Chocolate Chip Caramel Pretzel Blondies

I have been up since 5:40 this morning. Even my early-rising self knows that is all too early, especially on a Saturday. I had no choice though I had to be at work.

But you have a choice. The choice to throw a last minute addition into your Super Bowl menu (or, if you’re not a football watcher, just into another Sunday).

These Chocolate Chip Caramel Pretzel Blondies are a must for tomorrow’s game! A little sweet for the winners, a little salty for the losers, and a lot of delicious for everyone!

Chocolate Chip Caramel Pretzel Blondies (one 9 x 13 pan, recipe adapted from Simply Scratch)

2 cups flour

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1 ½ cups packed brown sugar

2 whole eggs + 1 yolk

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup caramels (I used these), chopped

2 cups crushed roughly crushed pretzel pieces

Preheat oven to 350. Line 9x13 with parchment paper so that there is a one-inch overhang, set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until fully incorporated and light and fluffy. Add additional yolk and vanilla, creaming again until smooth.

In three batches, stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture, only adding the next mixture once the previous is fully mixed in and no streaks of flour appear.

Stir in chocolate chips and caramels.

Line the bottom the prepared pan with an even layer of the crushed pretzel bits. Pour batter over pretzels and smooth top.

Bake in preheated oven for 16 – 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center has begun to set.

Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan (using those nifty parchment paper handles) and cut blondies while still warm.

Blondies can be stored for 3 days in an airtight container

I would kill for a sugar rush right now.