White Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Cookies

“Make a habit of trying new things.”

At home, we did some stretching in the literal sense too. Baby number three (It’s a girl! Wait, no, It’s a Boy!) grew and arrived in 2019 and we all scooted closer to make room for the precious new life that was introduced to our world. My husband’s business shifted gears, we settled into a new home, and life looks entirely different than it did this time last December. Growth, in every sense of the word, was all over our year, and while there were some pains in that growing I’m hoping that some of what we learned along the way had a chance to seep in.

I’m not sure what my word for 2020 is. I don’t yet have a clear picture of what I want life to look like, but I’m eager to bring some of that growth from 2019 along for the ride. In the meantime, thank you sweet readers for walking through this past year with my family.

My hope is that, via stories and recipes, you found yourself well-fed this year. Maybe you welcomed new friends to your table or worked up the nerve to braid your first babka. Maybe you laughed on a day when you felt like crying or finally felt confident enough to whip an egg white. Whatever the case, I’m grateful for all of the emails and kind words from you all, because your pictures of cheesecakes and stories of successes feel like tiny victories for me. I’m happy we’ve shared cookies and pies and cocktails this year, and I’m eager for more in the coming months. It might all look a little different in 2020, but I think it’s still going to be sweet.

White Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Cookies

These white chocolate caramel pretzel cookies are delicious. I took my peanut butter caramel pretzel cookies and whizzed the recipe into something nut-free and extra-sweet and salty. These white chocolate caramel pretzel cookies are rich and chewy treats loaded with caramel goodness and just enough salt to offset all the sugar. They’re rather simple and I think you’ll find them to be a crowd pleaser. I know I did. Check out the instructions for the how-to on these white chocolate caramel pretzel cookies below, and if you get to try them, let me know what you think! Happy New Year, friends. 2020 is going to be a ball.

If you like these white chocolate caramel pretzel cookies you should try:

Molten Carrell Chocolate Cakes

Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts

Peanut Butter Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Caramel Crumble Cake

White Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Cookies

Print Recipe

These white chocolate caramel pretzel cookies are loaded with sweet and salty flavor as well as chewy and crunchy texture!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 24
Category: Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (230 gm) unsalted butter
½ cup (100 gm) sugar
¾ cup (150 gm) brown sugar packed
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups (405 gm) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup caramel baking bits, caramel chips, or diced caramels
¾ cup white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
¾ cup chopped salted pretzels (OR chopped pecans- your choice!)
Flaked salt

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Melt the butter over low heat on the stove, being sure to not let it boil. Pour the melted butter into a large bowl and stir in the sugar and brown sugar. Stir in the eggs and extract. Add the flour, soda, powder, and salt and fold the mixture together until combined. Add in the caramel, white chocolate, and either pretzels or pecans. Fold to combine. Use a medium cookie scoop to portion out 1-1/2 tablespoon sized rounds of dough. Roll them gently and space them out 2” apart on the baking sheets. Sprinkle with a bit of flaky sea salt if desired. Bake in the preheated oven for 11-12 minutes or until the edges are set and the cookies are baked through. Allow to cool prior to enjoying!

Double Chocolate Ganache Tart

6 Comments / Pies and Tarts

At any given moment, if you open our fridge or freezer, there’s bound to be a few hidden gems. Tucked in the farthest corner, say, behind a jar of pickles and last nights leftovers, you’re likely to find a secret plate of dessert that no one knows about… except for me. If you, like me, live with a bunch of hungry little people, you know the importance of staking a claim on the good stuff while you have a chance, so today I’m going to share the recipe for this double chocolate ganache tart, a dessert that I stuck a flag in and called my own.

When you’re raising toddlers, it seems as if they exist on the grass that they perceive to be not so green. Example: Aimee wants the toy George is playing with, and George wants to sit in Aimee’s chair. If George orders chicken, he wants Daddy’s sandwich. If Aimee asks for grapes she will eat Mommy’s cheese. It’s a never-ending back and forth of one-upping and musical chairs, and frankly, it’s exhausting.

Listen. There are very few things that I can claim as mine. My time, my car, my body, and basically anything else that one would think they could manage on their own is up for grabs when kids are involved. So when I make something like this double chocolate ganache tart, you better believe I’m hiding it. I’m wrapping it in foil and hiding it behind scary leftovers. I’m labeling it as something terrifying like “vegan meatball mash” or “overcooked broccoli,” and when I’m certain the children have fallen asleep, I sneak to the fridge. Gingerly, as quiet as I can be, I unwrap it, take a few bites, and return it to the fridge before anyone knows I’m even in the kitchen. Stealth is of the utmost importance when food is involved, and this tactic is especially important when hosting guests like a mother in law, cousins, or a sweet-toothed sister. You gotta James Bond to and from the fridge if you want that dessert all to yourself.

Double Chocolate Ganache Tart

So why is this double chocolate ganache tart so special? For one, it’s got the sweet and salty flavor vibe that you know is my jam. The crust here is a pretzel and brown sugar combo held together by loads of shimmery liquid gold (aka BUTTER). The crust bakes until it tastes like a caramelized crunch. The filling is rich with two layers of ganache, one white and one bittersweet, layered on top of one another in a balance of flavor that is almost too perfect to describe. I’m always one for a rich chocolate tart, but here, with the addition of the white chocolate, the flavor isn’t overwhelmingly bitter and it makes for a dessert that keeps you coming back for bite after bite.

This double chocolate ganache tart is being brought to you today by my friends at Kerrygold! If a dessert calls for butter, I always depend on Kerrygold to up the flavor and quality. Here, butter holds together our deliciously salted crust. It also plays a role in smoothing out the ganache so that it totally melts in your mouth. Butter makes everything better, but especially the secret treats you sneak for yourself. You’ve earned quality butter, so definitely depend on it for this double chocolate ganache tart.

If you have a chance, I hope you’ll make this double chocolate ganache tart this week! In the meantime, I’m going to be developing my idea for a branded tupperware that is labeled “last week’s meatloaf.” You know, something to keep the wandering paws away. Don’t you think that would sell? Have a great week and pop by again later this week for a second recipe. Happy baking!

If you like this double chocolate ganache tart you should try:

Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts

Brown Sugar Buttermilk Tart

Pretzel Millionaire Bars

Strawberry Pretzel Tart

Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse

Double Chocolate Ganache Tart

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.5 from 2 reviews

This double chocolate ganache tart features two layers of ganache and a sweet and salty pretzel crust.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Total Time: 120
Yield: 9
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the crust:

5 ounces of pretzels
1/4 cup (55 gm) brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup /1 stick (115 gm) of unsalted butter, melted

For the white chocolate ganache:

1/2 cup (120 gm) heavy whipping cream
6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For the dark chocolate ganache:

1/2 cup (120 gm) heavy whipping cream
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

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Instructions

To prepare the crust

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor, whiz the pretzels, brown sugar, and salt until the pretzels are crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse to combine. Alternatively, you can crush the pretzel and stir the other ingredients in to combine.
Pat out the crumbs into the bottom and sides of a 10″ tart pan. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until set. Set aside to cool while you prepare your ganache.

To prepare the filling:

Pour the white chocolate into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Gently heat the heavy whipping cream for the white chocolate ganache on the stove over medium-low heat. Once the cream around the edges of the pan start barely bubbling (don’t overheat it!), remove the pan from the stove and pour over the white chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Add the butter and whisk to incorporate. Pour the white chocolate ganache into the bottom of the pretzel crust and spread to smooth. Put the pan into the freezer or fridge to set up quickly while you prep your dark chocolate ganache.
To prepare the dark chocolate ganache, repeat the process as used for the white chocolate ganache. When the white chocolate ganache is fairly set, pour the dark chocolate ganache on top and spread the smooth. Allow the tart to rest until the ganache is set. Garnish with fleur de sel and either fruit or additional pretzels. Enjoy!

Pretzel Millionaire Bars

25 Comments / Cookies and Bars

Last week felt like fall. Outside, the air was cold and smelled of wood and ash- the kind of smell that reminds me of staring at friends across the glow of a fire, their faces all dancing with reds and yellows and golds from the flames. Those early bits of fall are always a welcome change of season from the relentless summers we experience in Alabama, but as soon as that first cold hits, my heart longs for the holidays. I dream of Thanksgiving hams and Christmas carols; I want Nat King Cole on my radio and peppermint babka in my oven. Fall starts and I immediately crave the flavors and sights and sounds that come with the holidays.

It’s not so much the holidays themselves as it is the feelings that they bring. I love the connection and joy that is inspired by time spent around a big table crowded with the faces of people I love. Gratitude, while accessible all year round, feels so tangible and easy to express during a time of year centered around just that- thanksgiving. Every year as the holidays approach, I do my best to soak up all the goodness as it starts trickling in, but often schedules, shopping lists, and dinner parties come between me and (what should be) a time of year when all is calm, all is bright. I want to change that.

This year, let’s spend less time fussing and more time loving. Let’s shy away from the grind and the work and the stress of the holidays and ease into observing the moment. Maybe we could use this season to sow into the people we love and decide to simplify the rest. Let’s make it easier on ourselves.

I’m starting in the kitchen. There’s no reason to go overboard on fussy menus (read: extravagant desserts) when delicious, indulgent treats can made quite easily. Take for instance these pretzel millionaire bars. A buttery pretzel shortbread crust topped with a gooey caramel filling and rich chocolate ganache, these pretzel millionaire bars are sweet and salty bites of goodness that can be made with few ingredients and in a short amount of time. Need to bring a dessert to your Friendsgiving party? Pretzel millionaire bars. Want to pack up some sweets as a gift for your neighbor? Pretzel millionaire bars. Decadence is only but a few minutes away when you’ve got a recipe like this on hand.

To make the bars, we start with the pretzel shortbread crust. Combine crumbled pretzels with flour, brown sugar, and some ice-cold butter and press the sandy mixture into the bottom of a square baking dish. Pop the crust in the oven while you get going on the caramel filling.

Although I typically employ a homemade caramel recipe, these bars keep it decadent and simple by using Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk. Combine the milky nectar with butter and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, and cook it until the mixture has thickened, darkened slightly, and caramelized. That gooey goodness is spread over top of the shortbread crust and allowed to chill.

Once the bars have cooled, a rich, two-ingredient chocolate ganache comes next, prepared by stirring together warm cream and chopped chocolate. The ganache gets spread all over the cooled caramel and is garnished with a few more pretzels or a sprinkle of salt. Truly, if there’s anything more delicious than the sweet and salty combination of pretzels, caramel, and chocolate, I don’t want to know.

I’m sharing this recipe as part of Eagle Brand’s “UnCookie” exchange that they have launched to keep our holidays sweet and fuss-free. Treats like these pretzel millionaire bars are simple to make and fun to serve, leaving you with less time spent in the kitchen and more moments shared with the people you love. While planning your holiday menus this year, be sure to remember these bars and the many other UnCookie recipes that can be found right here. Enjoy these next few months and don’t forget to treat yo’ self to some UnCookies.

This post was sponsored by Eagle Brand. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that make Wood and Spoon possible!

If you like these pretzel millionaire bars, be sure to check out:

Pretzel Shortbread Peanut Butter Brownies

Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse

Brown Butter Blondies: Two Ways

Derby Pie Bars

Espresso Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

Pretzel Millionaire Bars

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

These sweet and salty pretzel millionaire bars have a pretzel shortbread crust, a caramel filling, and a chocolate ganache topping.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 16

Ingredients

For the pretzel shortbread:

2 ounces (55 gm) salted pretzels (see notes)
½ cup (65 gm) all-purpose flour
½ cup (100 gm) brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (113 gm) unsalted butter, cold

For the caramel filling:

6 tablespoons (85 gm) unsalted butter
½ cup (100 gm) brown sugar
1–14 ounce can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Pinch of salt

For the chocolate ganache:

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream.
3 ounces (85 gm) semisweet chocolate, chopped

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Instructions

To prepare the pretzel shortbread:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8” square metal pan with a sheet of aluminum foil.
Pulse the pretzels in a food processor or mini chopper until they are reduced to a coarse sandy mixture. You can leave a few small chunks, if desired. Pulse in the flour, brown sugar, and salt until combined. Add the butter and pulse until small clumps come together. Pat the mixture out into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven until the shortbread is soft but slightly set, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool briefly while you prepare the caramel filling.

To prepare the caramel filling:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the butter and sugar together, stirring occasionally until the butter has melted. Add the sweetened condensed milk and corn syrup and bring the mixture to a boil. Begin stirring continuously and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mixture has turned lightly golden and has thickened to a mayonnaise consistency. Remove from the heat immediately and stir in the salt. Pour the mixture over the pretzel shortbread and set aside to cool completely. You can expedite this process by refrigerating it.

To prepare the chocolate ganache:

Heat the heavy whipping cream until hot but not simmering. Place the chopped chocolate in a heat-safe bowl and pour the cream over top. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and allow the chocolate to melt for about 5 minutes. Stir the chocolate and cream together until smooth, microwaving in 10 second spurts as needed to help melt unmelted chocolate. Smooth the mixture over top of the caramel filling and garnish the top with extra pretzels or flecks of salt. Allow to cool completely before cutting into pieces.

Notes

I prefer to purchase mini salted pretzel twists. Avoid using thick pretzel rods. Flavor will differ if you use unsalted or fat-free pretzels.
If desired, feel free to stir 3/4 cup roasted chopped nuts into the caramel just before spreading on the shortbread. I have tried it with pecans and it is DELISH!

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Strawberry Pretzel Tart

20 Comments / Pies and Tarts

Hey friends! I’ve got your weekend entertainment round-up here, complete with a few things to read and a bright and cheery strawberry pretzel tart that is just begging to be made.

This week was a cluster in our house, thanks to sick babies, unfinished to-do lists, and an underwhelming amount of time spent making myself looks presentable (Sorry, Brett. I swear I’ll change out of these sweatpants eventually.) Luckily, a few hours spent snuggling with my sick Aimee girl on the couch (read: trying not to let me brain melt from Lysol fumes and watching back to back episodes of “Paw Patrol”), I reacquainted myself with the interwebs and got caught up on what was going on in the world. For example: apparently Donald Trump is president? What? And someone announced the wrong winner for “Best Picture” at the Oscars? And Ryan Gosling is the world’s most perfect human? (Okay, kidding, guys. I’m not that out of touch.) Here’s a few things that have my eye this week:

50 Things We Learned About Feeding Kids in the Past 6 Years

This little article from Bon Appetit Magazine has so many truths in it. If you’re a parent, you have to give it a read. I promise you’ll identify with something. I’d like to add a few of my own learned lessons to the list:

A tub of baby wipes is a legitimate tableware item.
No one will known that there is Crown Royale in your water if you are drinking it from a Yeti cup.
Squeeze packs counts as vegetable servings.
(More seriously) Find a reason to celebrate at least once a week. Set a date and make a mealtime a party. It’s good for morale.

March Madness

March Madness starts next week! Ok, ok, I know that audience for this blog is primarily women aged 25-34, but it would be entirely sexist to assume that there aren’t at least a few women out there who are beyond excited to watch some basketball. Everyone likes to watch the University of Kentucky win, AMIRITE? Check out this link to get your bracket filled out before the whole shebang starts. And Go Cay-uts.

The Piglet

If basketball doesn’t do it for you, maybe cookbooks are more your thing. We are knee deep in the quarterfinal round of Food52’s tournament of cookbooks! 16 notable publishings from this past year face off in a NCAAstyle tournament to determine the best cookbook of the year! I’ve got my money on “Dorie’s Cookies” to take the whole thing.

La Pitchoune

Brett and I have some traveling coming up. I’m not going to tell you where or when we’re going, because, geez, I don’t really know who could be reading this! Maybe some Charles Manson psychopath character has been following this blog for some time just waiting for me to reveal my actual location. SORRY CHARLIE, NOT TODAY. But for future vacay planning purposes, I’m keeping this idea on the back burner: Julia Child’s summer home in Provence France that is now a vacation rental and cooking school. You sleep where she slept, cook where she cooked, and no, this is not a drill. Amazing, right?

