Description
Homemade salted caramel pretzel crunch bars blend sweet and salty notes into a delightful dessert experience. Crisp pretzels, smooth caramel, and rich chocolate create a irresistible treat you’ll want to share with friends.
Ingredients
Scale
- 10 tbsps (142g) unsalted butter, slightly soft
- 1 cup + 2 tbsps (141g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 6 oz (170g) chopped semi-sweet chocolate or 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (50–60g) chopped pretzels
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp coconut oil
- 1 cup (240 ml) salted caramel sauce
- Optional: sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8×8 or 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper, ensuring complete bottom and side coverage.
- Dough Creation: Cream butter in a stand mixer, gradually adding flour, sugar, salt, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix until the dough becomes a uniform, crumbly consistency.
- Base Assembly: Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan, strategically distributing chopped pretzels across the surface to create a crunchy foundation.
- Initial Baking: Bake for 20 minutes until edges turn golden and the base feels firm. Remove from oven and cool completely at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
- Caramel Application: Prepare salted caramel sauce and pour carefully over the chilled pretzel base, ensuring even coverage. Refrigerate for 30-40 minutes until the caramel sets firmly.
- Chocolate Topping: Melt chocolate chips with coconut oil in the microwave, stirring at 30-second intervals until smooth. Pour over the caramel layer, tilting to create an even coating. Sprinkle flaky sea salt across the surface.
- Final Chilling: Refrigerate for 45-60 minutes until the chocolate layer becomes completely solid and firm.
- Serving Preparation: Lift the entire dessert from the pan using parchment paper edges. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into precise squares with a sharp knife.
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent adhesion.
Notes
- Chill Thoroughly: Refrigeration is crucial at multiple stages to ensure layers set properly and maintain structural integrity.
- Temperature Matters: Use room temperature ingredients for better dough consistency and smoother caramel integration.
- Salt Selection: Opt for high-quality flaky sea salt to enhance flavor complexity and provide textural contrast.
- Cutting Technique: Wipe knife blade clean between cuts for crisp, professional-looking bar edges.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 17
- Calories: 204
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg