Equipment
Ingredients
Pretzel Graham Crust
- 100 g salted pretzels, coarsely crushed
- 75 g graham crackers, finely crushed
- 85 g unsalted butter, melted
- 25 g light brown sugar, packed
Bittersweet Brownie Batter
- 170 g unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 85 g unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
- 250 g granulated sugar
- 100 g light brown sugar, packed
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 95 g all-purpose flour
- 30 g cocoa powder, sifted
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 100 g semisweet chocolate chips
Garnish
- 4 g flaky sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 355 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 43 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 28 g
- Sodium
- 321 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 12 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 69 mg
- Potassium
- 150 mg
- Calcium
- 34 mg
- Iron
- 1.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 34 mg
- Phosphorus
- 80 mg
- Zinc
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 124 mcg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 18 mcg
- Water
- 11 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 9 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 175°C or 350°F. Line a 20x20 cm baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
In a food processor, pulse the pretzels and graham crackers until you achieve a mixture of fine crumbs and small, crunchy pieces.
Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and 25g of light brown sugar, stirring until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Pour the crumb mixture into the prepared baking pan. Press it firmly and evenly into the bottom using a rubber spatula or the bottom of a measuring cup.
Bake the crust for 8 to 10 minutes at 175°C or 350°F until fragrant and slightly toasted. Remove from the oven and let cool briefly while preparing the batter.
Create a double boiler by setting a large mixing bowl over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water. Add the unsalted butter and chopped unsweetened chocolate, stirring occasionally until completely melted and smooth.
Remove the bowl from the heat. Promptly add the granulated sugar and 100g of light brown sugar while the chocolate is still hot, whisking vigorously to combine.
Add the eggs one at a time, whisking vigorously for about a minute after each addition. The batter should become thick, glossy, and pull away slightly from the sides of the bowl. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and fine sea salt just until the dry streaks disappear.
Fold the semisweet chocolate chips gently into the batter, ensuring they are evenly distributed.
Pour the thick brownie batter over the baked pretzel and graham cracker crust. Spread it into an even layer using the rubber spatula.
Bake at 175°C or 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs attached, not wet batter.
Immediately upon removing from the oven, generously sprinkle the flaky sea salt over the hot surface so it adheres to the crusty top.
Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before using the parchment overhang to lift them out and slice into squares.
Chef's Notes
- Vigorously whisking the eggs and sugar is non-negotiable for a classic crinkly brownie top. The friction dissolves the sugar crystals and creates a thin meringue that floats to the surface during baking.
- Using unsweetened chocolate as the base allows complete control over the sugar content. This prevents the brownies from becoming cloying while delivering an intense, pure cocoa depth.
- Do not over-crush the pretzels into dust. Leaving some coarse, visible pieces provides a necessary savory crunch that contrasts with the dense fudge.
- For the absolute cleanest slices, chill the completely cooled brownies in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours before cutting with a sharp, hot knife wiped clean between each cut.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight container to maintain fudgy texture. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a heavy-duty freezer bag.
Reheating: Microwave for 10-15 seconds if a warm, gooey center is desired.
Troubleshooting
Brownies are dry and crumbly instead of fudgy
Cause: Overbaking or mismeasuring the flour
Fix: Cannot be restored to fudgy, but still delicious served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or milk.
Prevention: Check for doneness 5 minutes before the recommended bake time. Always measure flour by weight.
Pretzel crust crumbles apart when sliced
Cause: Crust was not pressed firmly enough into the pan before baking
Fix: Serve the crumbling base alongside the brownie slice as a deconstructed crumble.
Prevention: Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to compress the crust tightly into an even, dense layer.
No crinkly, shiny top on the brownies
Cause: Sugars did not dissolve completely in the egg and chocolate mixture
Fix: Cannot be fixed after baking, but does not affect the flavor.
Prevention: Ensure the chocolate is still very hot when adding the sugar, and whisk the eggs vigorously to create a meringue-like foam.
Cultural Context
Brownies are a quintessential American dessert, originating in the late 19th century in Chicago. The incorporation of a mixed pretzel and graham cracker crust draws direct inspiration from contemporary bakery trends that celebrate sweet and salty profiles. The addition of flaky sea salt elevates the nostalgia of a childhood bake sale staple to a sophisticated, modern dessert suitable for celebrations.
