Ingredients

Pretzel Crust
• 3 cups salted pretzel sticks
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
Chocolate Cupcakes
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups brewed coffee
• 1 Tbsp espresso powder
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
Peanut Butter Buttercream
• 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 1/3 cups creamy peanut butter (I use JIF)
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp salt
Chocolate Ganache
• 150g 50% cocao Lindt chocolate (any semi-sweet baking chocolate would work)
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
Chocolate Covered Pretzel (for garnish)
• 1 bag large thin pretzels
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Instructions

Pretzel Crust
1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line cupcake pan with liners.
2. Using a food processor, pulse the pretzels until they are in small chunks.
3. Add the melted butter and brown sugar and process on high until combined and the pretzels are in small crumbs.
4. Press 1 tablespoon of pretzel crust into the bottom of each cupcake liner.
5. Bake for 10 minutes.
Chocolate Cupcakes
6. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter. Add the coffee, espresso powder, cocoa powder, and vanilla and whisk until combined. Set aside to cool slightly.
7. In a large bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
8. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, buttermilk and the eggs. SLOWLY add a few tablespoons of the chocolate mixture to the sour cream mixture. Whisk to combine. In a slow stream, whisk in the remaining chocolate mixture until combined completely.
9. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in wet. Using a whisk, stir until no more lumps remain.
10. Scoop batter over the pretzel crust until 3/4 full.
11. Bake 17-19 minutes.
12. Allow to cool in pans before removing to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Peanut Butter Buttercream
13. In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the peanut butter and butter for 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl several times.
14. Add the powdered sugar and mix on medium until combined.
15. Add the salt and heavy cream, mix until smooth.
16. Beat on high for 1-2 minutes or until fluffy and the color has lightened.
Chocolate Ganache
17. Chop chocolate into very small pieces and place into a glass bowl.
18. On medium high heat, bring heavy cream to a simmer.
19. Immediately pour cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
20. Stir gently until all the chocolate has melted.
21. Add the butter and vanilla and stir until combined.
Chocolate Covered Pretzels
22. Dip half of the pretzel into the melted chocolate. Set on wax paper to harden.
Assembly
23. Using a large round star tip, pipe swirls of buttercream onto each cupcake.
24. Drizzle 1 Tbsp chocolate ganache over the buttercream.
25. Gently press a chocolate covered pretzel into the buttercream.
26. Add a small dollop of buttercream at the base of the pretzel to help hold it in place.