salted pretzel marshmallow bars
salted pretzel bars with toasted marshmallow topping and peanut butter, and chocolate drizzle
baked in February 2016
yield: 16 bars
prep time: 45 minutes
cook time: 25 minutes
difficulty level: easy
Ingredients
Bars
- 1 and 1/2 cups broken pretzel pieces
- 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 and 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Topping
- 8 marshmallows, cut in half
- 1/4 cup peanut butter chips
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
Directions
For the bars:
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
- Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Lightly spray the foil with cooking spray.
- Pulse 1 cup pretzel pieces in a food processor until finely ground (you should have about 1/2 cup crumbs). Transfer to a bowl.
- Whisk in the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the brown sugar.
- Let cool slightly, then stir in the eggs and vanilla.
- Stir the pretzel crumb mixture into the butter mixture in two additions.
- Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Scatter the remaining 1/2 cup pretzel pieces on top.
- Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few crumbs, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Let cool completely in the pan on a rack, then lift the foil to remove the bars from the pan and transfer to a baking sheet.
For the topping:
- Preheat the broiler.
- Press the marshmallow halves, cut-side down, in even rows on top of the bars. Broil, rotating the baking sheet as needed, until the marshmallows are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool.
- Put the peanut butter chips and 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted and smooth. Drizzle the melted peanut butter over the bars in one direction.
- Repeat with the chocolate chips and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil in another bowl. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the bars in the direction perpendicular to the peanut butter drizzles.
- Let harden at room temperature or chill to set before cutting.
Nutrition
- Total calories: 4,188
- Calories per bar: 262
