Print Recipe
Pretzel-Shortbread Bars
 
recipe image
Prep Time: 1 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Ready In: 26 Minutes
Servings: 24
Bring on pretzel power by making this variation from Martha Stewart Oct. 2011. Half cookie, half pretzel hybrid. Broken pretzels are worked into the dough. Finely ground crumbs go into the flour mixture, and bigger pieces stud the inside and top layer of the bars. Posting for safe keeping. Think it would be nice on appetizer assortment. Reviewers say dough is bit crumbly, so added vanilla and more butter. Easy to bake too long so need to be careful and if you use a 9 X 9 inch pan the reviews there say the bars are too THIN. They specify twisted salted miniature pretzels, but aren't all pretzels salted? And think the shape would not matter except for appearances. This shortbread can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week. Time includes 1 hour cooling time. Another use for leftover pretzels.
Ingredients:
3 1/4 cups miniature pretzels, divided
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
9 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg yolk, large
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Line an 8 X 8 inch pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
3. Pulse 1 3/4 cups pretzels in a food processor until POWDERY, transfer 1/2 cup to a bowl, DISCARD any remaining pretzel powder.
4. Stir in flour and baking powder, set aside for Step 7.
5. Transfer REMAINING 1 1/2 cups of pretzels to food processor and pulse a few times until coarsely CHOPPED.
6. Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
7. Reduce speed to low, and beat in egg yolk, then pretzel-flour mixture, until combined.
8. Using spoon mix in 1/2 cup of the coarsely chopped pretzels.
9. Press dough evenly into pan.
10. Top dough with 1/4 cup of the coarsely chopped pretzels, pressing slightly; discard any remaining pretzels.
11. Bake shortbread until pale brown and firm in the center -about 25 minutes, maybe 30.
12. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let shortbread cool for 1 hour.
13. Remove shortbread from pan, and cut into 1/2 inch rectangles using a serrated knife.
By RecipeOfHealth.com