For the Cookie Cups

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In the bowl of an electric or stand mixer, cream together butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla and mix on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt and baking soda.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter on low speed until completely incorporated.
5. Scoop dough into a greased standard size muffin tin, using an ice cream scoop, dividing the dough evenly between the 12 cups.
6. Bake for 15-16 minutes. The edges of each cookie cup should be golden brown.
7. Remove the muffin tin from the oven, and place one peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie cup, pressing down gently so that the peanut butter cup sits below the level of the top of the cookie. You want to leave room for caramel. The chocolate will melt from the warmth of the cookie.
8. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set once again.
9. Spoon the melted caramel over each cookie cup and then gently press a pretzel on top. Sprinkle sea salt on top of each cookie cup.
10. The caramel will set as it comes back to room temperature.

For the caramel

1. Unwrap candies and put them in a small microwave safe bowl. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of water. Microwave for 25 seconds and then stir. You want the consistency to be just thin enough to spoon over the peanut butter cup, so if it still sticks to the spoon without dripping off, add a tiny bit (1/2 teaspoon) more water and microwave 10 more seconds and stir.