No oven required. This no-bake dessert is as easy as paint by numbers-crush, melt and press your way to a dessert that will have everyone begging for seconds faster than they can say, “Please”.
Salted Caramel and Chocolate Pretzel Cups
The salted caramel along with the pretzels provides the needed balance to the sweet richness of the filling. It also gives enough texture and body to the dessert to keep the filling from hitting the roof of your mouth like a dog with a spoonful of peanut butter.
If you are wondering, yes, I have a slight obsession with salted caramel. And as I have previously mentioned, I also have a slight obsession with trying to improve my photography skills. That said, the trend you maybe noticing here is a mini onslaught of salted caramel recipes and a mini dark-shot series.
A few notes:
- I kept this a no-bake recipe, so no need to bake the graham cracker crust. If you decide to bake it for an added crispness, place the pan in the oven for 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- For a variation check out these Belt Busting Bars that utilize a short bread crust with a peanut butter pretzel filling.
- For another no-bake recipe with this flavor combination check out these Chocolate and Salted Caramel Pudding Pops.
- The bars can be made a day in advance and refrigerated. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to serving
- You can skip the cupcake liner and use an 8×8 pan.
Chocolate and Pretzel Salted Caramel Cups
Preparation: Line cupcake pan with paper liners | Makes 12 cups
Ingredients:
Crust:
- 12 whole graham crackers, crushed
- 7 tablespoons butter, melted
- ¼ cup sugar
Filling:
- 11oz chocolate, melted (65% cacao)
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup salted caramel (recipe follows)
- 2 ½ cups pretzel
- 2 tablespoon fleur de sel
Salted Caramel Sauce:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons of heavy cream
- ½ teaspoons of kosher salt
Instructions:
1. For crust: combine graham crackers, butter and sugar and mix to combine. Press two tablespoons of mixture into each cupcake liner (The crust works just as well unbaked. If you decide to bake it place pan in oven at 350 degrees F for 6-8 minutes.)
2. for filling: Melt chocolate in a pan over (not on) simmering water. Add milk and whisk to combine. Remove chocolate mixture from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Measure out 1/3 cup of chocolate mixture; set aside.
3. Fold crushed pretzels into the chocolate. Pour mixture over graham cracker crust. Pour remaining chocolate on top. To finish, drizzle caramel on top and sprinkle with fleur de sel Place pan in refrigerator to set for at least thirty minutes or overnight.
4. Add sugar and water into a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Use a wet brush to remove any crystals that form on the side. Once sugar has dissolved increase heat to high. Now and then, using the handle give the pot a swirl to keep the mixture moving. Do not stir the mixture directly. The mixture will start to bubble after a minute. As the mixture darkens to a medium amber color, approximately 5-7 minutes, add the butter and cream to saucepan. The mixture will bubble wildly. Whisk to combine (bubbles will subside upon cooling). Add salt and stir to combine.
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better than yesterday’s recipe for salted caramel truffles, along comes this!
Sounds unbelievable! I love no bake desserts in this humidity! Brilliant! 😉
I’m loving your dark photo series-absolutely gorgeous. You’re so talented!
I’m loving your salted caramel series. I’m making your truffles tomorrow night and will be adding this to the list.
Whoa. You’ve pretty much combined all our favorite things here. Um and no baking!? AMAZING.
Will the crust be soggy w/o baking it?
Love love. But I say it often here don’t I 🙂 Please send some.
P.S. – I love your spoons and the cloth under it. Where is it from?
Seriously loving the dark photos lately! And these pretzel cups….are screaming at me to make them! YUM!!!
My kind of treat!
No bake is awesome this time of year. But when you get a nobake recipe as fantatsic as this, it is better then awesome!
Maria, this is defiantly my kind of treat as well….!!!!!!
Photo is gorgeous. Nicely done. Salty, caramel, chocolatey. How can you argue with that? They look delicious. A few ingredients on the list that are not in my pantry, but that can be remedied. Great blog. Off to check out the Belt Busting Bars and Caramel Cappucino Royale Cupcakes. ~ wow! thanks, tom
My mouth was literally watering looking at your photo, yum!!! Anything with salted caramel has my mouth watering, but these look truly amazing!!!
This sounds really good. But I do not see what you do with the 1/4 cup of Irish Whiskey – is this just to drink or does it get mixed with the salted caramel?
Wow this is a dream come true in a cup!! Sounds amazing- I love that its no bake too!
Chef Amy-Thanks for asking, because that was a left from a cut paste clipboard, so the Irish Whiskey does not belong in this recipe. But then again it would add a nice dimension to this recipe. I’m going to do that next time, since I really enjoy these Whiskey Truffles! But I did remove it from the recipe since I didn’t mention it in the post.
Hi Susan-No the crust was not soggy, but as I mentioned, if you would like a crisp crust, bake it at 350 degrees F for a few minutes.
LOL, I have a Baker’s Royale obsession to go with my salted caramel obsession. I come here for the recipes and your pics. I chuckled a little when you said improve because I strive to take pics like yours…not doing so hot, but trying, LOL!
Crunch and chocolate and Irish Whiskey… wait a minute, did I die and go to heaven?
Salted caramel and no bake? I’m in!
I’m a huge fan of no-bake treats, it always amazes me that they turn out so well when it’s so simple to make. Bookmarked. 🙂
I love how easy this is to make! Do you know if I can make even easier by using store bought caramel sauce?
What a lovely treat. This is my first visit to your blog and your recipe led me to browse through some of your earlier posts. I’m so glad I did that. I really like the food and recipes you feature here and I’ll definitely be back. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Blessings…Mary
Looks absolutely amazing…I’m drooling on my keyboard….
No-bake desserts are such a godsend in the summer. Love the dark setting of this photo, too!
Yummm-myyyy! I have a baby shower this week, and wanted something simple, but delicious, to take along. I think I’ve found it! 🙂 Thank you! Can’t wait to try them.
Delcious. I too LOVE salted caramel, so this is for me!
Zo
Ohhh my, these look gorgeous! I think your photos just top off what is already temptation in a recipe. Lovely 🙂
My jaw dropped when I saw these. All I can think is “that looks so good its messed up!!!”
I can completely understand your obsession with salted caramel. Completely. Beautiful photo girl!
Love everything about this recipe!
Your photos are outstanding… Not only are they aesthetically pleasing but my mouth is watering!
I made these for a party and they were a huge hit. Some thoughts –
The chocolate didn’t setup completely, it was a bit mushy. I used Chocoley dark chocolate that doesn’t require tempering. Tasted great but a little gooey. Maybe I should cut back on the milk next time.
I also used mini cupcake sized pan instead of the full size cupcakes. The ratios of crust to chocolate needed a little adjusting but they were just the right size. We all agreed that a full cupcake size would have been a bit much for a cocktail party.
I did toast the crust and preferred it that way. I think it held the form better and added more texture.
Thank you again, everyone loved them and there were requested for our next gathering.
I think both of your obsessions are paying off. This dessert sounds out-of-this-world good and your photo is gorgeous!
Hello! For the crust, it says “¼ sugar”. Is that supposed to be a 1/4 cup of sugar? Thanks!
Lisa-Yes, thank you-1/4 cup sugar.
Hello! Just to confirm, you just drizzle the caramel ontop of the pure chocolate, you don’t actually mix it in with the chocolate and pretzel mixture? Thanks!