Caramel Pretzel Crack Bars
Ingredients:
4 cups pretzels (small twists or sticks)
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Sea salt (optional, for sprinkling)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil, making sure to leave some overhang for easy removal.
Prepare the pretzel layer:
Spread the pretzels evenly over the lined baking sheet. You can leave them whole or lightly crush them, depending on your preference for texture.
Make the caramel sauce:
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. Let it boil for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mixture should become thick and smooth.
Add vanilla:
Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Pour the caramel:
Immediately pour the hot caramel over the pretzels, spreading it evenly with a spatula to cover all the pretzels.
Bake:
Bake in the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes or until the caramel is bubbling.
Add chocolate:
Remove the tray from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Let them sit for a couple of minutes to melt. Once melted, spread the chocolate evenly over the caramel layer with a spatula.
Optional – Add sea salt:
Sprinkle a bit of sea salt over the melted chocolate for an extra salty-sweet kick.
Chill:
Let the bars cool at room temperature for a few minutes, then transfer them to the refrigerator to set for about 1 hour.
Break into bars:
Once fully set, lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang. Break or cut them into pieces.
Enjoy your Caramel Pretzel Crack Bars! Perfect for a sweet and salty snack.