These Peanut Butter Pretzel Magic Bars are a MUST HAVE for your next party! Think: Super Bowl, company party or birthday. They have a pretzel crust with layers of peanut butter, chocolate, coconut, and sweetened condensed milk topped with more pretzels.
Have you ever had a magic cookie bar? They’re shaggy little squares of graham crackers, coconut, chocolate, butterscotch chips, and condensed milk.
This is a mix of pantry goods that combine to make a lot more than the sum of their parts.
And while I love a good old magic cookie bar, the original version is a little too sweet for me. So I made a version with pretzels and peanut butter to add some salty balance to the party (salt + sugar is my baking language).
The result is these cookie bars that are layered with a sandy pretzel base, chewy coconut, peanut butter chips, and chocolate chips coupled with sweetened condensed milk that’s infused with peanut butter.
They’re instantly gooey, chewy, crunchy, sweet, salty, and absolutely craving.
Tips for baking these bars
- Make sure the centers of these bars are set so they can be cut, making sure to bake them until the edges caramelize and turn golden. Then cool them completely to room temperature and chill in the fridge for a few hours before slicing.
- When ready, remove the bars from the pan and slice, run a knife around the edges and carefully unscrew the latches. They should be firm enough to touch, but the crust may crumble a bit.
- Cut into squares with a serrated knife.
You can also prepare these bars a day in advance. Simply cover the pan with the cooled bars with foil and leave them on the counter.
The sliced bars can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days. Store them with parchment between layers or individually wrapped in plastic wrap (easy for to-go treats!).
Bars can also be frozen for up to a month, either individually wrapped in plastic or with parchment between layers. Place the bars in a freezer bag, squeezing out as much air as possible.
To thaw, remove the bars from the pouch and allow to thaw at room temperature.
More bar cookies to enjoy!
- 7-layer wands
- caramelita
- Blueberry Crumb Bars
- Pumpkin cheesecake bars with crumble topping
- Pecan Pie Slices
This recipe was written by Cindy Rahe with assistance from Rachel Knecht.
Magic bar with peanut butter pretzel
These bars are quite rich and decadent. Cut into 25 squares if serving at a potluck or large gathering, or 16 squares if you fancy a larger treat.
ingredients
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3 1/3 cups (5 oz) mini pretzels for the crumb crust, plus additional whole pretzels for topping
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6 tablespoons melted butter
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3 tablespoons of sugar
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1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (397 g), divided
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1/4 cup (57 g) smooth peanut butter
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3/4 cup (100g) peanut butter chips
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1/2 cup (100g) mini chocolate chips
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1 1/2 cups (75g) unsweetened coconut flakes
special equipment
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food processor
method
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Preparation Pan:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with foil, leaving a few inches overhanging the side of the pan. Brush generously with cooking spray or brush with melted butter. Put aside. If using a glass baking pan, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
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Heat up the peanut butter:
Pour 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk into a small bowl and set aside. In another small bowl, add the peanut butter and remaining condensed milk. Together you should have about 1 1/4 cups. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir the mixture until smooth. Set aside to cool.
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Make the crust:
Place 3 cups whole pretzels in the bowl of a food processor and process 15 seconds until the largest pieces are the size of small peas. Measure out 1 1/4 cups (120g) of pretzel crumbs and place them back into the bowl of the food processor. (If you have extra crumbs, save them to sprinkle on ice cream!)
Add the sugar and melted butter and process continuously for 20 seconds. The mixture looks like wet sand.
Pour the pretzel mixture into the prepared pan. Use a measuring cup or glass to firmly press the mixture into an even layer on the bottom of the pan.
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Bake the crust:
Bake the crust until firm to the touch and lightly golden on the edges, about 10 minutes.
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Assemble the first layer:
Stir the peanut butter and condensed mixture again, then pour 3/4 cup of the peanut butter mixture over the baked crust. Using a towel or oven mitts, gently tip the pan from corner to corner so the peanut butter mixture completely coats the crust. Top with half the shredded coconut, half the peanut butter chips, and half the chocolate chips.
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Finish assembling:
Pour the remaining 1/2 cup peanut butter and condensed milk mixture over the entire layer. Garnish with remaining shredded coconut, peanut butter and chocolate chips. Place whole pretzels on top and gently press down on the bars with your hands to ensure the layers are compact. Drizzle with the reserved condensed milk.
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Bake bars:
Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30-35 minutes until the edges are golden and the center is just beginning to color. The center may be a little soft, but the bars will firm up as they cool.
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Cool:
Remove the bars from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from pan and remove foil. Continue chilling on the rack for another hour. Once the bars have reached room temperature, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. This will ensure the bars are cut cleanly and have the least crumble. You can slice them once they’ve cooled to room temperature, but the crust may crumble.
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Serve and store:
Once the bars have cooled, cut into 16 squares and serve. Store leftover magic bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7 days or at room temperature for 5 days.
