Malted Pretzel Crunch

WARNING:  Do not make this recipe!

I swear this is the sweet & salty snack version of “crack” because after just one bite you’re addicted and before you know it you’ve eaten the entire batch, are jonesing for more and thinking up excuses to make another batch or three or four so that you can actually share some while getting your fix.  My bloggy pal, Lisa of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives posted her Malted Pretzel Crunch for Super Bowl Sunday a mere ten days ago and I’m embarrassed and not going to admit how much of this “crack” I have made and consumed.  If my Spicy Brown Sugar Bacon wasn’t addiction enough, now I have a new one so thanks a lot Lisa, thanks a lot!

Add the pretzels and dry ingredients to a bowl.

Mix in the melted butter,

Spread the mixture onto a Silpat lined baking pan.

One hot delicious mess straight from the oven,

Malted Pretzel Crunch (recipe from here) 

4 cups salted mini pretzels – about 1/2 of a 16-ounce bag
1/2 cup tightly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons milk powder
1/4 cup malt powder
1 teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons butter (1 stick, plus 6 tablespoons), melted

Preheat the oven to 275 F.

Pour the pretzels in a large bowl and crush them with your hands to one-quarter of their original size. Add the brown and granulated sugars, milk powder, malt powder & salt and toss to mix. Add the melted butter and toss to coat. As you toss, the butter will act as glue, binding the dry ingredients to the pretzels and creating small clusters. (I did not get small clusters but once baked, it formed a sheet of pretzel crunch that I broke into pieces).

Spread the clusters on a Silpat or parchment paper lined sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, until it looks toasted and smells buttery. 

If you can wait long enough before starting to snack, cool the pretzel crunch completely. Once completely cooled, if there’s anything left, break into pieces.  Store the crunch in an airtight container at room temperature, the crunch will keep fresh for 1 week (not in this house mind you); in the fridge or freezer, it will keep for 1 month. Lisa’s comment and I agree,  “I think these would be fantastic in cookies with chocolate chunks OR pour or drizzle melted chocolate over the top of the sheet of pretzel crunch, let set, then break into pieces – like toffee.”

Enjoy!