Begin by taking your cream cheese out of the refrigerator and letting it soften at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

In your softened cream cheese bowl, add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. With an electric mixer on medium speed, blend until creamy and free of lumps, about 2-3 minutes.

Gently crush your pretzels into smaller pieces, maintaining some crunch.

Fold the crushed pretzels into the creamy cheesecake mixture with a spatula.

Scoop out portions using a cookie scoop or tablespoon and roll them into uniform balls, about 1 inch in diameter.

Cover your baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.

For optional coating, melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, dip each cheesecake ball, and drizzle with caramel and sprinkle with sea salt.

Return coated balls to the refrigerator for at least one hour to set properly.