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The easiest 8 ingredients Salted Pretzel Magic Bars. These are some of the best cookie bars…rich and decadent, heavy on the chocolate, and oh so gooey! Made with pretzels, vanilla, sweet, sweetened condensed milk, coconut, chocolate chips, and peanuts for a cookie bar that’s addictingly delicious. Every bite is slightly crisp on top but soft and gooey in the center with just a bite of pretzel crunch. So DELICIOUS. Absolutely nothing not to love about these salty, sweet Magic Bars. Bonus? These bars are easy to make, use simple ingredients, and take only minutes to prep. They’re deliciously easy, they’re magical!
Happy Friday! Happy Snow Day! It’s been snowing hardcore here since Wednesday, so happy snow week/weekend for us. Perfect baking weather.
Right off the bat, I’m just going to say, these bars are really, really, hard not to love.
So let’s just jump right into them.
As I said above, they have that salty-sweet combination that truly keeps everyone coming back for seconds…and thirds. And on top of their deliciousness, they couldn’t be easier to make.
Soo, you see? They’re magic! In all seriousness though, they really are pretty amazing. Do you remember the Magic Bars your mom or grandma used to make? Well, these are those bars, only better.
Here’s the quick story
I’ve been wanting to share my mom’s Magic Bar recipe for the longest time, but just never found the perfect time. When we had a giant snow day this past week, the only thing I felt like doing was baking. I remembered back to these bars, and just like that, I found the perfect time to bake up mom’s Magic Bars.
Except, when I looked back at her recipe, I realized that the bars she makes are made with graham crackers. Don’t get me wrong, I love graham crackers, but I love them in a S’more, or maybe dipped in cold milk (does anyone else do this?). Not in my chocolate bars. And that’s when I had the idea for pretzels. It’s not rocket science or genius by any means, but it sure made these Magic Bars just a touch more delicious than all the rest out there.
Bold statement, but in my eyes, it’s true.
Here are the details.
The things about magic bars? They’re EASY. Which is one part of the “magic”.
Just mix a bunch of pretzel crumbs with melted butter, then press that mix into a baking dish. Now layer on the sweetened condensed milk (this is the key ingredient that really holds everything together). Then add the coconut, so many chocolate chips, and salty peanuts…and bake.
Twenty minutes later you’ll have the sweetest, prettiest Salted Pretzel Magic Bars. Simple as that.
Since these bars are very, very gooey when they come out of the oven, it’s best to really let them cool before cutting them. Usually, I’m all about cutting into bars warms, but with these, you’ve got to let them set up before you cut…unless you want to eat your bars with a fork. In which case, by all means, enjoy these warm out of the oven.
Yummmm.
Otherwise, let them cool. If you want to add a little extra touch, you can drizzle the top of the bars with melted chocolate. It’s not needed, but I love the look of the chocolate drizzle and we all know you can never have too much chocolate.
And if you’re into it, a little sprinkle of sea salt on top really seals the deal!
And that’s it. Do you see?
So simple, they’re magic. But what else makes them magic…they’re chocolatey, salty, sweet, gooey, and have just the tiniest bit of CRUNCH. Basically, they’re everything you could want out of a dessert bar.
I love to double the recipe, then cut up the second batch and send them off with my brothers to gift to everyone they snowboard with. Red especially loves bringing his friends HBH treats and these are always the biggest hit.
As I said, they’re pretty hard not to love.
Soo with that, how about some Friday night baking? These are easy enough to have mixed up and baked in less than an hour. And my guess is that you already have all the ingredients on hand. Bake that double batch and save the second batch for Sunday’s game. They’ll make the perfect Super Bowl dessert!
Looking for more quick desserts? Here are a few to try:
Lunchroom Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Lastly, if you make these salted pretzel magic bars, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Salted Pretzel Magic Bars
Servings: 22 bars
Calories Per Serving: 341 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pretzel crumbs, plus extra pretzels for topping
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 cup roasted peanuts (or any other toasted nut)
- melted chocolate, for drizzling (optional)
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment. 2. In a bowl, combine the pretzel crumbs, butter, and vanilla. Press the mix into the prepared baking dish. Gently pour the condensed milk over the pretzels in an even layer. Sprinkle the coconut flakes evenly over the condensed milk, then add 2 cups chocolate chips in an even layer and then layer on the nuts. Sprinkle over the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Add a handful of pretzels, if desired. Press down with a fork to help submerge everything. 3. Bake the bars for 25 minutes. If desired, drizzle over a little melted chocolate. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt (if desired). Let cool before slicing.
Amazing! So so so so so good! I want to eat the whole pan myself LOL.
Hey Kelly,
Fantastic! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Have the best week:) xTieghan
I loved the switch to pretzels in the crust. Such a fun change!
