With the NFL playoffs in full swing, the big game is quickly approaching.  Whether you love football or hate football, you’re sure to watch the Super Bowl.  It’s a great excuse to have a party!  Good friends, drinks and of course, food!  So why not kick it up a notch and serve something just a little different for dessert.  Something a tad more ‘manly’ that can hang with chicken wings and chips.  Something like beer brownies or whiskey cookies!  You’ll score big with these super sweets, shared with us by Esther of Batch from Scratch.  From Whiskey Ginger Cookies to unique Black & Tan Pretzel Bars, these mouth-watering desserts are sure to please even the toughest crowd!

Crispy and chewy, these Whiskey Ginger Cookies are filled with whiskey-infused cherries and drizzled with a shot of whiskey icing!  We featured this recipe last year for Father’s Day, but I think it would be perfect for the football-watching crowd too.  You can find Esther’s recipe for the Whiskey Ginger Cookies HERE.

And now for the second gameday sweet!  A layer of fudgy beer brownie topped with butterscotch ale ganache and salty pretzels!  These Black & Tan Pretzel Bars would definitely have the crowd roaring!

Black & Tan Pretzel Bars
{recipe and images shared by Batch from Scratch}

For the Beer Brownies:

4 oz Bittersweet Chocolate
8 oz Butter
1 Egg
3/4 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Cocoa
1 1/4 cup Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Vanilla
8 oz Beer (Malty)
8 oz Semi Sweet Chocolate

1. Melt bittersweet chocolate & butter (in microwave or double boiler)
2. beat egg, sugar and brown sugar for 3 minutes
3. while eggs & sugar are mixing, mix dry ingredients: cocoa, flour, salt
4. add melted chocolate to egg mixture
5. mix in dry ingredients
6. add vanilla and beer until incorporated
7. add semi-sweet chocolate
8. bake at 350 for 35 minutes until knife comes out clean

For the Butterscotch Ale Ganache:

7 oz Condensed Milk
5.5 oz Butterscotch
5.5 oz White Chocolate Chips
4 oz Ale
1 tbsp Butter

1. combine condensed milk, butterscotch, white chocolate and ale in a small pan, over medium heat
2. stir until melted and smooth
3. add in butter

For the topping:
1/3 cup Crushed Pretzels

Assembly

1. top baked stout brownies with ale ganache
2. top with 1/3 cup of crushed pretzels
3. refrigerate until firm, cut and serve

Whatever you plan for the big game, make sure you’ve got plenty of finger foods, cold drinks and a sweet treat for your guests!  Thanks to Esther of Batch from Scratch for sharing her crowd-pleasing recipes with us!  Now, who’s ready for some football!