I did something bad you guys…….
Okay, not like prison bad but still very bad. I created a bar that poses great potential danger to anyone coming within a 10 mile radius. Serious danger. There should probably be punishment involved here. Someone should have stopped me.
I’m pleading the fact that it’s Friday, okay? It may be the start of a new year and many people’s diet resolutions but I say every Friday needs a little indulgence. Life is short.
Too short, actually. Can you believe it’s already a week into 2015? I keep hoping that time will slow down but it just seems to keep speeding up. There are so many things that I want to do this year and I already feel behind. What about you? Are you on track with all of your New Year’s resolutions and plans? Well, your probably more on top of it than I am.
So, these brownies. They’re a combination of some of my favorite things. They’re salty, crunchy, sweet, chocolatey, and major addictive. My brother-in-law compared them to getting an “everything” at a soda fountain. Did you do that when you were a kid? You know, add a little bit of every drink choice on a soda fountain to one cup and then proceed to drink the whole thing? Well, I know we weren’t the only ones who pulled of those kind of crazy shenanigans, but then again, maybe we were.
I think I was inspired by football season. I’m not a fan of the game or anything. Actually, I’ve never understood the draw of watching a bunch of guys in tight pants and shoulder pads running around and ramming into each other over an object that isn’t really even a ball. And what’s up with the name? Almost every other country in the world calls soccer futbol. It’s way too confusing, especially since futbol is Chile’s favorite sport. I am, however, a fan of Super Bowl foods and parties.
My aunt and uncle used to have guy’s night during football season and I loved helping with the food (and hanging with the girls in the kitchen trying to figure out the whole football thing.) Any reason to make buffalo wings and over the top desserts for the men in my life is fine with me.
Sorry, getting off subject. These are perfect for anytime of year but I do think they would be a hit at any Super Bowl party and they would definitely impress even the manliest of men.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup oil
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 cups flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- 5/8 cup milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped semi-sweet dark chocolate or chocolate chips
- 2 cups snack pretzels, divided
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet dark chocolate or chocolate chips for drizzling
- sea salt
Instructions
- Cream butter and oil with sugar in medium mixing bowl. Add eggs, vanilla, salt, and soda. Stir in flour and cocoa powder until smooth..
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C) and grease a 13x9 inch baking dish or pan with oil.
- Pour batter into pan and layer pretzels on top of batter.(you can use broken pieces to fill in gaps). Bake for about 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- While brownies are baking make cookie dough layer. Beat butter and sugars until creamed. Add milk, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth. Add flour a cup at a time then stir in chocolate.
- Remove brownies from oven and cool for about 10 minutes until the pan is cooled enough to handle. Crumble cookie dough over brownies and then use the palm of your hand to press it down gently on top of warm brownies. Top cookie dough with another layer of pretzels and allow bars to cool completely before cutting (put in the fridge if you're in a hurry).
- Cut into bars and place on wire rack. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or microwave safe bowl and drizzle over bars. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve when chocolate has set.
Ridiculously awesome, love these!
Thank you so much, Matt!
These are so bad they’re good. Holy heck!! Pinned, obvi.
Thanks, Dorothy!
Oh my goodness…Pretzels, chocolate, cookie dough…that sounds like an absolutely amazing combination. Can’t wait to try these!!
Enjoy, Annie!
I love the analogy of getting the everything from the pop machine.. I’ve done that and I would certainly eat these!!
I’m glad I’m not the only one then. Thanks, Beth!
You have to stop this — I’d be so crazy fat if I had these in my house! Lol. Must. Work. Out. But the look so good!
Ha ha, I know! The only reason I don’t weigh 200 pounds is that I have giant brothers with growing-teenage-boy metabolisms around that eat everything before it can tempt me. Unless it’s something with veggies, then they leave plenty for me. lol
Oh god these brownies look SO sinful. If I was to make the recipe.. they definitely would not last for very long!
I’m pretty sure they possess some magical quality that makes them disappear. Thanks, Thalia!
Tori!!! oh my gawd, you did do something BAD!!! you know why?! because I’m starting a juice cleanse on Monday and can’t eat anything like this until the end of next week!! oh my gawd, these look so good!!! love and saving these for when I can indulge!
I’m so impressed that you have the willpower to juice. Good luck, I’d be stuffing my face with twinkies or something after a few hours.
I would not be able to trust myself around a pan of these bad boys! They look awesomely delicious! Also, I totally remember getting the “everything” soda…thanks for the trip down memory lane there. Haha!
Thanks!
Holy moly these bars!!! What I would do for one of these right now!! 🙂
And I’m with you – how on earth are we this far into January already?? It’s insane!
Thanks, Ashley!
I’m always a sucker for anything with salty pretzels and sweet chocolate. This will be a must make when I get that craving. . .or during my next game night.
Hope you enjoy them!
I see in step 1 it mentions chocolate chunks, but I do not see chocolate chunks listed in the brownie layer. It mentions chocolate chips for the cookie layer, but the picture shows what appears to be chunks. Are chocolate chips/chunks included in the brownie layer as well, and can you please tell me an amount? Thank you.
So sorry for the confusion, Carolyn. Thank you for taking time to ask about one of my recipes. It means so much to me.
I didn’t mean to add chocolate to step one and I have fixed it. Although if you are feeling a little reckless by all means throw a 1/2 cup of chocolate chips or chunks into the brownie layer. As for chips vs chunks, I use chopped chocolate in place of chocolate chips for most of my recipes because chocolate chips are hard to find where I live but either will work.
I brought these to a Super Bowl party and they were such a hit! I was worried at first because they weren’t cutting (I made them right beforehand)…but after sitting and refridgating they cut just fine. Thanks for the recipe!
I am so happy to hear that. Thank you for reading and for making one of my recipes!
I made these and found the cookie dough to be too buttery and the brownies lacking in the kind of intense chocolate punch that I wanted. A fun, decadent recipe that I still enjoyed, but would’ve liked more contrast between the intensity of the brownies and the sweetness of the cookie dough.
I’m sorry it wasn’t to your liking, JB. If you’d like a darker and more bitter-sweet brownie try adding 1/2 cup less sugar, 1/4 more cocoa, and throw in some espresso powder. Thanks for reading and leaving feedback. I appreciate the help in improving my recipes! Have a blessed day!
Anyone know how I can make these gluten free? I’d love to make these for my little sister’s birthday but I don’t know how; I’ve never really changed a recipe to cut out gluten before.
I’ve had success with various gluten free flours but oatmeal flour would be really good in these. If you try them gluten free I’d love to know how they turn out! Thanks, Hannah!