These chocolate covered pretzels are made with pretzel twists or pretzel rods coated in dark and white chocolate and topped with sprinkles. A super easy candy that’s perfect for parties and gift giving and can be customized for any occasion.
I love giving homemade candy to family and friends, some of my favorites include peppermint patties and crock pot candy. These chocolate covered pretzels are a salty sweet treat that are fun to make and look so impressive!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but also the busiest time of the year! There are so many events to go to and so many gifts to give, and there’s just not enough hours in the day to bake for everyone. That’s where these chocolate covered pretzels come into play – they take just minutes to make and you can dress them up for any holiday!
How do you make chocolate covered pretzels?
For this recipe you’ll need three main ingredients: pretzels, candy melts and sprinkles. You can use pretzel twists, pretzel rods, or a combination of the two. The pretzels are coated in chocolate, then they get a festive dusting of sprinkles. From there, all you have to do is wait for them to dry!
What kind of chocolate do you use for dipping pretzels?
I recommend using candy melts for this recipe, as they melt smoothly, are easy to work with, and you don’t have to worry about tempering them. I use Ghirardelli Melting Wafers, which can be found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. They melt beautifully and taste great. If you want to use real chocolate chips, you can add some shortening to the melted chocolate to thin it out and make it easier for dipping.
Tips for chocolate covered pretzels
- Melt your candy melts in a tall glass for chocolate covered pretzel rods. All you have to do is dip your pretzel into the glass for a perfect coating.
- You can use any type of sprinkles that you like. Other great topping options include finely chopped nuts, toffee bits, or finely shredded coconut.
- Chocolate covered pretzels are perfect for gift giving – simply package them up in cellophane bags with a festive ribbon.
How do you melt chocolate for dipping pretzels?
I use the microwave to melt my chocolate candy. Place your candy melts in a bowl, then microwave in 30 second increments until melted. Stir until smooth.
How long do chocolate covered pretzels last?
Chocolate covered pretzels will last for up to 2 weeks when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. I don’t recommend freezing or refrigerating the pretzels as condensation will form on the chocolate layer when it’s chilled.
I always serve chocolate covered pretzel rods at parties – they’re fun to eat and I love that they can be made in advance. Whether you’re serving your pretzels as a party snack or packaging them up for gifts, you’ll be sure to get rave reviews!
More sweet treats
Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Ingredients
- 50 miniature pretzel twists or 24 pretzel rods
- 12 ounces chocolate chips or candy melts milk, white, dark or any combination
- 1/2 cup sprinkles
- 1 tablespoon shortening ONLY if using chocolate chips, you do not need to add shortening to candy melts.
Instructions
- Place the chocolate or candy melts in a microwave safe bowl. If you're using chocolate chips, add the shortening to the bowl. You do not need to use shortening if you're using candy melts.
- Microwave in 30 second increments or until chocolate is melted. Stir until smooth.
- If you're dipping pretzel rods, pour the chocolate into a tall glass and dip each rod halfway into the chocolate. Tap the rod against the side of the glass to remove excess chocolate, then coat each rod in sprinkles and set on parchment to dry.
- If you're dipping pretzel twists, use a fork to coat each pretzel in chocolate, then tap the fork against the side of the bowl to remove excess chocolate. Use a toothpick to slide each pretzel off the fork onto parchment paper, then top each pretzel with sprinkles.
- Let the pretzels sit until dry. Serve, or store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Bernadette says
I did my melting the old fashioned way in a glass bowl on top of the stove using a pan as a broiler. After seeing the comments about the chocolate getting cold, I left the bowl in the hot water while I dipped the pretzels. I had a 1/4 cup of chocolate left and took some crushed pretzels, almonds and tiny marshmallows and made a big plate that I will break up once it cools. It was fast and I enjoyed this recipe.
Valli says
It took me two tries but they were great in the end. The first time, I microwaved the chocolate 30 seconds too long and it started to get hard again – burnt I suppose. Good thing I only used 1/4 of the chocolate:)
Ellie Adair says
What if you don’t have chocolate OR candy melts?
Sara says
Unfortunately there’s no substitute!
Helene says
These turned out really good, I found Christmas-themed pretzels at Aldi and then used white and dark chocolate baking wafers for the chocolate. I used chopsticks instead of a fork and toothpick, and those worked beautifully. I had to reheat the chocolate a few times, but that’s to be expected with how many pretzels I had and the fact that the chocolate was beginning to cool. I used the dark chocolate to drizzle over the top, along with sprinkles. These are delicious and were fun to make with my mom. A bit time consuming but well worth it!
Jean Stocks says
I followed instructions but found that when the chocolate starts to cool, it thickens, making it difficult to “dip” the rods into the chocolate. I stirred the melt candy melts til smooth, but maybe I didn’t melt long enough? Any suggestions?
Sara says
If it thickens you can just put it back in the microwave for 10-15 seconds so it melts again!
Hillary says
I made these with peanut butter chips instead and they were to die for. Thanks for the recipe!
Jayne says
Can I use butter instead of shortening?
Sara says
Yes that’s fine!
Marla says
Easy and delicious! I put them in clear bags with red and green ribbons for friends small gifts!