Ultimate Pretzel Crusted Sugar Cookie Heath Brownie Bars

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This weekend when family was over, I didn’t just make one dessert but two! The first dessert was the wildly popular Ultimate Pretzel Crusted Peanut Butter Cookie Candy Brownie Bars that exploded on Pinterest!  It had every right to light up on Pinterest because that recipe is freakin’ awesome!! And the other one was the Ultimate Pretzel Crusted Sugar Cookie Heath Brownie Bars.

That being said, I made another dessert that day that I have to share. One of my family members isn’t fond of peanut butter. Shocking, right?!? Who’s not a fan of peanut butter and chocolate unless you are allergic to chocolate at which time you get a pass – but this family member is NOT allergic. Just not fond of it. Crazy, right?!?

I had to come up with something equally awesome but without the peanut butter. So, I scratched all the peanut butter out of the recipe, kept the pretzel crust, of course, (it is my BFF!) and added sugar cookies and Heath Bits.

This peanut butter-free gift from heaven is called ” Ultimate Pretzel Crusted Sugar Cookie Heath Brownie Bars”. While it doesn’t beat the peanut butter version in my book (it’s #2), it still will rock your world!  And if you don’t like or can’t have peanut butter, it will definitely rock your world!

Ultimate Pretzel Crusted Sugar Cookie Heath Brownie Bars

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups crushed butter pretzels
• 1 cup melted butter
• 5 tbsp sugar
• Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix and all the ingredients the mix calls for or do like I did and make it from scratch  with these ingredients:
  •  1- 1/2 cups butter, softened
  •  2 cups white sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 5 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt

• 1 cup Heath Bits
• Brownie Mix (13×9 family size box + all the ingredients the mix calls for)

Step by Step Directions

1.  Crush the pretzels in a food processor or however you like to crush pretzels. Any kind of pretzels will do but I recommend using crushed butter pretzels for the recipe (you find them next to the regular pretzels and they are literally called “Synder Butter Pretzels”). I also recommend not crushing the pretzels to dust but keep some small pieces to keep the crust crunchy. Mix the melted butter (melt in microwave), sugar and pretzel crumbs. Press into lightly greased 13×9 pan. Set aside pretzel crust and make the cookie dough. (*Note: I have a 8×8 pan in the photos because I split the recipe into two different pans. I recommend putting it all in one 13×9 pan!)

2. Make the sugar cookie dough according to the package. If you want to make the sugar cookies from scratch, here’s how: Cream together 1 1/2 cups butter and 2 cups sugar until smooth. Beat in 4 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla. Stir in the 5 cups of flour, 2 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt. There you have it – sugar cookie dough! Add 1 cup Heath Bits and mix thoroughly.

Lightly press the cookie dough evenly on top of the pretzel crust. The easiest way I found to add the sugar cookie layer is to literally roll the dough out like you would with cut out cookies.

Set the pan on top and cut out a large rectangle so the dough fits into the pan. Lightly press the dough to the edges.

3. Whip up your brownie mix and pour evenly over the sugar cookie layer.

4. Evenly distribute brownie batter to the sides.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

6. Cool for 10 minutes and then enjoy!

Still think you’d like the peanut butter version better? No problem…you can find that recipe HERE.

Ultimate Pretzel Crusted Sugar Cookie Heath Brownie Bars

Hollie Schultz

This triple layer dessert bar combines cookies, pretzels and brownies and will be a hit with your family.

4.75 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Total Time 1 hr 10 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 16 servings

Calories 868 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Pretzel Layer

• ▢ 2 1/2 cups butter pretzels crushed
• ▢ 1 cup butter melted
• ▢ 5 TBSP granulated sugar

Cookie Layer

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups butter softened
• ▢ 2 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 4 eggs
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 5 cups flour
• ▢ 2 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ 1 cup Heath Bits

Brownie Layer

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• ▢ 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• ▢ 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• ▢ 3/4 tsp sea salt
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ 1/2 cup canola oil
• ▢ 2 tbsp water
• ▢ 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

 

Pretzel Crust

• Crush the pretzels in a food processor or however you like to crush pretzels. I also recommend not crushing the pretzels to dust but keep some small pieces to keep the crust crunchy.
• Mix the melted butter (melt in microwave), sugar and pretzel crumbs. Press into lightly greased 13×9 pan. Set aside pretzel crust and make the cookie dough. (*Note: I have a 8×8 pan in the photos because I split the recipe into two different pans. I recommend putting it all in one 13×9 pan!)

Cookie Dough

• Cream together 1 1/2 cups butter and 2 cups sugar until smooth. Beat in 4 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla. Stir in the 5 cups of flour, 2 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt. There you have it – sugar cookie dough! Add 1 cup Heath Bits and mix thoroughly.
• Lightly press the cookie dough evenly on top of the pretzel crust. The easiest way I found to add the sugar cookie layer is to literally roll the dough out like you would with cut out cookies.
• Set the pan on top and cut out a large rectangle so the dough fits into the pan. Lightly press the dough to the edges.

Brownie Layer

• In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, chocolate chips, and salt.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, olive oil, water, and vanilla.
• Add the dry mix to the wet mix and stir until just combined.
• Pour evenly over the sugar cookie layer.
• Evenly distribute brownie batter to the sides.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
• Cool for 10 minutes and then enjoy!

Notes

Any kind of pretzels will do but I recommend using crushed butter pretzels for the recipe (you find them next to the regular pretzels and they are literally called “Synder Butter Pretzels”)

Nutrition

Calories: 868kcalCarbohydrates: 110gProtein: 10gFat: 45gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 141mgSodium: 553mgPotassium: 188mgFiber: 3gSugar: 63gVitamin A: 976IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 4mg

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