Community recipe
Salted Caramel Pretzel Blondie Squares
Chewy brown-sugar blondies ribboned with caramel and topped with crunchy pretzels. A sweet-salty bake that slices neatly for sharing.
- Serves
- 16
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 32 min
- Difficulty
- easy
Get ready
Ingredients
- 170 g unsalted butters
- 200 g light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extracts
- 220 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp fine salt
- 100 g thick caramel sauce
- 80 g salted pretzels, broken into bite-size pieces
Make it
Instructions
- 01
Heat the oven and line the pan
Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch (20-cm) square metal baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides for lifting out the bars. Set out a microwave-safe bowl, a mixing bowl, a whisk, and a spatula. | Why: A lined pan prevents sticking and lets you lift out the cooled bars without breaking them.
- 02
Melt the butter
Put 170 g unsalted butter in the microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between bursts, until just melted, about 1–2 minutes total. Let stand for 3 minutes, until warm rather than hot. | Why: Slightly cooled butter blends smoothly without overheating the eggs.
- 03
Whisk the wet ingredients
Pour the melted butter into the mixing bowl. Whisk in 200 g light brown sugar until glossy, about 1 minute. Whisk in 2 eggs, one at a time, then 2 tsp vanilla extract, until the mixture looks smooth and thick. | Why: Whisking evenly distributes the sugar and creates a moist, chewy crumb.
- 04
Fold in the dry ingredients
Add 220 g all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and 0.5 tsp fine salt to the bowl. Fold with the spatula just until no dry streaks remain; the batter should be thick. Do not beat it further. | Why: Gentle mixing keeps the blondies tender rather than bready.
- 05
Swirl, top, and bake
Spread the batter evenly in the parchment-lined pan. Drop 100 g thick caramel sauce in small spoonfuls over the surface and swirl shallowly with a knife. Break 80 g salted pretzels into bite-size pieces and press them lightly onto the top. Bake on the center rack at 350°F (175°C) for 27–32 minutes, until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted into a batter-only spot comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Avoid testing through a caramel pocket. | Why: A shallow swirl leaves distinct caramel ribbons, while the pretzels add crunch and balance the sweetness.
- 06
Cool, cut, and serve
Set the pan on a wire rack and cool the blondies in the pan for at least 45 minutes, until firm enough to lift without bending. Use the parchment overhang to lift them out, cut into 16 squares, and serve. | Why: Cooling sets the caramel and gives the squares clean edges.
