Peanut Butter Cookie Brownies with Pretzel Crust

I'm sure you've been worried about me since I haven't posted for so long. Your dreams have surely been plagued with visions of me as a victim of a rabid dolphin attack or lost and floating in the middle of the ocean on a kayak. Well, don't worry. All the dolphins have been quite friendly.

This one practically brought me to tears. He was just so beautiful and smart. When I thought of myself riding on his back into the sunset, it just got me so choked up.

Oh, and don't worry about the kayaking either.

When you're riding with a six-year-old navigator, you know your life is in good hands. 

Long story short, I am quite safe and well. I even made a batch of brownies for you so you know I'm thinking of you even from afar.

Humdee-dumdee-dumm I'm just crushing up some pretzels the way regular people do.

There are three layers here; pretzel crust, chocolate brownie, and peanut butter cookie.  My pan was a little bit bigger the 9x13 inch, so don't freak out if yours are a little thicker than mine.

Oh and they're really healthy. I mean, they have a ton of dairy from all that butter. Heh heh. 

Peanut Butter Cookie Brownies with Pretzel Crust
Inspired by these Peanut Butter Fudge Pretzel Brownies

For crust:
3 cups crushed pretzels
1 cup melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 t salt

For Brownies:
2 sticks of butter
2 1/2 cups of sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups of cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups chocolate chips (optional, sadly I had none)

For Peanut Butter Cookie Layer:
1/2 cup peanut butter, melted
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg
3/4 cup flour 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix together the crust ingredients and firmly press into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan.

For the brownies, mix together the butter and sugar in a microwave safe bowl and cook until melted and bubbly. Let cool slightly and mix in the eggs and vanilla. Mix together the cocoa powder, salt, flour, and baking powder. Add to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Drop spoonfuls of the brownie batter all over the pretzel crust and then carefully spread to the edges, trying not to lift up the crust.

For the peanut butter cookie layer, mix together the peanut butter, butter, honey, and sugar. And the vanilla and egg. Add the flour, soda, and salt and mix to combine. Drop spoonfuls over the brownie batter and carefully spread all the way to the sides.

Bake at 350º for about half an hour. Allow to cool before cutting.

I like to flip them over them over because I like the pretty pretzel crust on top.