the butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar for about 1 minute until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step incorporates air into the mixture, leading to soft cookies.
Add in the eggs and vanilla to the creamed mixture and mix until combined. The eggs add moisture and help to bind the ingredients together.
Now, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low until just combined. Be careful not to over mix, as this can lead to tough cookies.
Gently stir in the white chocolate chips, chopped pretzels, and crushed peppermint using a spatula. This is where the magic happens, as the mix of flavors and textures come together.
Form the cookie dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons of dough each. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, making sure to space them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Keep a close eye on them; you want them to be soft in the center but firm around the edges.
Once out of the oven, sprinkle the cookies with flaky sea salt. If you want to make them extra fancy, gently press some extra white chocolate chips, pretzel pieces, and peppermint pieces on top.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 3 to 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. This allows them to set up perfectly and makes for a delicious treat!
