I made these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bars because I love the interplay of peanut butter, chocolate, and pretzels—sweet, salty, chewy and a little crunchy. If you enjoy treats like caramel pretzel cookies or peanut butter wonder bars, these will fit right in with those flavor combinations. They bake up chewy with a golden top, a hint of salt, and a satisfying crunch from pretzels. Give them a try—you won’t be disappointed.
The balance of textures makes these bars stand out: soft, slightly sweet base studded with chocolate, salty pretzel pieces folded into the dough, and a chocolate-peanut butter drizzle on top. They’re easy to make and transport well, so they’re great for potlucks, bake sales, or an everyday treat.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bars
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Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup (66 g) creamy peanut butter
- ⅔ cup (134 g) light brown sugar, gently packed
- ⅓ cup (68 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour (stir, spoon & level)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 to 2 cups (170–340 g) chocolate chunks or chips
- 1½ cups (64 g) mini pretzel twists, coarsely broken & divided; plus 24 whole pretzels
Chocolate Drizzle:
- ⅓ cup (90 g) creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup (43 g) chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch pan.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the butter and ¼ cup peanut butter with both sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then beat in the vanilla.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir until almost combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and 1 cup of the broken pretzel pieces.
- Spread the dough evenly in the prepared pan and bake 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden and set.
- While the bars cool slightly, melt ⅓ cup peanut butter and ¼ cup chocolate chips together in the microwave in 20–30 second bursts, stirring until smooth.
- Arrange the 24 whole pretzels in a 4×6 pattern on top of the warm bars. Drizzle the peanut butter-chocolate mixture over the pretzels and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup broken pretzel pieces. Chill briefly so the drizzle firms up. Cut into 24 squares and serve.
Notes
For a deeper peanut butter flavor, use natural peanut butter, but be aware it may affect texture. Swap semi-sweet chips for milk or dark chocolate depending on your preference. Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
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