Pretzel Crusted Fudgy Peanut Butter Brownies
These brownies have a sweet, salty, crunchy bottom that's made out of pretzels, butter, and sugar. So, basically heaven. I used my favorite brownie batter that always bakes up thick and fudgy. It's dotted with dark chocolate chips for extra chocolate oomph. And, just for fun, I swirled some melty peanut butter over the top of things.
Servings 16 brownies
Calories 477kcal
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 4 cups pretzel sticks
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 tablespoon sugar
For the brownies:
- 1 cup 2 sticks butter
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder optional
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- To make the crust, place the pretzel sticks into a food processor or blender and process until you have fine crumbs. Mix with the melted butter and sugar. Press into a foil lined 9x13 baking dish.
- To make the brownies, in small saucepan over low heat, melt butter completely. Stir in sugar and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not allow sugar mixture to boil.
- Pour butter mixture into a large bowl or stand mixer. Beat in cocoa powder, eggs, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
- Stir in the flour until just combined.
- Spread over the pretzel crust (batter will be very thick and sticky). Melt the peanut butter in a microwave safe dish. Pour over the brownie batter and swirl into the batter with a knife.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, until a tester comes out mostly clean. The edges should be set and the center should still look slightly moist, but not uncooked.
- Cool on a wire rack.
Nutrition
Calories: 477kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 555mg | Potassium: 286mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 555IU | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2.8mg