Strawberry Pretzel Tart

If you’re planning to make a few treats this weekend, keep this strawberry pretzel tart in mind. This is a brown sugar and pretzel crusted tart, adapted from my favorite pretzel pie crust. It’s filled with a no-bake cheesecake filling of sorts and topped with sliced strawberries. With less than 30 minutes of active prep time and requiring less than 10 ingredients, this strawberry pretzel tart is a cinch to make and quite the looker. With spring strawberries just around the corner, this is the tart you’ll make from now until the very last taste of summer. Count on it.

I adapted this recipe from one printed in the newest issue of Bake from Scratch. Bake from Scratch is a newer publication, dedicated to baking culture and the recipes, bakeries, and movers and shakers that make our world a little bit sweeter. You may remember that I was featured in a previous issue as one of nine baking bloggers to follow in 2017 (!!!), and while I am incredibly honored to have been featured, I’m really just thrilled to have a seat at the table. Getting to bake and write and interact with all of you is more fun than all of the basketball games, cookbooks, Provencial summer homes that the world has to offer.

Keep this strawberry pretzel tart on your list of weekend plans and save a slice for me! Let me know if you’re reading or doing anything extra fun this weekend and take a peek at the links I shared with you! Happy weekend and cheers to you!

Strawberry Pretzel Tart

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

This strawberry pretzel tart has a sweet and salty pretzel crust, a no-bake cheesecake filling, and is topped with fresh strawberries.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 30
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the pretzel crust

5 ounces (ends up being about 1–1/2 cups of crumbs) of pretzels
1/4 cup (55 gm) brown sugar
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup /1 stick (115 gm) of unsalted butter, melted

For the cheesecake filling

1– 8 ounce block (225 gm) of cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup (150 gm) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup (240 mL) heavy whipping cream
1 lb (450 gm) of strawberries, hulled and sliced

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Instructions

To prepare the crust

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor, whiz the pretzels, brown sugar, and salt until the pretzels are crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse to combine. Alternatively, you can crush the pretzel and stir the other ingredients in to combine.
Pat out the crumbs into the bottom and sides of a 10″ tart pan. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until set. Allow to cool completely before using.

To prepare the cheesecake filling

Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer until smooth and without lumps. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream using a whisk or whisk attachment of a stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold half of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Once fairly integrated, add the remaining whipped cream and continue to fold until uniform. Take care not to overwork the mixture as this can cause it to lose its fluffiness. Spread the mixture out into the bottom of the cooled tart crust. Allow to chill in the fridge until ready to serve. Once ready to eat, arrange the sliced berries to decorate the top of the tart. Serve chilled.

Notes

Pretzel crust is best eaten within two days of preparation. It maintains its delicious flavor for several days but the crust can become soggy.

Adapted from: Bake From Scratch

Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse

12 Comments / Confections and Candies, Pies and Tarts

We stress ourselves out, don’t we? We plan too much, do too much, squeeze too much in at the last minute. We run and push and accept a few jobs that we have no business taking. But this is Christmas. These few weeks of the year are precious and valuable and not meant to be squandered away on to-do lists and stressful tasks. The hours of these days should be spent on laughter and hugs and gratitude. So if you’re in over your head this Christmas, today’s recipe, cookie butter pretzel mousse, is for you. This recipe will give you something delightful to share with your loved ones and spare you from burning the midnight oil in the kitchen. Interested yet? Well then let’s get to it!

Cookie butter pretzel mousse is a sweet and salty dessert made up of a cream cheese and cookie butter whip, topped with buttery, brown sugar pretzel crumbs and whipped cream. We start by preparing the pretzel crumbs by combining crushed pretzels, melted butter, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Once the mixture is fully combined, we set the crumbles aside to cool. Meanwhile, the cookie butter gets whipped with a bit of sugar and cream cheese. Once creamy and smooth, whipped cream is folded in to create a fluffy, cloudlike mousse that it out of this world. Once thoroughly folded in, you can begin to assemble your little mousse cups! I prepared mine in individual jars, but if you don’t have small Weck or Ball jars at home you could easily assemble these in low ball glasses, champagne coupes (hello, NYE!), or even small plastic cups.

