Salted Caramel Pretzel Blondies
Caramel Pretzel Blondies
Chewy brown sugar blondies folded with crisp pretzels, dark chocolate, and quick homemade salted caramel pieces.
Nutrition (per serving)
These salted caramel pretzel blondies are built on the best kind of contrast: a chewy brown sugar bar, pockets of buttery caramel, crisp salty pretzels, and dark chocolate in every square. They are rich enough to cut small, but sturdy enough for lunch boxes, bake sales, or a wrapped-up treat for someone who needs dessert with a little drama.
The caramel is made first so it has time to firm while the batter comes together. Cooking sugar to a deep amber and finishing it with butter, cream, and salt gives the blondies a darker, more complex caramel note than soft store-bought candies. Once chilled, the caramel can be chopped into small pieces and folded through the batter.
The blondie base is intentionally dense and fudgy rather than cakey. Melted butter, brown sugar, one egg, and flour make a simple one-bowl batter; the key is stirring only until the flour disappears so the bars stay tender. Pretzels should be broken into small pieces, not crushed into dust, so they keep some bite after baking.
Let the slab cool well before slicing. Warm caramel can pull and smear, while cooled blondies cut into neat squares with visible bits of chocolate, pretzel, and amber caramel. A final pinch of flaky salt sharpens the sweetness and makes the bars taste balanced instead of heavy.
Ingredients
- Granulated Sugar:1/3 cup
- Unsalted Butter For Caramel:2 tbsp
- Heavy Cream:2 tbsp
- Flaky Sea Salt For Caramel:1/4 tsp
- Unsalted Butter For Blondies:8 tbsp
- Packed Light Brown Sugar:3/4 cup
- Large Egg:1
- Vanilla Extract:1 tsp
- Flaky Sea Salt For Batter:1/2 tsp
- All-Purpose Flour:1 cup
- Dark Chocolate Chunks:2/3 cup
- Thin Salted Pretzels, lightly broken:1/2 cup
- Flaky Sea Salt For Finishing:1/4 tsp
Instructions
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Line a small plate or quarter sheet pan with parchment and lightly butter the parchment. Set it near the stove for the caramel.
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Put the granulated sugar in a dry medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, tilting and swirling the pan as needed, until the sugar melts into a deep amber syrup with only a few small lumps remaining.
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Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the caramel butter, then whisk in the heavy cream and caramel salt. Return the pan to medium heat and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the caramel bubbles thickly and looks glossy.
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Pour the caramel onto the prepared parchment and freeze it for 10 to 15 minutes, until firm enough to chop. Heat the oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment, leaving overhang on two sides.
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Melt the blondie butter in a large mixing bowl until mostly liquid, then stir until the last pieces melt. Whisk in the brown sugar, egg, vanilla, and batter salt until smooth.
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Add the flour and stir just until no dry streaks remain. Scatter in the chocolate chunks and broken pretzels.
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Chop the chilled caramel into small pieces. Fold most of the caramel into the batter, saving a few pieces for the top, then spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
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Press the reserved caramel pieces over the surface and sprinkle with finishing salt. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are deeply golden and the center looks set but still soft.
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Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift the blondies onto a rack. Let them cool completely before cutting into 16 squares.
Tips & Notes
- If the caramel hardens too much in the freezer, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before chopping.
- Use a light-colored saucepan for caramel if possible so the sugar color is easier to judge.
- For cleaner slices, chill the cooled blondies for 20 minutes before cutting.
- Store the bars airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
