A timeless favorite, homey Chocolate covered pretzels Always a crowd pleaser. Enjoy a crisp, crunchy texture inside a soft chocolate coating, with this salty-sweet flavor combo no one can resist.
I originally published this recipe in 2012. And since then added new images and additional achievement points.
This is my go-to recipe for chocolate covered pretzels. This may seem like an overly simple recipe, considering you really only need 3 ingredients, but trust me when I say that these are always a huge hit with everyone!
You can make them as simple or fancy as you want. Dip different sizes and shapes of pretzels; Use white, milk, or dark chocolate (or all three!); Add colorful sprinkles for the holidays or to match the party theme… and you don’t have to limit yourself to sprinkles! Chopped nuts, crushed candy canes, toffee bits, crushed Oreo crumbs…have fun with it.
It’s always nice to have a novelty treat with your significant other. Christmas cookies. This is what I love about it. Caramel corn, Peanut butter ballsand Rum ballstoo
And if using pretzels that are labeled gluten-free, it makes great. Gluten free dessertas well as that.
Why you’ll love them:
- Easy no-bake recipe
- Keep them plain, or dress them up with colorful sprinkles and chocolate drizzle.
- A ton of these makes a wonderful gift.
- Long shelf life
- It’s great if using pretzels labeled gluten-free. Gluten free dessert
Best pretzels to use
Most shapes and sizes of pretzels work for dipping in chocolate, whether they are large or small pretzel twists, thick pretzel rods, honey wheat braid twists, or even holiday shapes. My favorite is the mini twist, which I think provides the perfect ratio of sweet, soft chocolate to salty, crunchy pretzels!
Obviously you’ll want to avoid flavored pretzels, like the honey mustard variety!
The perfect chocolate to use for dipping pretzels
When it comes to melting chocolate for coating pretzels. Peanut butter balls, Oreo balls, Peppermint barkyou get the idea!—I always recommend real, quality chocolate chunks.
For the best-looking and best-tasting chocolate-covered pretzels, start with real chocolate. Use 4-ounce “baking chocolate” bars that you can find in the baking aisle of the grocery store. I prefer Baker’s or Ghirardelli brands. Melting wafers also work, and for these, I recommend the Ghirardelli brand. You can use milk, semi-sweet, dark or white chocolate to coat your pretzels.
Do not use chocolate chips, which contain stabilizers to prevent them from melting easily. Save them for yourself. Chocolate Chip Cookies.
A drizzle of vegetable oil thins the chocolate so it’s the perfect consistency for dipping. If you think your chocolate is still too thick, add a little more vegetable oil. Coconut oil also works, but I recommend vegetable oil for best results. (And no need to add oil if using melting wafers.)
How to Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Melt the chocolate: You can use a Double boilerbut I usually just use the microwave. Place the chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl or glass liquid measuring cup with the oil. Microwave in 20 second increments, stirring after each increment, until completely melted and smooth.
Dip: Dip a pretzel twist into the melted chocolate, and pull it out again with a fork. Gently tap the fork against the bowl/measuring cup to allow more chocolate to drip out. Use a toothpick (or other fork) to slide the dipped pretzels onto the lined baking sheet. (If using pretzel sticks, just hold one end and dip the other end in the chocolate.)
You certainly can. I have a recipe for tempering chocolate in my cookbook, Sally’s Candy Addictionand many more are available online. Tempering chocolate is a method of carefully and slowly heating and cooling chocolate. The benefit of tempering is that it maintains that delicious “snap” when biting into the chocolate. Also, when chocolate is simply melted (without tempering), you’ll notice a dull texture and streaks as the chocolate sets. When tempering takes place, the chocolate remains slightly shiny, and streaks do not form.
Let the chocolate set. If desired, sprinkle each one lightly while the chocolate is still wet. I like to use non-pearls here, which are little colored balls. But no sprinkler works!
And if you have leftover chocolate, feel free to drizzle it over the top – you can use a spoon or Squeeze bottle For this, place the baking sheet with the chocolate-covered pretzels in the refrigerator to set the chocolate. It should set in about 30 minutes, and then you can transfer the pretzels to a container, tin, bag…or your mouth.
Classic Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 0 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Production: 4 cups pretzels
Category: sweet
Method: Coating
food: American
Description
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Melt the chocolate with the oil: You can melt it in a. Double boiler Or use a microwave. If using the microwave: Place the chocolate and oil in a medium heatproof bowl. I recommend using a deep bowl or 2 cups. Liquid measuring cup Because its depth makes it really easy to dive. Microwave for 20 second increments, stirring after each, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
- Dip a pretzel in the melted chocolate. Use a fork to scoop it out, and tap the fork on the side of the bowl to let the excess chocolate drip off. Place each pretzel on a lined baking sheet and sprinkle the top, if using, while the chocolate is wet. If you have leftover melted chocolate, you can reheat it (if it needs to be liquid) and drizzle it over the coated pretzels. I usually use one. Squeeze bottle For drizzle
- Refrigerate to set chocolate, about 20-30 minutes. Once the chocolate is set, store the chocolate-covered pretzels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: After the chocolate has set, you can place the coated pretzels between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-friendly container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. After melting, the chocolate may look dull and streaky, but it’s fine to use.
- Special tools (Affiliate Links): Baking sheet | Parchment paper | Double boiler or Liquid measuring cup | Squeeze bottle
- Chocolate: For the best-looking and best-tasting pretzels, use the 4-ounce “baking chocolate” bars found in the baking aisle. I prefer Baker’s or Ghirardelli brands. You need two 4-ounce bars for this recipe, 8 ounces total. You can use milk, semi-sweet, dark or white chocolate. You can also use chocolate melt wafers, such as the Ghirardelli brand. Candy melts or almond bark also work, but they don’t taste like real chocolate. Do not use chocolate chips. Because they contain stabilizers that prevent them from melting into the correct consistency for coating.
- oil: The vegetable oil helps thin the chocolate so it coats the candies more easily. If you are using melted chocolate wafers, you don’t need to add oil. Coconut oil works, but chocolate isn’t thin enough. I have found that vegetable oil is the best choice. Do not use butter.
- Fun Variations: Dip different sizes and shapes of pretzels; Use white, milk, or dark chocolate (or all three!). Add colorful sprinkles for the holidays or to match the party theme, and you don’t have to limit yourself to sprinkles! Chopped nuts, crushed candy canes, toffee bits, crushed Oreo crumbs…have fun with it.