SERENITY

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pretzel Snickers Bars

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Yield: 18-20 bars

Ingredients

Bottom Layer

• 1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips (or can sub dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips)
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Nougat layer

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup canned coconut milk or regular milk
• 1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff
• 1 cup salted peanuts chopped, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel

• 1 14-ounce bag of caramels
• 1/4 cup coconut milk or cream

Brown Butter Cookie Dough Layer

• 1 1/2 (3/4 cup) sticks butter
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream or coconut milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 -3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Top chocolate layer

• 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips (or can sub dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips)
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup pretzels (twist or sticks)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted

Instructions

1. Thoroughly grease a 9x13 inch-baking pan. Melt 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips with 1/4-cup peanut butter in a saucepan or microwave, then pour into the baking dish and spread until even. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes or in the freezer for 15 minutes.
2. While the chocolate hardens make the nougat layer. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add in sugar and milk, stirring until dissolved and bring to a boil. Let cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in marshmallow fluff and vanilla, stirring until smooth. Turn off heat and fold in peanuts, then pour over bottom chocolate layer. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes or 15 minutes in the fridge.
3. While nougat layer cools make the caramel layer. Combine the caramels and cream in a saucepan over low heat. Let melt, stirring occasionally, until smooth, this took about 10 minutes for me. Pour over nougat layer and let cool completely, about 10 minutes.
4. While the caramel layer cools make the cookie dough. In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan add the remaining butter, melt butter over medium heat until just browned. Butter will melt, foam, and froth, then begin to brown along the bottom. Whisk browned bits off of the bottom of the pan and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl. Allow to cool 10 minutes. If browning butter is not your thing you may skip the step and just use softened room temp. butter.
5. To the bowl add the brown sugar, cream or coconut milk and vanilla. Beat until combined, fluffy and light in color. Beat in the flour and salt until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spread the cookie dough over the caramel layer, be carful not to press too hard into the caramel. You don't want to mix the two layers.
6. Melt 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips with 1/4-cup peanut butter in a saucepan, or just microwave them, pour over caramel and spread until even. Sprinkle with the pretzels and drizzle with the remaining melted chocolate. Let cool and harden completely.
7. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving, then cut as desired. These can stay at room temperature, but they do get soft and gooey. My family personally likes them best kept in the fridge, but left out for 15 minutes or so before eating!