Recipes excerpted from The Giving Table, by Naomi Ross, published by Menucha Publishers

Way before salted caramel was a thing, my grandmother used to dip salty pretzels into her ice cream for a treat. She knew the secret — there’s something so satisfying about salty-sweet flavors on the palate. Peanut butter, chocolate, and pretzels all come together in this yummy snack.

YIELD: 24 bars

PREP TIME: 10-15 minutes

COOK TIME: 21-23 minutes

DIFFICULTY: Easy-peasy

FREEZER FRIENDLY

• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter or Mehadrin Margarine, softened
• 1¼ cups light brown sugar
• ½ cup peanut butter (not all-natural)
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1½ + ⅓ cups (10 ounces) good-quality chocolate chips, divided
• crushed pretzels (or whole pretzels), for topping

Special Equipment

• glass or metal 9x13-inch baking pan

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch glass or metal baking pan.

Cream together butter/margarine and brown sugar in an electric mixer until a grainy paste forms. Add peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla, beating until smooth and creamy.

Add flour, baking soda, salt, and 1¹⁄₂ cups chocolate chips. Mix until just blended, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl to incorporate all ingredients.

Bake: Transfer mixture to prepared pan, spreading to an even layer in pan.

Bake for 21–23 minutes, until just set but golden at edges.

Finish: Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle remaining ¹⁄₃ cup chocolate chips over the top; let sit to melt for 5 minutes. Use a knife or spatula to spread the chocolate in an even layer over the top surface. Sprinkle crushed pretzel bits over the top (the melted chocolate should help the pretzels stick). Let cool completely on rack; slice into squares to serve.

Milk Chocolate Variation: Use milk chocolate to replace the ¹⁄₃-cup bittersweet chocolate melted on top.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 824)