I have very few words left for this one.
Okay, that’s not entirely true—I usually have too many words and an embarrassing number of favorite adjectives. Still, I’ll try not to overdo it: this is one of those recipes that makes you want to shout from the rooftops because it’s so good.
I’m already imagining tiny packages of this bark tucked into stockings and handed out to friends. If I don’t eat it all first, that is.
Seriously—peanut butter stuffed inside chocolate bark. That combination of creamy peanut butter, salty pretzels and milk chocolate is almost unreal. The texture, the crunch, the sweet-salty balance… it’s everything.
I’ve always been a salty-sweet person. As a kid I remember wandering into the kitchen to discover my brother eating a stick of butter, and another brother scraping the salt from the bottom of a pretzel bag. Meanwhile, I was happily dunking pretzels into the peanut butter jar—often reaching for chocolate-covered pretzels first.
Excuse me while I go do that right now.
This recipe was inspired by a favorite bar: Lindt’s Salted Pretzel milk chocolate. The moment I tasted that bar I loved everything about it—the chocolate, the crunch, the salt—and it begged to be used in a recipe where the flavors could shine.
I wanted to build a layered treat that captured the same flavor profile, especially after making a peanut butter pretzel chocolate ice cream earlier in the year. The idea of peanut butter stuffed into chocolate bark felt like the most natural next step.
Chocolate bark is ideal for gifting: it slices or breaks into beautiful pieces, wraps easily, and adds variety to cookie trays or dessert boards. It’s quicker and less fussy than baking dozens of cookies, and it travels well—perfect for hostess gifts or holiday sharing.
Years ago I went through a serious bark phase and made many flavor variations; this version combines some of my favorite elements—milk chocolate, salted pretzel pieces, and a marshmallow-like peanut butter center that’s firm enough to hold up under a second chocolate layer.
For this bark I used a mix of milk chocolate and salted pretzel milk chocolate bars. You can swap in dark or white chocolate if you prefer, but the milk chocolate plus salty pretzel really highlights the peanut butter layer in the best way.
How it comes together:
- First, melt a portion of the chocolate (a mix of pretzel-studded and plain milk chocolate) and spread it into a rectangle on parchment to create the base layer. Let it set until firm.
- Next, whip together creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar and a touch of vanilla until the mixture is fluffy but stable—think peanut-butter-cup filling. Spread this peanut butter layer onto the set chocolate, leaving a small border around the edges, then chill so it firms up.
- Finish by melting the remaining chocolate and spreading it over the peanut butter. Top with mini pretzels—some whole, some crushed—and drizzle with a little melted peanut butter for extra flair. Let everything set completely, then break into pieces.
The result is a crisp chocolate shell, a creamy yet firm peanut butter center, and a shower of crunchy, salty pretzels on top. It keeps at room temperature for about a week, longer in the fridge, and even longer in the freezer if you want to store some for later.
Pretzel Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Bark
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Ingredients
- 4 Lindt CLASSIC RECIPE Salted Pretzel bars, chopped
- 4 Lindt CLASSIC RECIPE Milk Chocolate bars, chopped
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter, use a stable creamy peanut butter that doesn’t separate
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
for topping:
- 1 cup mini pretzel twists, some crushed
- 1/3 cup peanut butter, melted for drizzling
Instructions
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Melt about half of the chopped chocolate—use a double boiler or microwave in 30-second increments at medium power, stirring between each interval. Spread the melted chocolate onto parchment paper in a large rectangle and let it set until firm, about 1 hour (or chill to speed it up).
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In a bowl, combine the creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until smooth and stiff enough to hold its shape, similar to the filling of a peanut butter cup. Once the bottom chocolate layer is firm, gently spread and press the peanut butter mixture over it, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Chill until the peanut butter layer is set, about 1 hour.
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Melt the remaining chocolate and spread it over the chilled peanut butter layer, sealing the edges so the top and bottom chocolate meet. Immediately scatter mini pretzels over the top, add any extra chopped chocolate pieces if desired, and drizzle with melted peanut butter. Let the whole pan set until firm, at least 1 hour, then break into pieces.
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Store at room temperature for up to a week, longer in the fridge, and even longer in the freezer.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag your photos with #howsweeteats to share. I always love seeing what you make—thank you for trying the recipe!
I want to stick my face right into that peanut butter-chocolate-pretzel magic.
This post was created in partnership with Lindt. I’ll be sharing a few more recipes in collaboration during the year.