Caramel Pretzel Crack Bars 🍫🥨
These Caramel Pretzel Crack Bars are the ultimate no-bake, sweet, and salty treat! With buttery caramel, crunchy pretzels, and a smooth layer of chocolate, they’re irresistibly addictive and so easy to make!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups pretzels, crushed
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- Sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- Prepare the Pretzel Base:
- Evenly spread the crushed pretzels over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Make the Caramel:
- In a medium saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat.
- Stir in the packed brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth and starts to bubble, about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Caramel Layer:
- Pour the caramel mixture evenly over the pretzels in the baking dish, spreading it out to cover all the pretzels.
- Bake:
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the caramel is bubbly and golden brown.
- Add the Chocolate:
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips over the hot caramel layer.
- Let the chocolate sit for a few minutes to soften, then use a spatula to spread it evenly over the caramel.
- Optional Sea Salt:
- If you enjoy a sweet and salty combination, sprinkle sea salt over the melted chocolate.
- Cool and Set:
- Allow the bars to cool completely at room temperature or place them in the refrigerator until the chocolate is fully set.
- Cut and Serve:
- Once cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out of the baking dish and transfer them to a cutting board. Cut into bars of your desired size and enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cooking Time: 10-12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour (including cooling time)
- Yield: 12 bars
- Calories: 220 kcal per bar
These Caramel Pretzel Crack Bars are the perfect combination of crunchy, gooey, sweet, and salty! Whether you’re making them for a party or just as a treat for yourself, they’re guaranteed to disappear fast.