Start to finish, these cookie butter pretzel mousse cups take less than 30 minutes to make, and the outcome is a stunning dessert that will blow each and every one of your holiday guests away. So chill out, love someone this weekend, and spend a little less time in the kitchen by sharing this delicious cookie butter pretzel mousse at your upcoming celebrations. I’ll also be sharing a recipe for sparkly champagne cupcakes that will make your New Year’s Eve bash extra boozy and fancy so check back for that in a few days as well. Cheers to you and have a merry week!

Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse

Print Recipe

Cookie butter pretzel mouse is a creamy, sweet and salty mousse topped with buttery, brown sugar pretzel crumbs and fluffy whipped cream.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6

Ingredients

For the pretzel crumbs

4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup rough crushes pretzels

For the mousse

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup cookie butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup cream

For the whipped cream topping

1 cup cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

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Instructions

To prepare the pretzel crumbs

Stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, and salt. Stir in the pretzel crumbs and set aside while you prepare the mousse and cream topping.

To prepare the mousse

Beat together the cream cheese and cookie butter on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure it becomes well combined. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whip together the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold half of the cream into the cookie butter mixture. Once combined, fold the remaining whipped cream in. Set aside while you prepare the whipped cream topping.

To prepare the whipped cream topping

Beat the cream on medium low speed until it begins to froth slightly. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and then continue beating just until stiff peaks form.

To assemble the cookie butter mousse cups

Using a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, pipe the mousse mixture into 6- 6 ounce glass jars. You will add approximately 1/3-1/2 cup of the mixture to each jar. Alternatively, you can just scoop the mixture in to a bowl or the jars if you don’t have a piping bag, or use a plastic bag with the end clipped off to pipe it in. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the pretzel crumbs over top of the mousse and then top with a large dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle with any remaining pretzel crumbs and then serve!

Notes

These can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 3 days but are best eaten right away as the pretzel crumbs will lose their crunch over time.
Do no use low fat or unsalted pretzels. Also avoid use large pretzel rods or nuggets.

Peanut Butter Pie

10 Comments / Pies and Tarts

Like most kids these days, I come from a broken home. My parents divorced when I was young, and by the time I was three, my mom had remarried Michael, my stepdad. From that point on, a majority of my childhood was spent with my mom and Michael, and for a long time, it was just the three of us in our house.

Twenty five years later, I can tell you that some things never change. There’s just as many “laugh till we cry” moments and still a handful of cold shoulders and spats. In those years in between, Michael taught me how to ride a bike, how to parallel park, how to balance a checkbook. How to pass a class, how to shoot a basketball, how to break up with a boy. He let me dance on his feet as a toddler and carried me on his shoulders as a little girl, but as an adult, he challenges me to carry myself with confidence and to produce the best with what I’m given. In a time when tumultuous relationships exist within families of all kinds, I’m grateful to have been grafted into a family that has made me a better person.

Growing up, our family of three spent a lot of time eating out, and like any normal kid, my favorite part of the meal was always dessert. Luckily, Michael and I shared that love, and 99% of the time, dessert was ordered at our table. Our favorite…debatable. But one dessert that was frequently ordered and I will always associate with Michael is peanut butter pie.

That love of peanut butter pie has followed me all of my life. Several years ago, I sat across from a guy on our first official date. After a meal full of conversation and starry eyed looks, he offered to order dessert. Let me be clear- I never turn down dessert. BUT! I was trying to be dainty and ladylike and completely unassuming, so I insisted I was stuffed (ha!) and politely declined. Instead of accepting my unconvincing dismissal, my date ordered me a slice of peanut butter pie to go, and I swear to you that at that moment, I was in love. Five years later and 2 kids later, that date is now my husband and we eat dessert every night. And whenever I get the itch to make peanut butter pie, I think of that first date, the many slices of peanut butter pie that came before it, and how grateful I am that Michael unknowingly taught me to love a man who orders me dessert.

The peanut butter pie I am sharing with you today is not your average Joe. It’s a caramel peanut butter pie with a pretzel crust and it. is. my. jam. If you think you’re the person that can’t bake or doesn’t have pie skills, this is the recipe for you. Your time has come, and you have to make this pie. A buttery and salty pretzel crust, pressed underneath a layer of caramel, creamy peanut butter filling, and finally, pillowy dollops of whipped cream. A few more drizzles of salty caramel and a handful of crushed peanuts later, and you’re pretty much halfway down the highway of my dreams.

