chocolate peanut butter marshmallow pretzel bars

I’m going to make a pretty bold statement here, folks.
These are, hands-down, my new favorite goody.

Also, I just decided that I really like the word ‘goody’. It sounds just a wee-bit naughty. Say it out loud… naughty.

So, the idea for these came from one of my very favorite cookbooks for baked goods, “Baked Elements”, by the two genius minds behind Baked NYC. If I lived anywhere near New York City you would find me at that place at least twice a day. I’d be huge, but it would be totally worth it. I would eat my weight in Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie, followed by a chaser of Lemondrop Cake. Yup, the whole thing.

And although I’ve never had one of their originals, I do believe the Bale Bar would be my kryptonite.

After leafing through the cookbook the first time, I immediately flagged the recipe for the Bale Bar, which called for white chocolate, chunky peanut butter and salted peanuts. All three of which, I had none.

I did, however, have creamy peanut butter, a giant bar of Trader Joe’s good quality milk chocolate and a bag of slightly stale miniature marshmallows.

Game. On.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallow Pretzel Bars
(makes around 24 bars)
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp sea salt
8 oz good quality milk chocolate (coarsely chopped)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup miniature marshmallows
3 cups thin pretzel sticks (broken into small pieces)

Line a 9 x 13″ pan with parchment paper, leaving extra on the sides to use as handles to lift the bars from the pan once they’re cooled.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter then stir in the brown sugar and cream and salt. Increase the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a low boil for 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate and the vanilla. Stir until melted and smooth, then add the peanut butter and stir until completely melted, smooth and uniform in consistency.

Pour the crushed pretzels and marshmallows in a large mixing bowl and toss to mix well. Pour the chocolate mixture over the pretzel/marshmallow mixture and gently stir to coat all of the goods. Spoon the chocolate peanut butter covered pretzel and marshmallow goodies into the prepared pan and press the mixture into an even layer. Refrigerate (uncovered) until set (around 90 minutes), then cut into equally sized bars.

I feel like I need to put a public safety announcement out there about these.  One bite and I was hooked. I seriously couldn’t stop myself. I was like Miranda from that episode of Sex in the City when she squirted dish soap all over the brownies so she wouldn’t eat anymore of them.

Just looking at the picture again is making me drool. Give me all of the chocolate peanut butter marshmallow pretzel bars.

Every. Single. One.

OMFG. SO GOOD.