Pretzel Crusted Caramel and Chocolate Brownie Cups

I was making treats for a few people so I wanted to try something new. This one is fun and combines sweet and salty, which I love. I have raised Elisa into a cake mix snob--she doesn't like them, like me. I might buy one mix every year or two since I just don't like them. But I decided to try this recipe as is since it is slightly faster than whipping up from-scratch batter. I didn't tell Elisa until after she ate some and asked for more. She couldn't believe I used a mix, but that didn't stop her from wanting more.

This gooey, yummy treat is Stephanie's creation. Her blog Stephanie's Kitchen is full of scrumptious recipes. Stephanie is also a contributor to Cafe Zupas where she posted this one. I made these into mini muffins. To make the caramel easier to pour, you can add a little evaporated milk or water while you are melting them.

Pretzel Crusted Caramel and Chocolate Brownie Cups
1 German Chocolate cake mix
1 egg
1/2 c. butter

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, egg and butter until smooth. Scoop batter 2/3rds full into a muffin tin sprayed with non stick spray. Scoop 1 tablespoon pretzel crumble on top of brownie batter. Pat down lightly. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the edges are set.

Pretzel Crumble:
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 T. brown sugar
1 c. crushed pretzels

1/3 bag of caramels, melted until creamy
1 c. milk chocolate chips

Immediately after taking the brownie cups out of the oven, pour caramel over the cups, and then sprinkle with chocolate chip.