Description
These Caramel Pretzel Crack Bars are a delightful blend of sweet, salty, crunchy, and chewy textures, perfect for a quick and easy dessert that impresses. Featuring a buttery caramel layer over a bed of crunchy pretzels, topped with a luscious chocolate layer and a sprinkle of sea salt, these bars are irresistibly addictive and customizable for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 2 cups pretzels, crushed (salted mini twists or sticks)
Caramel Layer
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
- Sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper to ensure easy removal and cleanup.
- Spread pretzels: Evenly distribute the roughly crushed pretzels across the bottom of the prepared baking pan, including varied sizes for optimal texture.
- Make caramel: Melt the unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the packed brown sugar and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Allow it to boil without stirring for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add vanilla and pour: Remove the saucepan from heat and carefully stir in the vanilla extract, as the caramel will bubble. Pour the hot caramel evenly over the pretzels, spreading it gently to coat all pieces.
- Bake the caramel base: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until the caramel is bubbly and slightly darkened, to help it set firmly.
- Add chocolate chips: Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle semisweet chocolate chips evenly over the hot caramel. Let them sit for 5 minutes to soften.
- Spread melted chocolate: Using an offset spatula or butter knife, spread the softened chocolate into an even layer over the caramel.
- Optional salt topping: Sprinkle sea salt over the soft chocolate to enhance the sweet and salty contrast, if desired.
- Cool and chill: Allow the bars to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour to fully set the layers.
- Cut and serve: Once chilled, break or slice into bars using a warm, sharp knife for clean cuts. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- Swap pretzels with sticks, snaps, or gluten-free varieties to accommodate dietary preferences.
- Enhance texture and flavor with add-ins like mini marshmallows, crushed toffee, or chopped nuts before adding chocolate.
- Try different toppings such as dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or peanut butter chips for flavor variations.
- For a no-bake version, use store-bought caramel candies and skip the oven baking step.
- Make it festive by adding red and green sprinkles, peppermint pieces, or crushed candy canes in place of or alongside sea salt.
- Use salted butter if preferred but omit additional sea salt topping to avoid oversalting.
- Crush pretzels unevenly using a rolling pin inside a zip-top bag for best texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Caramel bars, pretzel dessert, chocolate caramel bars, sweet and salty dessert, easy bake bars, no-bake option dessert, holiday treats
