Five Sweet and Salty Recipes for When You‘re in the Mood for Both

Few things are as satisfying as a snack that is both sweet and salty. For fellow snackers who enjoy having the best of both worlds, these five recipes are for you.

Salty-Sweet Chocolate Chip Cookie Pizza

(image via food.com/targetreg recipes)

Salty? Check. Sweet? Check. Warm and gooey? Check. This pizza checks all the boxes. We can’t think of a better Friday night than binging-watching Netflix and sinking our teeth into a warm chocolate chip cookie topped with crunchy, salty pretzels. If you’re drooling already, check out this recipe from Food.com.

Ingredients:

• 14 oz package chocolate chip cookie dough
• 1⁄4 cup toffee pieces
• 1 cup pretzels

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. On the prepared sheet, arrange cookie dough in a single layer in a round shape. Use your fingers to press the dough together to close the gaps and form an 8-inch circle. Make the center thinner and the edges thicker. Press the toffee bits and pretzels into the dough.
3. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 18 minutes. Cool completely on the sheet on a wire rack. Cut into wedges.

Candied Bacon

(image via spend with pennies)

Hear us out on this: bacon caramelized in brown sugar. It’s the ultimate party food, but we won’t judge you if you whip up this recipe from Spend with Pennies for the perfect snack – for just yourself.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound thick-cut bacon
• 1 Tbsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Place a wire rack on a foil-lined baking sheet. Arrange bacon on the wire rack and sprinkle with black pepper. Lightly pat brown sugar on top of bacon to create a thin layer.
3. Transfer baking sheet to the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until brown sugar has melted and bacon is crisp.
4. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Using tongs, transfer bacon to a parchment-lined baking sheet and cool to room temperature.
5. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.

Fritos Peanut Butter Cup Bark

(image via this is not diet food)

Just trust us on this one – especially if you’re a die-hard peanut butter cup fan. Bark is notoriously easy to make, and this recipe from This Is Not Diet Food is no different, requiring only four ingredients and about 30 minutes of your time.

Ingredients:

• 10 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
• 3 cups milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 cups Fritos Original corn chips

Instructions:

1. Chop peanut butter cups into small pieces.
2. Line a 10-by-15-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Pour milk chocolate chips and semisweet chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir well. (If chocolate is not completely melted, microwave another 30 seconds and stir well again. Repeat if necessary)
4. Once chocolate is melted, add corn chips to the bowl and stir until chips are completely coated in chocolate.
5. Pour mixture onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and use a rubber spatula to press down and spread out the mixture. While pressing down, you will break chips into smaller pieces, making it easier to spread and cover the whole pan.
6. Sprinkle peanut butter cup pieces over top. Press down gently so they stick to the bark.
7. Place baking sheet in the fridge for an hour so the chocolate can set.
8. Once the chocolate has completely hardened, break bark into pieces using your hands or a knife.

Ritz Churro Bites

(image via princess pinky girl)

If you have a soft spot for churros, you’re going to eat up this recipe from Princess Pinky Girl. Don’t say we didn’t warn you when you’ve eaten the entire bowl of these cinnamon sugar-coated peanut butter snacks.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz box Ritz Bits peanut butter cracker sandwiches
• ½ cup salted sweet cream butter
• ⅓ cup + 2 Tbsp light brown sugar, packed
• ¾ tsp pure vanilla extract
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with 2 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
2. Spread the Ritz Bits crackers in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Set aside.
3. Add butter, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, and ½ tsp cinnamon to a 2- to 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a low boil for 1-1½ minutes. Stir frequently.
4. Remove saucepan from heat. Carefully spoon butter mixture over Ritz Bits. Use tongs or a silicone spatula to “toss” crackers until well coated. Bake for 10 minutes.
5. Add granulated sugar and ground cinnamon to a small mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside.
6. Remove crackers from oven. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Allow to cool completely. Once cooled, “break” churro bites apart. Serve once completely cooled.

Caramel Cheetos

(image via plain chicken)

We are once again asking you to trust us. If you’ve ever eaten a piece of cheddar popcorn and caramel popcorn together, you have an idea of what caramel Cheetos taste like. If you just trust the process, we think this recipe from Plain Chicken will be your new favorite snack.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 cup margarine or butter
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 5 oz package crunchy Cheetos (original)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 250º F.
2. In a large pan, mix sugar, margarine or butter, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and add baking soda. Stir until light in color and foamy.
3. Pour Cheetos in a large bowl. Pour caramel mixture over Cheetos and stir, coating each piece. Transfer to a large roasting/jelly roll pan (15-by-10 inches). Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and spread out into a single layer on non-stick aluminum foil. Break into pieces once it has started to cool.

Tried any of the recipes above? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!