Two years ago I wrote about Sweet Salty Frito Candy, a twist on an old cracker candy recipe and frankly, one which I thought would appeal only to people who had PMS or were drunk. After two years of good reviews, I’m happy to say you don’t have to be under the influence of shifting hormones or alcohol to enjoy this. In fact, I served it today at a staff appreciation and people asked for the recipe. So here it is again, and I’ve cleaned it up a bit. Oh, and I added some chipotle powder. It’s optional, but I liked the slow burn. If you’re hesitant, you can try tossing the powder with just a fraction of the Frito/Pretzel mixture.
Chipotle Peanut Butter Frito Candy
2 cups pretzels (Snyder’s Buttersnaps) (100 grams)
1 cup Fritos (50 grams)
8 mini peanut butter cups or about 5 regular size peanut butter cups**
¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (114 grams)
½ cup brown sugar
1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (use more or less)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a 13×9 inch pan with parchment paper or no-stick (Release) foil.
Place pretzels on a big cutting board and break them up with your hands or if you feel like it, a chef’s knife. You don’t want them crush them too much. The goal is to just break them.
Break the Fritos up with your fist – again, no pulverizing or crushing – just breaking.
Toss the broken Fritos and pretzels together and throw in the chipotle powder, distributing it evenly. Stir in the peanut butter cups.
Lay the mixture flat, but tightly packed, across the lined pan.
Place butter in a saucepan and melt over medium heat. When butter is melted, stir in brown sugar. Bring mixture to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring once or twice. Pour over Frito mixture and bake for 8 minutes. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over hot candy. Return to oven for 1 minute to soften chips. Spread softened chocolate chips over bars.
Cool at room temperature until you feel the pan is cool enough to be transferred to your refrigerator, then transfer to refrigerator to set the chocolate. This should take at least an hour. When chocolate is set, lift from pan and break the candy up as you would almond toffee. You can eat it cold or let it come back down to room temp.
**Freeze the peanut butter cups if you have time.
Patty H. says
Wow, this sounds so good! The sweet & salty, and the peanut butter cups - - mmmmm! Can't wait to try it.
Anna says
Glad you liked it, Shan! Thanks for the little review. I actually made a batch today as well. I left the peanut butter cups out and people still really liked the candy.
Shan says
Well, I finally got around to making this for a church dinner we had today. It was a huge hit with people asking me, "What's in this?" Didn't have any problems, but I'm thinking I'll probably mix the toffee/pretzel/frito in a bowl next time to make sure it gets well mixed up and then spread it into the pan. Awesome concoction!
Jackie says
This sounds great...I'm going to make it tonight but, I think I'll add some peanuts too.
CLB says
Thanks! I am going to try it again tonight 🙂
Anna says
Hi CLB,
Sorry to hear it didn't set up. I'm honestly not sure why that happened because I've never had that experience. The cookie sheet wouldn't have caused the problem because I've made this on a rimmed cookie sheet several times.
It's quite possible you didn't boil it long enough. Are you at a high altitude? That might have played into it. But it's definitely worth trying again so maybe you could experiment.
Yesterday I made a similar concoction with Fritos and Potato chips and instead of pouring the syrup over the chip mixture, I kept the chips in a bowl, poured the syrup over the chips, tossed the mixture, then spread it flat on a cookie sheet. The 1 minute boil and 8 minute cook time produced crispy candy, but it was a smaller batch than usual anyway.
So maybe you could do a test half batch (omitting the peanut butter and chocolate) just to get your boil-time right.
Make sure you melt the butter first before adding the sugar. Maybe that will help too.
CLB says
Hi Anna,
I am a long time follower of your blog. I have held on to this recipe for at least a year. I have been saving it for the right time to make it...when I would have a group of people to feed it to so I would not eat it ALL myself!
