Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prep the pan
- Preheat oven to 350F, then line a 15x10 rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray (visual cue: foil should lie flat with no wrinkles).
- Spread mini pretzels in a single layer over the lined sheet and set aside (visual cue: pretzels should be evenly spaced with minimal gaps).
Make salted caramel
- Melt unsalted butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, then bring to a boil (visual cue: caramel starts bubbling across the surface).
- Cook exactly 3 minutes without stirring (visual cue: bubbles continue at a steady boil).
- Pour caramel evenly over the pretzels (visual cue: pretzels are glossy and mostly covered).
- Bake 5 minutes, then remove from the oven (visual cue: caramel looks slightly thickened and bubbling at the edges).
Melt and finish with chocolate
- Immediately scatter semi-sweet chocolate chips and dark chocolate chips over the hot caramel (visual cue: chocolate chips sit on top and begin to soften).
- Let the bark sit 2 minutes, then spread the melted chocolate with a spatula until smooth (visual cue: surface becomes an even chocolate layer).
- Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt (visual cue: salt flakes are clearly visible across the entire surface).
- Drizzle with white chocolate if using (visual cue: thin ribbons of white chocolate sit on top).
Set and serve
- Refrigerate 1 hour until set (visual cue: bark feels firm and the chocolate layer no longer looks glossy-wet).
- Break into pieces to serve (visual cue: jagged bark sections with caramel and pretzel layers at the edges).
Notes
For clean breaks, chill until fully firm and cut or break only after the chocolate dulls and sets. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days (best texture after 1–2 days). Freeze yes, up to 2 months—thaw in the refrigerator. For a dairy-free swap, use dairy-free butter and dairy-free chocolate chips with similar melting behavior.