Peanut Butter Pretzel Brownies
What could be better than a fudgy brownie with creamy peanut butter frosting, try topping it with salty pretzels! Decadent peanut butter pretzel brownies will be your new favorite. Peanut butter fans, you'll be in Heaven.
Ingredients
BROWNIES
- 18 tablespoons butter
- 3 ounces dark chocolate (chopped)
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ cup cocoa powder (plus 1 tablespoon)
- 2 ½ cups sugar
- 3 eggs (lightly beaten)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
FROSTING
- 1 ½ cups peanut butter (smooth)
- 6 tablespoons butter (softened)
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
TOPPING
- 2 ounces semi sweet chocolate
- 1 cup pretzels (30 mini pretzels)
Instructions
- BROWNIES: Preheat oven to 325º. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large microwave safe bowl, add the butter and chocolate and cook on 50% power for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 second until the chocolate has melted.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and cayenne.
- Whisk the cocoa powder and sugar into the chocolate mixture. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Gently fold in the flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Place in prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges just begin to pull away from the sides and the top is set and shiny, a toothpick should not come out clean. Allow too cool before frosting.
- FROSTING: Add peanut butter and softened butter to a bowl and mix with a hand mixer until well blended. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Spread onto cooled brownies.
- PRETZEL TOPPING: Break up the pretzels into small chunks. Melt 2 ounces of chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and add the broken pretzels. Stir to coat and place on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and refrigerate. Once cold, add to the top of the brownies gently pushing them into the frosting.
Barbara's Notes + Tips
- Make sure the brownies have completely cooled before adding the frosting or it will melt.
- You don't have to coat the pretzels, you can just crumble up pretzels for a saltier taste.
- Don't over mix the batter when you add the flour, mix until you no longer see white and stop.
- To avoid dry brownies, take them out once they start to pull away from the edges of the pan, a toothpick should not be clean.
Nutrition
Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 299mg | Potassium: 196mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 386IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 2mg
