Butterscotch Blondie Bars with Peanut-Pretzel Caramel

I haven't actually made this recipe myself, YET, but this was the winner of the cookie exchange I hosted.  It was a Xmas cookie exchange, but these are definitely way more than just a Xmas cookie.  My friend Maria made these, and they were simply fabulous in all of their gooey, sweet and salty splendor!  So how did we pick a winner?  We sequestered Squatch in the bedroom and had him taste every cookie, we really had to force feed him to make that happen.

Someday I'll try to get a better photo to put here...

Butterscotch Blondie Bars with Peanut-Pretzel Caramel

Yield 40 cookies
Ingredients
BLONDIE
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

PEANUT-PRETZEL CARAMEL
4 cups roasted unsalted peanuts
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups 1 1/2"-wide thin twisted pretzels, coarsely crushed

Instructions
BLONDIE
1)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 9"x13" baking pan with parchment paper, leaving 1" hanging over on long sides of pan.
2)  Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
3)  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 brown sugar.  Using an electric mixer, beat until well combined and mixture resembles wet sand, 2-3 minutes.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy and well combined, about 2 minutes.  Add dry ingredients; beat until smooth (batter will be thick).  Using a spatula, evenly spread batter in prepared pan.
4)  Bake blondie 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, 20-25 minutes.  Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

PEANUT-PRETZEL CARAMEL
1)  Preheat oven to 350 degree F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Spread peanuts over sheet in an even layer.  Bake, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant, 5-7 minutes.  Set aside.
2)  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, 12-15 minutes.  Add honey; return to a boil, stirring often, about 1 minute longer.  Add butter; stir until blended.  Add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously); whisk until smooth.  Stir in peanuts and pretzels.
3)  Pour over cooled blondie.  Refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes.
4)  Run a knife around short sides of pan to release blondie.  Using parchment paper overhang, lift from pan.  Cut lengthwise into 4 strips.  Cut each strip crosswise into 10 bars.  Chill for up to 1 week in an airtight container.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

enjoy!
 ~ j