Salted pretzel brownies with caramel sauce
These salted pretzel brownies are the easiest to make. They’re dark and very fudgy with crunchy pretzels and a wicked caramel sauce.
You can be miserable before you eat a brownie and quite possibly after, but while you’re eating these brownies, you’ll be completely happy. Everything in moderation, even moderation! The salted pretzel topping lends crunch and contrast to the richness of the brownie.
The recipe is very adaptable. Feel free to add chopped nuts (pecan and walnuts work well) or roughly chopped milk chocolate, in which case I’d do away with the pretzels and caramel sauce. Brownies make for the best low fuss dessert, served warm though, with a good vanilla ice cream.
Salted pretzel brownies with caramel sauce
- 125 g butter
- 100 g 85% Lindt dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- 125 g muscovado sugar
- 100 g castor sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 80 g cake wheat flour
- 5 g cocoa powder (1 tablespoon)
- a pinch of salt
- 1 small bag of salted pretzels
Sticky toffee caramel sauce
- 100 g castor sugar
- 40 g butter
- 125 ml cream
- a pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Grease and line an 18 cm square baking tin with parchment paper. Cut the paper slightly longer than the tin to create two ‘handles’ to lift the brownies out when cooked.
Place the butter and chocolate in a bowl set over a just simmering pan of water. Heat gently until the chocolate and butter are melted and glossy. Remove the pan from the heat, then add the muscovado sugar, castor sugar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift in the flour, cocoa, and salt. Mix to combine. Spread the batter into the tin and smooth over with the back of a spoon or off-set spatula.
Arrange the pretzels on top, pressing them in ever so slightly. Tap the tin on the counter to remove any air pockets. Bake for exactly 25 minutes.
Cool the brownies in the tin for 30 minutes before removing. Cut into squares or rectangles. Store in an airtight container.
For the caramel sauce, place the castor sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat. Heat without stirring to prevent crystals forming. Swirl the pan gently once the sugar starts melting. Once the caramel is a deep amber colour, add the cream slowly, whisking constantly.
Simmer for about 5-7 minutes until thickened and glossy. Add the butter and salt and whisk to combine.  Cool slightly before pouring into a heatproof serving jug.
For a gluten free option, these cashew nut brownies are healthy and delicious!
17 Comments. Leave new
They look delicious. The thought of the sweet and salty combination will make me want to bake these.
The pretzels must add such a great texture to these! Love how they look 🙂
Thanks Tandy. Yes, the salty crunch adds a great contrast.
I hope you do. The up side is that everything is made in the same pot. Minimal effort for this one.
I’m speechless. Drooling. Sitting at the office reading this instead of working!!
These look absolutely delicious Di.
Oh yummy, Di! These look scrumptious.do the pretzels get soggy? in which case I’d have to eat them faster!
The pretzels do go a tad soft after the second day, but they disappear at quite a speed, so I’m sure they’ll be fine.
Oh Gela, you make me laugh. Working on a healthy version that’ll allow for indulging a little more often.
These are delicious! My boys helped me make them, super easy & soooo yummy! Thank you Di!! This is now my husbands favourate! R
You’re very welcome Rosanne. So glad the boys joined in too!
I tried this with Lindt hazelnut milk chocolate, too die for!
This sounds so good. Anything with hazelnuts and chocolate can’t be bad? Will give it a try.
The sweet and salty combination is my favourite kind.. so i definitely would love these pretzel brownies. They look divine and VERY decadent.
They are super decadent Thalia, best reserved for a special treat.