Chocolate-Covered Holiday Pretzel Rods
Chocolate-covered pretzel rods make a delightful holiday treat. They’re perfect for festive occasions and can be customized with various toppings. Holiday-themed pretzel rods also serve as a great homemade gift for relatives and friends during the Christmas season.
Best of all, they’re so easy to make! You really can’t go wrong when it comes to making these treats, and it’s a fun activity when you’ve got your kids in the kitchen with you. If your kids have friends visiting, or you have a few kids over for a homeschool co-op, you can go next level with a pretzel rod decorating contest!
Here’s a simple recipe for you. As you’ll see, there are only two main ingredients, with the toppings as additional ingredients. You can add as many or as few of those as you’d like. Kids often love the bright, colorful toppings like sprinkles and M&Ms. But a quick drizzle of a contrasting color also makes for a classy and tasty treat.
Holiday Chocolate-Covered Pretzel Rods
Ingredients for the pretzel rods:
- One 10-ounce bag of pretzel rods (Snyders of Hanover is a personal favorite)
- 8-10 ounces of high-quality chocolate (dark, milk, or white, depending on your preference)
- Decorations for the pretzel rods: these can be holiday-themed sprinkles, crushed candy canes, miniature M&Ms, chopped nuts, or any desired toppings. You can also melt a different kind of chocolate, such as white chocolate melting wafers or green mint chocolate melts for a festive touch.
Instructions on making your holiday pretzel rods:
1. Prepare Your Toppings:
If you’re using toppings like crushed candy canes or chopped nuts, prepare them in advance and set them aside. This is a part even young kids can do. An easy way to crush candy canes is by putting a candy cane between two sheets of wax paper and using a rolling pin to crush it into pieces. If you use a blender or food processor, you might end up with candy cane powder instead of small pieces.
2. Melt the Chocolate:
Break the chocolate into small pieces and place them in a heatproof bowl. Melt the chocolate using a double boiler or in short intervals in the microwave, stirring each time until it is smooth. Don’t add water or milk to “thin” it out; the chocolate will seize and become chunky and you won’t be able to use it at all.
3. Dip Pretzel Rods:
Holding a pretzel rod at one end, dip it into the melted chocolate, turning it to coat evenly. Allow the excess chocolate to drip off, or you can scrape it off gently using the edge of the bowl. Gently is the key word here. But do make sure that you let the extra chocolate drip off somehow or you’ll end up with a puddle of chocolate on the wax paper.
4. Add Toppings:
While the chocolate is still wet, roll the chocolate-covered pretzel rod in your chosen toppings. You can also sprinkle the toppings over the pretzel rod if you prefer a more random pattern. Seriously, just have fun with this! There are no specific guidelines other than that.
5. Set on Parchment Paper:
Place the chocolate-covered pretzel rods on a parchment paper-lined tray or silicone baking sheet. Make sure they are not touching each other to avoid sticking.
6. Allow to Set:
Let the chocolate-covered pretzels set at room temperature or, for a quicker setting, place them in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes.
7. Optional Drizzle:
If you want to add extra flair, melt a small amount of contrasting chocolate and drizzle it over the set pretzel rods.
8. Package for Gifting:
Once completely set, you can individually wrap the pretzel rods in festive cellophane or place them in decorative boxes for gifting. You’ll even find pretzel rod bags with ties specifically for gifting!
The pretzel rods would be a lovely gift alongside a spicy snack mix!
These holiday chocolate-covered pretzel rods are not only delicious but also a fun activity for family and friends. Enjoy the sweet and salty combination that makes them a crowd pleaser at any holiday gathering! Happy holidays and happy snacking!
