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Recipe combo

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Tart Bars

Sweet-salty pretzel tart bars layered with creamy peanut butter and semisweet chocolate. A crisp pretzel crust gives these easy bars a tart-style base without special equipment.

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Ingredients and instructions

Servings
16
Total time
32 min
Prep
20 min
Cook
12 min

Ingredients

  • 4 Cup mini pretzels - 4 cups (160 g), divided, 160 g total; use 3 1/2 cups crushed for the crust and 1/2 cup for topping.
  • 10 Tablespoon unsalted butter - 10 tablespoons (140 g), melted and divided, 140 g total; use 8 tablespoons in the crust and 2 tablespoons in the peanut butter filling.
  • 0.25 Cup granulated sugar - 1/4 cup (50 g), 50 g.
  • 1.25 Cup creamy peanut butter - 1 1/4 cups (320 g), divided, 320 g total; use 1 cup in the filling and 1/4 cup with the chocolate topping.
  • 1.5 Cup powdered sugar - 1 1/2 cups (180 g), 180 g.
  • 0.25 Teaspoon fine salt - 1/4 teaspoon
  • 1.5 Cup semisweet chocolate chips - 1 1/2 cups (255 g), 255 g.

Instructions

  1. Heat oven and crush pretzels

    1. Heat oven to *350°F*. Line an *8-inch square baking pan* with parchment overhang, then crush *3 1/2 cups mini pretzels* in a zip-top bag until mostly fine with a few small crunchy pieces.

  2. Mix and press the pretzel crust

    2. Stir the crushed pretzels, granulated sugar, and *8 tablespoons melted butter* until *evenly moistened*. Press firmly into the pan to form a *compact tart-style crust*.

  3. Bake and cool the crust

    3. Bake the crust for *10 to 12 minutes* until *lightly browned and fragrant*. Let it cool in the pan for *15 minutes*.

  4. Make the peanut butter filling

    4. Stir *1 cup creamy peanut butter*, powdered sugar, remaining *2 tablespoons melted butter*, and fine salt until *smooth and thick*. Spread the filling evenly over the cooled crust.

  5. Melt the chocolate topping

    5. Microwave semisweet chocolate chips with the remaining *1/4 cup creamy peanut butter* in *20-second bursts*, stirring after each burst, until *smooth and glossy*.

  6. Top the bars

    6. Spread the chocolate topping over the peanut butter layer, then press the remaining *1/2 cup mini pretzels* gently into the top.

  7. Chill and cut

    7. Chill for *at least 1 hour 30 minutes* until the chocolate is *fully set*. Lift from the pan and cut into *16 bars* with a warm, dry knife.