Caramel Pecan Pretzel Bars

Caramel – Pecans – Pretzels – Chocolate = YES please! This no bake cookie recipe, Caramel Pecan Pretzel Bars are perfect any time of year! They are easy to make and one batch makes a enough to enjoy and share! They are a MUST to add to your Holiday Baking list!

I don’t know about you but I have never met a no bake treat with caramel and pecans that I didn’t absolutely love. And let me tell you – these are SO delicious! Now don’t get me wrong, I love baking and especially for the holidays. But when I can keep it simple and whip up a batch of these Caramel Pecan Pretzel Bars in about 15 minutes, it’s a win-win!

Earlier this week Doug and I cooked dinner and served our praise team at church. Every week they bless us with music, and serving them dinner after their weekly practice is the least we can do for them. Because we are transporting food, we like to keep it simple, so we served Slow Cooker Chili, Taco Soup and Baked Potatoes with all the toppings.

Then for dessert – these Caramel Pecan Pretzel Bars and everyone’s favorite, 3 ingredient Cheesecake.

These bars were an absolute favorite. I heard “oh my” and “oh wow” and even “I could eat these for dinner.” They are definitely praise team approved.

Like I said, these Caramel Pecan Pretzel Bars are super easy. In a 13×9 pan that is lined with parchment paper or foil and buttered, you add pretzel sticks (I broke them into pieces) and toasted pecans. I added about a tablespoon of butter to a skillet and lightly toasted the pecans for a few minutes, just until you can begin to smell the pecans. And then added them to the pan with the pretzels.

After that, the caramel is cooked on the stove. A combination of Karo light corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, sweetened condensed milk and salt are cooked until 240 degrees, which is the soft ball stage on your thermometer.

Cooking candy can be intimidating, it was for me for a long time. But in fact, it’s really easy if you have the proper equipment. A long candy thermometer is the key. I add it to the side of the pan before I begin cooking and watch the temperature closely.

After the caramel is cooked, remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Then pour the mixture (carefully because it’s VERY hot) over the pretzel mixture.

Let the bars set on the countertop for about 30 minutes or until they are mostly set. Then melt the chocolate chips and shortening in the microwave and frost the bars. Leave them on the counter until they are set, then remove the parchment paper and cut the bars. Using a buttered knife worked best to cut them. They are a bit sticky when you cut them, but they are SO worth it.

Last year I shared a Triple Nut Tart made with 3 kinds of Fisher Nuts – pecans, walnuts and almonds and the addition of Karo light corn syrup. Over the past year, I have shared several recipes using Fisher Nuts. I love baking and cooking with Fisher Nuts because it is one of the only brands of recipe nuts entirely without preservatives.

Connect with Fisher Nuts for more delicious recipes on their website, Facebook and Pinterest.

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Caramel Pecan Pretzel Bars

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Caramel - Pecans - Pretzels - Chocolate = YES please! This no bake cookie recipe is perfect any time of year! It's easy to make and one batch makes a enough to enjoy and share!

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Ingredients

• Butter, softened to coat pan
• 4 cups pretzel sticks, broken in half
• 2 1/2 cups pecan halves, toasted
• 2 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cubed
• 1 cup Karo light corn syrup
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 package (11.5 oz) milk chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon shortening

Instructions

1. Line 13x9 pan with parchment paper or foil
2. Coat pan well with butter - the bars are sticky, so be sure to coat it really well
3. Break pretzel sticks and add about 1/2 to the pan
4. On the stove, lightly toast pecans in about 1 tablespoon of butter, for a few minutes, just until you can begin to smell them
5. Add about 1/2 of the pecans to the pan, add the rest of the pretzels and then the rest of the pecans
6. In a large heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, cubed butter, corn syrup, milk and salt
7. Add candy thermometer to the side of the pan
8. Cook over medium heat until mixture reaches 240 degrees - the soft ball stage
9. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla
10. Carefully pour over pretzel mixture and let set on counter for about 30 minutes or until mostly set
11. In a medium microwave safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and shortening. Cook for 1 minute, stir and continue cooking for 30 seconds. Stir until chips are completely melted.
12. Frost the bars
13. Let set on counter until set
14. Remove paper from pan and cut with buttered knife
15. Store in airtight container

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home Holiday Cookbook

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Fisher. The opinions and text are all mine.