This is one absolutely perfect loaded up cookie bar. You really can’t go wrong with a classic chocolate chip cookie, but you can turn them into cookie bars, stuff them with pretzels and chocolate, and top them with salted caramel and flakey sea salt. These pretzel salted caramel blondies are also made with browned butter for extra nutty flavor. These easy blondies are perfect all on their own, but warmed up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, an extra drizzle of caramel, and extra crushed pretzels will take your delicious blondies and turn them into a blondie sundae.
The combination of sweet and salty in these blondies cannot be beaten! The other ingredients used are pantry staples that you likely already have on hand. One of the other things I love about these blondies is that they are made using melted instead of softened butter. That means you get to enjoy these anytime, no need to wait for butter to soften! To make them even more delicious, we are browning the butter. Browning butter only takes a few minutes, but the process adds so much flavor. Once your butter is melted, keep it on the stove over low heat. You’ll start to see little browned bits form in the melted butter as the milk solids caramelize. Watch it closely once you see those browned bites because very quickly the melted butter will turn a perfect golden brown and your browned butter is ready! Use a spatula when adding it to your mixing bowl as all those browned bits are flavor for your blondies.
For a nice thick pretzel salted caramel blondie, I used an 8 x 8 baking pan. You can also use a 9 x 9, or a slightly larger rectangular pan like an 8 x 12 for thinner blondies, but you will get more of them! For larger pans, you will need to decrease your baking time. Remember to remove the blondies from the oven when they are still a little undercooked in the middle. The blondies need to cool completely in the pan before you cut them and they will continue to cook in the hot pan.
And finally, the absolute best part of these blondies? They’re made in one bowl! Mixed in one bowl and made using melted butter to ensure that you can enjoy pretzel salted caramel blondies anytime the craving strikes.
- 1 cup butter
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ tbsp. vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups chocolate chips + more for topping (optional)
- 1½ cups crushed pretzel twists + more for topping (optional)
- Salted caramel sauce and flakey sea salt for topping
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper for easy removal, if desired. You can also use an 8 x 12 baking pan for thinner blondies.
- Place your butter in a small saucepan and melt over medium heat. Once it melts, reduce heat to medium low and let the butter brown. The butter will smart to smell nutty and you'll see browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn't burn! When your butter is golden brown, remove from heat. Let cool then pour into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the sugar to the mixing bowl and whisk well to combine. Add the eggs and whisk well. Add the vanilla extract and mix again.
- Add the baking powder and salt and mix to combine.
- Add the flour and mix until just combined. Then fold in the chocolate chips and crushed pretzels.
- Transfer the batter into your prepared pan and top with additional pretzels and chocolate chips, if desired.
- Bake for about 30 minutes until the center is almost set. Let the bars cool completely before removing from the pan. Once cool, carefully remove from the pan using the parchment paper. Drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with flakey salt.
- Enjoy!
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