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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.
Not sure what happen but mine were to goey could not hold to togther even after freezing them. And was sticking to the papaer abit. Should I have sprayed the paper ? Sad these didn’t turn out
Oh no I’m so sorry about that! Was there anything you did differently? xT
I made these to take to friends and read the comments in advance. They turned out AMAZING, but I did make one modification. I poured the sweetened condensed milk over them at the end and pressed the extra pretzels on top. This worked to keep the bars together. Nothing fell off and they are delish. We will make these again.
Hey Kelly,
Happy New Year!!🎆 I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for giving it a try and sharing your review! xT
They taste amazing. The condensed milk didn’t do anything though & stayed runny. Should I bake them longer?
Hey Monica,
I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! The condensed milk should make these pretty gooey! Merry Christmas! 🎁🎄
Tried these, because I wanted a bar that wasn’t super sweet, plus I like the mix of sweet and salty. Added my own twist by adding mini peanut butter cups, salted caramel chips, and pecans. They were amazing! Thanks for the recipe!
Hey there,
Happy Monday!❄️🎄 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
These look amazing! If I want to make them 2 days ahead, how should I store them – fridge or counter or freezer? Thanks!
Thanks so much Laura!! You can store these in an airtight container on the counter:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Had same difficulty as another reader. A lot of the topping didn’t adhere to the bars. The chocolate chips didn’t seems to melt enough to hold the peanuts together. I let the bars cool and placed them in refrigerator before cutting into squares. Flavor is good ,Not sure what I did wrong.
Hey Sue,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try! So sorry to hear you had issues, this seems really weird!! Did the chocolate not melt for you? Could it have just needed to be baked longer? Let me know how I can help! xx
I grew up with the graham cracker crust version of this, but now that I’ve tried the pretzel crust, I’m never going back! My only issue was that the top part didn’t get melted enough to meld the nuts (and added butterscotch chips) to the rest of the bar. So the top was a little loose, even after extra time in the oven. But will definitely try again!
Hey Bonnie,
Perfect!! ⛄️ I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for trying it out! xx
Ok, these are amazing!! I ate one when they were warm- and was not impressed- especially thought I’d never make them with roasted peanuts again BUT I threw them in the freezer and when they came out OH MY WORD .. they really are magic!
Hey Kristen,
Happy Wednesday!!👻 I truly appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed:)
can you use gluten free pretzels for the crust?
Hi Kathy,
You bet, that will work well for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
So delicious! Mine didn’t set very well though – super gooey and fall apart when you cut them / not firm. Any feedback / suggestions?
Thanks for trying the recipe Michelle! They should definitely be gooey, did you let them fully cool before cutting? You could even pop them in the fridge! xx
For all Canadians out there beware! One can of sweetened condensed milk is only 10oz! You need 4 more oz! I learned the hard way. Still delicious but toppings didn’t glue together or submerge. I knew something was wrong but didn’t know what since I measured everything correctly. I’ll make again and use 1.5 300ml cans ?
Hey Kelly,
So sorry to hear this!! Thanks for making the recipe and sharing about the size of your cans:) I hope you’ll give it another try! xTieghan
I definitely will. My grandma bought me your cookbook because she thinks we are very similar. It’s odd but I agree ? love your stuff so much. I could make and eat EVERYTHING
Awe thank you so much:)
Thank you for the Canadian tips!!
I looked over most of the comments before i made this yesterday for a bday party. There were a few comments about not having enough pretzels for the base. So I added 1/2 cup more ground pretzels for base to make sure i had enough for the recommended 9×13 pan. Then melted 1/4 c more butter. Pulsed the roasted peanuts a few times because I thought they were a bit too big. It turned out good but still missing something.
I made it again the next day for another bday party. This time i added 1/4 cup shredded coconut with the pretzel base and 1/4 cup melted coconut oil instead
of butter for more coconut flavor. This time i didn’t forget to sprinkle flaky sea salt on top. Perfect. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Alex,
Happy Monday! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it and sharing your feedback!! Have the best week:) xx
This sounds so delicious!!! Can’t wait to make it. I was wondering what I could use instead of roasted peanuts. My husband can’t eat nuts. Any good suggestions??
Hey Andrea,
How about sunflower seeds? Those would work well for you! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
These bars are really good – first Magic Bars I’ve ever made or even had. I love the pretzels as base and topping and the fun assembly.
One question: my batch turned out much flatter than the bars pictured in the recipe. Are you sure one is supposed to use a 9×13 baking dish? Next time I would use a 7×11 for the above mentioned amounts.
Hey Oda,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! Yes, a 9×13 baking dish is correct:) xTieghan
Do you have a good dairy-free option for sweetened condensed milk?
Hey Heather,
You should be able to find sweetened condensed coconut milk at your local grocery store. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan