Description
Caramel pretzel crack bars blend salty pretzels with rich caramel in a delightful dessert that satisfies crunchy and sweet cravings. Chocolate drizzle and sea salt elevate this irresistible snack that quickly becomes a crowd-pleasing indulgence you’ll want to make again.
Ingredients
Scale
Caramel Pretzel Crack Bars Ingredients:
Main Sweet Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter & Base Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (227 grams)
- 2 cups pretzels, crushed
Finishing Ingredient:
- Sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Arrange oven rack in the middle position and heat to 350F (175C). Cover a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring extra edges hang over sides for easy lifting.
- Create a uniform base by distributing crushed pretzels across the entire bottom of the prepared pan.
- Generate caramel sauce by melting butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Incorporate brown sugar, continuously stirring until mixture transforms into a smooth, bubbling consistency, approximately 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and infuse with vanilla extract.
- Cascade caramel evenly over pretzel layer, ensuring complete coverage. Transfer pan to preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until caramel develops a golden, effervescent appearance.
- Extract pan from oven and immediately disperse chocolate chips across hot caramel surface. Allow chips to soften for 3-4 minutes, then gently spread into a uniform chocolate layer.
- Enhance flavor profile by delicately sprinkling sea salt across melted chocolate surface for a sophisticated sweet-savory contrast.
- Rest bars at room temperature or refrigerate until chocolate solidifies completely, approximately 30-45 minutes.
- Utilize parchment paper overhang to extract entire dessert from pan. Position on cutting surface and slice into individual rectangular portions using a sharp knife.
Notes
- Swap pretzels with gluten-free alternatives like rice crackers or almond flour-based crackers for a celiac-friendly version.
- Reduce sugar content by using dark chocolate with higher cocoa percentage and replacing brown sugar with coconut sugar or monk fruit sweetener.
- Toast pretzels briefly before crushing to enhance their nutty flavor and create a more complex taste profile in the bars.
- Experiment with different chocolate types like white chocolate, dark chocolate, or milk chocolate to customize the sweet layer according to personal preference.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 248
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 129 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg