For reasons yet to be fully understood I recently bought a huge packet of pretzels at the supermarket. I’m not a fan of pretzels at all so just chalk this purchase up to momentary madness. I don’t even think they were on sale. Every time I open the pantry they wink at me, taunt me, as if to say – now what?
I felt like making brownies and I knew that the salty crunch of the pretzels would work really well. So here you have it: pretzel chocolate brownies recipe.
This recipe was based on ‘garbage brownies’ in the fun new cookbook The Sugar Hit by blogger and recipe developer Sarah Coates. I reduced the amount of sugar, and the cocoa powder.
As a bonus this recipe requires only one big saucepan to mix it together in, a spoon, and a baking pan – which means less washing up. Winner!
GATHER:
150 grams butter, diced
150 grams caster sugar
80 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
2 eggs
50 grams plain flour
1 cup pretzels, plus extra to decorate
LET’S GET TO IT:
Preheat oven to 160C and grease and line a 20cm square cake can with non-stick baking paper. Leave an overhang at two opposite sides for easy removal.
Melt the butter in a large pan over low heat then remove from heat. Stir in sugar, vanilla, cocoa, eggs and flour until everything is combined and glossy.
Roughly break the pretzels then stir in using a silver spoon.
Scrape into pan, smooth the top with an offset spatula then decorate with the extra pretzels.
Bake for 18 minutes – they should be starting to firm up around the edges but still look a bit undercooked in the centre.
Remove from oven, place on wire rack and allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.
the hungry mum 
You had me at ‘less washing up’ and chocolate and pretzels (‘these pretzels are making me thirsty…😂). The boys love pretzels so this is on my to do list. Cripes, I need more hours in the day!
I am #TeamLessWashingUp – I freaking HATE it! I always find time for baking, often at the expense of more pressing jobs ie washing up 😉
These look great. Love the combo of salty crunchy and sweet. Am going to try to make.
Love a salty/sweet combo – and these brownies were delish!
Great dessert and treat idea!
thanks! It is such a moist brownie/
My husband would straight up die for these. Not sure what that says about him.
ha ha ha! Best comment!
Omg! How cute are these?? Looks amazing.
ta! They taste sooooo good 🙂
Pretzels and brownies go together so well!
I’ve seen this idea pop up in a few places, I like pretzels especially if beer is involved, do they just add a salty bite to the brownie?
They add a lovely salty crunch. I also have a recipe on the blog for peanut brownies and they have the same sensation.
Sweet and salty. Yum!
I love sweet and salty – yum!
That happens to me too. I buy pretzels for a recipe and end up with a lot left over!
The bags the pretzels come in are HUGE!!! No-one could get through them!
Thats a good thing to do with winking pretzels. What are you going to use the rest for?. x
Ummm… no idea!!! Miss9 loves them, might set her to work on some to get rid of them 😉
I bet pretzels and brownies go great together. I love that salty sweet combination. Great idea! Thanks for sharing it!
Thanks Shari – it is such a super moist brownie and the crunch of the pretzel is WOW!
That’s a good way to use pretzels. I’m not a fan either – I find them very dry. I think eating them with a brownie is an excellent idea.
Cheers. Still have a Tupperware full of the damned pretzels…