Butterscotch Blondie Bars with Peanut-Pretzel Caramel

This one will knock your socks off!  You can chill this up to a week in an airtight container.  Make sure you bring them to room temperature before eating or you'll have a hard time sinking your teeth into them!

For this recipe you will need:

For the Blondie Bars:

• 1 1/2 cups high altitude all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Peanut-Pretzel Caramel:

• 4 cups roasted unsalted peanuts
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
• 1 1/2 cups mini pretzels, coarsely crushed

To make the blondie, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 13x9x2" metal or glass baking pan with parchment paper, leaving about an inch of overhang on the long sides of the pan.  Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.  Stir butter in a medium skillet over medium heat until browned bits form at bottom of pan, 7-8 minutes.  Transfer to a medium bowl and add the brown sugar.  Using an electric mixer, beat until well combined and mixture resembles wet sand, this should take about 2-3 minutes.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy and well combined, this should take another 2 minutes.  Add in dry ingredients and beat until smooth ( batter will be thick!).  Using a spatula, evenly spread batter in prepared pan.

Bake blondie for 20-25 minutes until golden brown, edges pull away from sides of pan, and a tester inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.  Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

To make the Peanut-Pretzel Caramel preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Spread peanuts over sheet in an even layer.  Bake, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.  Set aside.

Stir sugar and 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves.  Increase heat; boil without stirring! Occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until caramel is deep amber, this should take about 12-15 minutes.  Add honey; return to a boil, stirring often, about 1 minutes longer.  Add butter; stir until blended.  Add the warmed heavy cream (warming it keeps it from bubbling over and helps the mixture blend together); whisk until smooth.  Stir in peanuts and pretzels.  Pout over cooled blondie.  Chill until cool, about 30 minutes.

Run a knife around short sides of the pan to release blondie.  Using parchment paper overhang, lift from pan.  Cut lengthwise into 4 strips.  Cut each strip crosswise into 10 bars.  I like to cut mine even smaller to make them super easy bite size finger food.