You want this pie. You need it. And if you don’t have the detailed memories of peanut butter pie like I do, this is definitely the recipe that will give you some. Make this peanut butter pie, eat it all, and then high five yourself for winning on this Monday. Cheers to you!

Peanut Butter Pie

Print Recipe

This peanut butter pie features a pretzel crust, drizzles of caramel, and dollops of homemade whipped cream. Enjoy garnished with extra pretzels, peanuts, and drizzles of caramel!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 30
Category: Pie

Ingredients

For the crust

5 ounces of pretzels
1/4 cup (55 gm) brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup /1 stick (113 gm) of unsalted butter, melted

For the filling

2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
1/2 cup (100 gm) sugar
1 block / 8 ounces (225 gm) of cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (255 gm) peanut butter
1 cup (125 gm) confectioners sugar
1/4 cup of prepared caramel (see notes)
1/4 cup (40 gm) peanuts
Extra pretezels for decorating, if desired

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Instructions

To prepare the crust

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor, whiz the pretzels, brown sugar, and salt until the pretzels are crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse to combine.
Pat out the crumbs into the bottom and sides of a standard (not deep dish) 9″ pie plate. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until set. Allow to cool completely before using.

To prepare the pie

Whip the cream and sugar together in a medium sized bowl until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, and confectioners sugar together until smooth, about 1 minutes. Fold in 2/3 of the whipped cream until smooth.
Layer half of the peanut butter mixture into the pie pan. Drizzle with half of the caramel. Layer the second half of the peanut butter mixture on top. Drizzle with remaining caramel and top with the reserved whipped cream. Garnish, if desired, with peanuts and pretzels. Chill in fridge for 2-4 hours until cold before serving.

Notes

I like Bobby Flay’s recipe for salted caramel (found on NYT.com) but store bought is fine.

Recipe Adapted From: Paula Deen

Pretzel Shortbread Peanut Butter Brownies

6 Comments / Cookies and Bars

This past weekend, I traveled to Orlando to visit family one last time before I’m due to crank out this baby. At 33 weeks pregnant, waddling around the airport with a wiggly toddler and a carry-on bag full of snacks, diapers, and a well worn copy of “Goodnight Moon” made me a sight to see. By the time we arrived to the sunshine state, Aimee was covered in Goldfish crumbs and chocolate, I was covered in Aimee’s Goldfish/chocolate drool, and we both were in desperate need of a little personal space.

Winding down the last few weeks of pregnancy is a lot like the last couple weeks of school before summer break. I have a never-ending checklist of things to do, things to buy, things to make, and things to wrap up. Baby items to purchase, baby room decor to hang, and a baby quilt to finish sewing. Recipes to test, blog posts to write, photos to take, and groceries to buy. Start a load of wash, make dinner, go to the grocery store again, and do more wash. Feed toddler, bathe toddler, play with toddler, change toddler’s diaper. Go to work, work out, go pee for the millionth time, and try to remember to shave legs/ bathe/ put on deodorant sometime before my husband comes home.

Never. Ending.

Meanwhile, my pregnancy app on my phone keeps saying, “Relax! Put your feet up! Pamper yourself! You’re glowing!”

What? Is that supposed to be a joke? Ain’t nobody got time for that. And if by “glowing”, you mean “sweating like a pig” then OK, yes, you’re right.

My hand is tempted to write that being a mom or being pregnant is hard work because those are two incredibly true statements, but really what it boils down to is that being a grown up is tough stuff. People expect things of us, we expect things of ourselves, and with a to-do list longer than the Mississippi River, it’s easy to get bogged down. There’s no pause button, much less a rewind option, and life can sometimes just wear us in ways that affect us from the inside to the out.

If you’re experiencing even a taste of this nowadays, take heart, because you are not alone. If you’re feeling behind on your check list, or even behind on life in general, you are not alone. Life is beautiful, but it’s also hard work and I think that sometimes we need to be okay with being a little bit of a mess. And when things get to feeling out of control, out of order, or out of service, we may just need to stop the grind and go back to what makes us happy for minute.

Kinda like these pretzel shortbread peanut butter brownies. Admittedly, these brownies will not help me fold another load of wash or soothe a crying baby or make my to-do list one inch shorter. But baking these buttery, fudgy, little bars of goodness and eating their warm crumbs straight from the pan alongside a big glass of milk feels a lot like a big hug from life. Some days, that’s just what we need.

So let’s break down these bars. We have a pretzel shortbread crust and a peanut butter cup filling, all topped with a dark, rich brownie and an extra sprinkling of chocolate chips. The shortbread is modified from my brown sugar shortbread cookies and the brownies are adapted from Ina Garten’s outrageous brownie recipe. The peanut butter filling tastes a lot like the inside of a Reese’s cup mixed with a little fairy dust and tiny food angels, which I think is pretty much the same thing as being next level delicious. Plus, this recipe makes a substantial batch of pretzel shortbread peanut butter brownies which makes it a shoo-in recipe for parties, a crowd, or even just a quiet weekend at home alone after a really hard week. The whole recipe can be whipped up in a food processor which makes cleanup a whole lot more simple than most other layered desserts.

Give pretzel shortbread peanut butter brownies a try and then just give yourself a mental pat on the back. You probably deserve both.

Pretzel Shortbread Peanut Butter Brownies

Peanut Butter Pretzel Shortbread Brownie Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This is a layered dessert made in a sheet pan. A salty pretzel shortbread crust with butter and brown sugar. There is a soft and creamy peanut butter cup filling. The whole thing is topped with a chocolate chip brownie made from melted chocolate bars and chips. Adapted from ina garten's brownie recipe. This serves a crowd and is great for a party barbecue or gathering. Recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

Print Recipe

This bar has three layers that consist of a pretzel shortbread crust, a creamy peanut butter cup filling, and a rich, chocolate brownie on top. They are sweet, salty, decadent, and everything in between.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 45
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the pretzel shortbread

4 ounces (about 2 cups) salted pretzel crumbs
1 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter

For the peanut butter filling

3/4 cup of peanut butter (creamy or crunchy is fine)
2 tablespoons milk
1–1/4 cup confectioners sugar

For the brownie

2 sticks (1 cup) butter
8 ounces chopped semi-sweet chocolate
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup of mini chocolate chips, divided

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a jelly roll pan (15″x10″x1″) with parchment paper and spray the sides with baking spray.
In a double boiler or a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, prep the brownies. Cut up butter and chocolate into small pieces and places these in the bowl, allowing to melt while you prepare the other layers of this bar. Be sure to check in on it every couple minutes or so, stirring as needed. Once melted, remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. Keep on the stovetop only as long as the chocolate and butter is continuing to melt.
Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse pretzel crumbs until they are the consistency of sand. Add the flour, brown sugar, and salt, pulsing briefly to combine. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and pulse the food processor until a dry, crumbly dough comes together. This took about 1 minute of pulsing on my machine.
Pat the dough out into the prepared jelly roll pan and bake in the oven for ten minutes.
While pretzel shortbread is in the oven and the chocolate and butter is melting on the stovetop, combine the peanut butter and milk in the same bowl of your food processor. (It’s not necessary to wash it out yet- hooray!) Whiz in the food processor until smooth and combined. Add the confectioners sugar and pulse until thick, dry clumps come together. This mixture will appear similar to the inside of a peanut butter cup. Set aside in another bowl.
Back in the same food processor bowl, add the eggs, vanilla, and sugar for your brownie layer. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the slightly cooled chocolate mixture to the eggs and pulse to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the food processor and mix just until combined. Remove from machine and stir half of the chocolate chips in by hand.
Sprinkle clumps of the peanut butter filling evenly over the top of the shortbread crust. Pour the brownie batter over top of the shortbread and peanut butter clumps and smooth out evenly in the pan. Your pan will be full. Sprinkle the remaining mini chocolate chips over the top of the batter.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. At 20 minutes, carefully rap the pan on the rack of the oven several times to help air to escape the pan. Continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted to the center comes out with barely moist clumps on it. Do not overbake.
Allow to cool on a cooling rack for 20-30 minutes and then cool completely in the fridge before slicing.

pretzel

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