Description
These Salted Caramel Pretzel Brownies combine a buttery pretzel crust with rich, fudgy brownie batter swirled with luscious caramel and topped with melted chocolate, crunchy chopped pretzels, and a sprinkle of kosher salt for a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Pretzel Crust
- 2 cups mini pretzel twists
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, melted
Brownie Batter
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (62.5 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (39 g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, melted, then cooled slightly
Caramel Topping
- 1 cup caramel bits
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
Chocolate and Garnish
- ½ cup (84 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup pretzels, roughly chopped
- Kosher salt, for garnish (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside to ensure easy removal of the brownies later.
- Crush Pretzels: Place the 2 cups of mini pretzel twists into a food processor and process until they break down into fine crumbs, which will form the crust base of your brownies.
- Make Pretzel Crust: In a medium bowl, mix the pretzel crumbs with ½ cup melted unsalted butter and ¼ cup granulated sugar until thoroughly combined. Press this mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form an even crust layer.
- Bake Pretzel Crust: Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely while you prepare the brownie batter.
- Whisk Eggs and Vanilla: In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 large eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and combined. Set this aside for later use.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In another medium bowl, combine 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon baking powder. Mix well to evenly distribute ingredients.
- Add Wet Ingredients to Dry: Pour the egg and vanilla mixture along with ½ cup melted (and slightly cooled) unsalted butter into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until the batter is fully combined and smooth.
- Spread Brownie Batter: Carefully spread the prepared brownie batter evenly over the completely cooled pretzel crust in your baking pan.
- Melt Caramel: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 cup of caramel bits and 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until the caramel is smooth and melted.
- Swirl Caramel into Batter: Reserve 1-2 tablespoons of the melted caramel for topping. Pour the remaining caramel evenly over the brownie batter, then use a knife to swirl the caramel gently into the batter, being careful not to disturb the pretzel crust.
- Bake Brownies: Bake the brownies in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Add Chocolate Chips: Immediately after removing the brownies from the oven, sprinkle the ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly on top. Allow them to sit for 1-2 minutes to melt, then spread the melted chocolate smoothly over the brownies using a knife or offset spatula.
- Garnish: Top the melted chocolate layer with the reserved caramel, roughly chopped pretzels, and a light sprinkle of kosher salt to enhance the salty-sweet contrast. If the reserved caramel has hardened, gently warm it in the microwave before drizzling.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the brownies to cool in the pan for about 30 minutes before cutting into squares and serving. This helps set the layers for clean slices.
Notes
- Make sure the pretzel crust is completely cooled before spreading the brownie batter to prevent them from mixing together.
- Use room temperature eggs for better mixing and texture.
- You can substitute caramel bits with caramel sauce if preferred; just reduce the added cream accordingly.
- Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- To warm hardened caramel, microwave in short 10-second bursts to avoid burning.