I made this last night. I am planning on a big crowd so I made 1.5x batch. The taste is out of this world!!! However, my toffee mixture did not set up. It is find of gritty and soft? I plan to try this again tonight, but I was wondering what I might have missed? Did I not cook or boil up the brown sugar/butter mixture long enough? I also did not read too closely on the pan size and just put it in a cookie sheet, I had too thin of a layer compared to your pictures. Also (sorry so long) do you think it would work if you mixed the butter /sugar mixture in the bowl with the pretzel frito mixture and then pour it into the pan and press it in? I would love your feedback!!! Oh and I had about a half cup of Reese's peanut butter chips left from another recipe and I tossed those on top with the chocolate chips. Yum!
C L says
I will definitely have to make some of this...sweet/salty/chocolaty...oh, the mouth waters thinking about it! 🙂
Provided the weather isn't too warm, would this candy ship well? I know a couple of college students who would make this disappear in about 30 seconds flat. 🙂
Josh says
Sounds awesome! Remember, you've always got guinea pig across the street. 😉
Anna says
Yes, there is definitely an addictive quality to it. I do know what you mean ;).
joanna says
anna, i made that fritos candy when i saw you posted it a few years ago. i wasn't drunk when i had it and i loved it!!! haha so did everyone in my house. it was kind of illegally addictive, like heroine or something. i can't explain it. i'm sure you know what i mean!!
Emily says
Oh my. YES.
Next you should make a frito candy-cookie!
Sue says
This is a fun treat to share with people. It's fun to hear their reactions. I only heard positive responses when I made it. I need to come up with an excuse to make it again.
Kristen says
Of all the recipes I have made from your site- this is the one that people keep asking for. I always bring it to staff meetings that may be difficult. It seems to mellow people out.
Also- I like that you changed it to just smushing the Fritos and pretzels instead of pulverizing them. I like it better that way, too.
Your site is great:)
Elyse says
Mmm, this sounds delicious!! I'm pretty sure I could eat this all day long. Man, what great salty sweet combos. Love it!
Tracy says
I remember being intrigued by this before ... will have to try it soon!
Karen says
Oh man, I don't know how I've missed this one. I am going to have to try this soon!
Pearl says
i have never heard of frito candy before! how interesting.
Katrina says
Anna, ya killin' me here! Seriously, I have Fritos (made Chili, can't have Chili without Fritos, it's funny--without Fritos, the kids won't eat the Chili) AND Reese cups and pretzels and darn it, I have it all. Sigh. I've always wanted to make this as I haven't yet. I would totally (might) make it and give it all away, just cuz I can. Let's see, I could swap out healthy things for some, like broccoli for the pretzel. Okay--KIDDING!
Kerstin says
How creative! I can't remember the last time I had Fritos, but what a great excuse to get some. I'll definitely try this - I love the salty/sweet combination!
Virginie says
I made your frito candy over Christmas and people loved it. It falls in the "trashy but fabulous" category. 🙂
Claudia says
I make the Frito candy around Christmas time and everyone looks forward to it, it's a total keeper and I'm totally digging on this new twist. Keep up the good work.
-Claudia
clumbsycookie says
I'm sure I'd like this, because I love fried corn kernels with chocolate. I thought about doing this a couple of times, but usually I only see Fritos with barbecue flavour and I don't think those would work...
Janet says
A very interesting combo of snack foods...love it. Thanks!
VeggieGirl says
Haha fun!! 🙂
Anna says
Thanks Jane,
When I added the part about the chipotle powder, I took out the line saying when to add the peanut butter cups. Also, you lay it across the lined pan before pouring the butter mixture over.
Lisa Ernst says
Hard to believe its been two years since you first made this. I've been following your blog all this time, consistently. I must find an excuse to make this recipe! Will regular tortilla chips work, or is there something special about the texture of Fritos?
dawn says
yeah cravings gone wild here! I love this!
I did something similiar with cheez its. that salty cheez it with choco, pecans and caramel--heavens that was good.
Jane says
Sounds like a fun treat to make with my five year old niece! When are the chopped peanut butter cups added?
Sara says
Yum! This sounds great! Sweet and salty = delicious.
Janice says
LOL~
Anna the only reason I keep Fritos is to make this candy;-)
BTW speaking of Momofuku's Milk Bar?
The blueberries and cream cookies were a huge hit w/my family.
Janice