These simple, 4-ingredient Salted Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bars will quickly become your new favorite sweet and salty treat! No bake and no candy thermometer needed.
Salted chocolate caramel seems like the latest trend, and honestly, I am completely on board! Chocolate plus caramel with a little sea salt- i'm not sure it gets much easier, or TASTIER. These Salted Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bars are the best homemade candy bar ever! And the best part is that it's only FOUR ingredients, and you don't need a candy thermometer or any special equipment. It's pretty much fool-proof, and fail-proof.
How to make salted chocolate caramel pretzel bars:
First, melt your chocolate. Good quality chocolate chips are a must! I like the ghiardelli brand of chocolate chips, for melting, or you could even melt a a couple of Hershey's chocolate bars. Next, Smooth the melted chocolate onto parchment paper. Throw on some pretzels (they don't need to be in an even layer). Then, drizzle the pretzels generously with melted caramel and top the bars with some more melted chocolate and a little sprinkle of sea salt–YUM!
The caramel is what makes everything stick together! I like to use these Kraft Caramel Bits rather than wrapped caramel cubes because you don't have to unwrap them (thank goodness)! The melted caramel is also the perfect texture. There's nothing worse then hard, sticky caramel, right?! ALSO, if you prefer to make the caramel FROM SCRATCH, use this homemade caramel recipe.
These are the perfect treat for pretty much any occasion. I sent them with my husband for his work cookie exchange during Christmas and his office friends went crazy for them. (Kind of embarrassing considering how EASY they are, but they didn't need to know that 🙂 )
They'd also be perfect for Valentine's day. But let's be honest, you really don't need any excuse at all–just a sweet tooth and a few minutes of your time. Enjoy!
CONSIDER TRYING SOME OF MY OTHER FAVORITE DESSERT BARS:
- Butterfinger Cookie Bars
- M&M Cookie Bars
- Perfect Lemon Bars
- Oreo Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars
You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more great recipes!
Recipe
Salted Chocolate and Caramel Pretzel Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips , good quality chocolate divided into pieces (I like ghiardelli or baker's chocolate bar best for melting)
- 8 ounces mini pretzel twists , half of a regular 16-ounce bag
- 11 ounce bags Kraft Caramel Bits , or homemade caramel
- flake finishing salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt 8 ounces of the chocolate chips gently in the microwave (on low heat, stirring every 15 seconds) until smooth.
- Spread the chocolate evenly over the parchment. Immediately add the pretzel twists over the top (it's ok if they overlap!) and gently press them into the chocolate.
- Add caramel bits to a microwave safe bowl with 2 tablespoons water and melt according to package instructions (on high for 2 minutes). Stir well and drizzle the melted caramel over the top of all of the pretzels.
- Melt remaining 4 ounces of chocolate and drizzle over the caramel. Sprinkle with flake salt.
- Refrigerate until hardened.
- Cut or tear into pieces, Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
This post contains affiliate links. I love sharing my favorite products and cooking tools with you guys!
This post contains affiliate links.
Wow these are fantastic! Since I am gluten free, I modified this just a touch, using Glutino pretzel twists. I also used Hickory smoked sea salt which added a slight smokey flavor. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Thanks for sharing! Love that you were able to easily make them gluten free!
Thank you for trying with Gluten free pretzels!! My husband has Celiac disease- and finding some Christmas treats for him can be somewhat challenging… def giving this a shot!
How long do these keep, specially if kept in the fridge? I would like to makes these tomorrow for a friend’s birthday on Wednesday (so 4 days), do you think this will work?
Hi Katie, yes, I’d say they keep really well for at least a week.
I was thinking to make this, can the caramel be caramel sauce instead of caramel bits?
Hi Pam, caramel sauce wont work because it’s too soft/runny. It wont set up. It needs to be melted caramel candies, or the caramels bits 🙂
hi I have made these with homemade caramel which was a lot runnier than the candy ones, but they did set really well, and had a nice crunch to them.
Have you ever made this and froze it??
I haven’t tried freezing these. I’m not sure how the pretzel would hold up… but let me know if you try it 🙂
Do thes need to be kept refrigerat d to keep chocolate from melting?
I do store mine in the fridge–but I’m also in a very warm and humid climate…It keeps really well in the fridge!
Trying this recipe tonight. Having trouble getting the caramel on. Melted in a measuring cup and drizzle/pouring on the pretzels. Mine looks like a hot mess too, but I’m sure it will still taste yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Trying this recipe tonight. Having trouble getting the caramel on. Melted in a measuring cup and drizzle/pouring on the pretzels. Mine looks like a hot mess too, but I’m sure it will still taste yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Kudos on how awesome yours looks! Mine looks like a hot mess, but I know it’s going to taste delicious! Thanks for an easy recipe.
Usually it’s the “Hot Mess” that tastes the best! That’s usually the first thing that I grab at a party or gathering is the mess because when it’s prim and proper most people forget something important and it’s usually the the thing that makes it taste good. LOL!
There’s just little ole me and a little leftover is okay but some things are just better the first time. So, do you have any recipes for 1 or 2 persons?
Hi Sandy, I would just cut this recipe in half! Most of my recipes serve 4 people and can easily be cut in half to make just 2 servings.
I LOVED this! This recipe is simple and quick to put together. I love the combination of chocolate, caramel, and pretzels. I actually didn’t use a full 8 ounces of pretzels. I felt my chocolate was sufficiently covered with pretzels. I don’t like melting chocolate without a little shortening or peanut butter in it, so I DID end up adding 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter to the 8 ounces of chocolate, and then 1 Tbsp for the chocolate drizzle on top. This is a keeper! My family loved this. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
One more thing… I poured the caramel sauce into a Ziploc baggie, and cut off the corner of the bag to drizzle it over the pretzels. I felt doing it in this way helped spread the caramel over the bark more evenly.
Good idea, thanks for the hint.
Thanks Kristin! And I love the addition of peanut butter to the topping–YUM! Happy you liked it!