Thank you! 🙂 xTieghan
These were SO good and so easy. The hardest part was crushing the pretzels! A few notes – I used a 8 x 8 pan for a thicker bar and didn’t change up any of the ingredient proportions. I used about 3 heaping cups of mini pretzels to get 1.5 cups of crushed pretzels. I poured half the can of condensed milk over the pretzel crust and the remainder after the peanut layer to make sure everything stuck together. Next time I might even chop up some more pretzel pieces to mix in with the peanuts to get them more evenly spread throughout. Echo the comment about waiting for it to cool completely before cutting so it doesn’t fall apart. Thanks so much for a great recipe! Just have to keep myself from eating the whole pan!
Hey Jennifer,
Awesome! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xTieghan
I am going to make these bars to bring to a luncheon. Approximately, how many cups of pretzels do you use to make the crumbs?
Hey there,
The recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of pretzels. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
No, you didn’t say 1 1/2 cups of pretzels, you said 1 1/2 cups pretzel crumbs… Big difference… please correct this….
Last time I made this the pretzel batter didnt stick together as well as I thought it should, most of it fell off when I took it off the dish…any suggestions?
Hey Ricky,
Sorry to hear this. What do you mean the pretzel batter? The bottom crust or the topping? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
the bottom crust! It was still delicious, but I was hoping next time I made it the bottom crust would stick together better. Followed the recipe exactly – no adjustments
I would probably add more butter next time:)
I had the same problem with the bottom being too crumbly. The flavor is great though, I will try again with more butter.
Hi Megan,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Sorry to hear about the bottom layer, more butter next time will help! xTieghan
Can you freeze these ahead of time?
Hey Emma,
Sure, that would be just fine to do. I hope the recipe turns out amazing for you. Please let me know if you give them a try! xTieghan
I made these for a party this past weekend and they were a hit! Perfect blend of sweet and salty. I didn’t have any sea salt flakes but I will definitely add them next time!
Hey Gina,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! ☀️xTieghan
Would these still work with coconut condensed milk? I’m not sure if it would set up the same. I need an alternative to the dairy. Thanks Tieghan!
Hey Margaret,
I haven’t tested with coconut condensed milk but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work for you. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Your recipes are the best! This one is especially SO GOOD. They were slightly chewier than I was expecting, but who cares! Delicious! Brought them to a party and everyone enjoyed them. What to try next…
Hey Claire,
Happy Saturday! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
These were great, the pretzel bottom is really a nice change. I made a few substitutions. My husband likes coconut but I don’t, so I did half the pan with coconut and half with quick oats. I also divided up the chocolate chips and used 1 chip of milk chocolate, 1 cup of butterscotch chips, and 1/2 cup of dark chocolate. Delish!
Hey Brittany,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
I recently discovered your site and this is the first recipe I’ve tried. These bars are amazing. I toasted my coconut and added kettle corn on top of half instead of pretzel sticks, just because I had it already on hand. I did the optional topping the last 5 minutes of baking instead of in Step 2. My husband who normally doesn’t like coconut can’t stop eating these bars.
Hey Lacy,
I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed. Thanks so much for giving it a try. Have a great week! xTieghan
Delicious. I put it in the fridge overnight to cool all the way. I leave it in the fridge and cut pieces out as I want them. I’ll think of this recipe next time I need to bring a sweet snack for a group.
Hey Dyanna,
Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
A delicious recipe to make at home. Great article; keep posting more recipes like this. I would definitely try those also.
Thanks,
For sharing.
Hey there,
I am so thrilled this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for giving it a try!! xTieghan
Mine turned out dry and much of the toppings fell off. I did press down the toppings. Love the taste of the pretzel crust! Next time will try pouring the c. milk over the toppings, as some recipes suggest. Have you done it that way before with this recipe?? Love your food and your style!
Hey Patty,
Sorry to hear this, I would definitely add the condensed milk over the top at the end:) xTieghan
The flavor of these are good, but there seemed to be some major issues with the recipe for me. Made these over the weekend, and would highly recommend either making them in a pan smaller than 9×13, or adding at least another 1/2-1 cup of pretzels to the bottom. It was not enough to completely cover the bottom of the pan. Additionally, I would recommend baking off just the pretzel and butter bottom first so that it holds together and provides a more sturdy base not only for eating, but for spreading the sweetened condensed milk on top of. It was impossible to spread that across the loose pretzels and they all sort of blended together. The flavors were a great mix of sweet and salty and with some tweaks this could be really good. I added a handful of butterscotch chips on top as well and that was a tasty addition.
Hey Emily,
So sorry you did not enjoy the recipe, let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan