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Everyone goes crazy for these Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods dipped in melted caramel and chocolate and sprinkled with your favorite toppings. Wrap them in little cellophane bags for the perfect holiday gift for teachers, neighbors and friends!
My warm kitchen filled with the aroma from sweet and spicy holiday treats makes our home all the more cozy and alluring! Some of our easy favorites include Christmas Crack (Graham Cracker Toffee Bars), Salted Chocolate and Caramel Pretzel Bars, and Christmas Cornflake Wreaths.
The salty crunch of a pretzel, paired with chocolate and caramel is a match that can't be beat! What we love the MOST about chocolate covered pretzel rods in particular is that they're easy and fun to make with family and friends. Renewing bonds with people we love is, after all, what the holidays are really about.
The process for making chocolate covered pretzel rods is pretty straightforward, however, a strategic approach and some tried and true tips make for less of a mess and much better tasting and looking results.
Ingredients:
- The right pretzels. You want good, sturdy pretzel rods. I love Snyder’s. Clancy’s from Aldi work well too. Avoid Walmart and Rold Gold; they break too easily.
- The right chocolate. It’s important to use high quality chocolate as not all chocolate melts well. I prefer Ghirardelli baking chocolate bars from the baking aisle. They melt perfectly and taste great! Avoid chocolate chips, they do not melt in the way you want. For white chocolate, use Ghirardelli melting wafers. If you want to make pretzel rods in bulk, for a large group or many gifts, use chocolate melting wafers or chocolate almond bark, which is inexpensive and melts really well (the taste is good, just not as good as pure chocolate).
- The right Caramel. From scratch, homemade caramel will taste amazing; it's easy to make but it does take about an hour. Melted Kraft caramel bits or wrapped caramel candy squares work well too.
- The toppings. In small bowls set out crushed heath bars, coconut, mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, crushed oreos, white chocolate to drizzle, or any other toppings you'd like.
How to Make Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods:
- Prepare two large baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Prepare the caramel: Make your own or melt store-bought in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Coat Pretzel Rods in caramel by using a spoon to scoop the caramel onto the pretzels and turn as you go. Place on baking sheet.
- Set up your toppings in little bowls with tablespoons for quick and easy access.
- Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and pour into a tall glass.
- Dip the caramel-coated pretzels in melted chocolate and lay on baking sheet.
- Immediately sprinkle with other toppings such as mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, etc.
- Allow chocolate to set before eating, storing or gift-wrapping. Briefly putting them in the fridge, freezer or garage (if you live up North) will free up your trays faster.
PRO TIPS:
- Pooled Caramel: Warm caramel will likely pool at the base of the pretzel bars. Once cool, just roll the pretzels (or use your fingers) to smooth it back onto the pretzel rod. This will help you produce beautiful round pretzels!
- Dipping Tips: Use a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth the warm caramel and chocolate into a thin layer around the pretzel. This will prevent excessive puddling when you set them on the tray and your chocolate will go farther. A rubber spatula is also very useful to gather the chocolate in a little mound in your dipping glass so you can continue to dip and roll as it begins to run low.
- Gifting: Chocolate covered pretzel rods look beautiful displayed in cellophane bags, a few in each, tied with a fun ribbon. You could also place them in decorative Christmas tin. Walmart carries them, among others.
Make Ahead And Storage Instructions:
Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods can be made up to one week ahead of being gifted or consumed. After that they tend to lose their freshness. Store in an air-tight container in a cool, dry area.
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Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods
Ingredients
For the Caramel: *see Notes for a faster caramel method
- 40 Pretzel Rods
- 16 ounces chocolate*
- 1/2 batch homemade caramel*, , or 1 bag store-bought caramels
Instructions
- Prepare two large baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Prepare homemade caramel (or melt store-bought caramels). Remove from heat. Allow homemade caramel to cool for about 15 minutes before dipping.
- Dip Pretzel Rods in caramel. I use a spoon to scoop the sauce onto the pretzels and turn them as I go. Allow excess sauce to drip off and place the dipped pretzels on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- After the caramel sets and cools some of it may pool at the base of the pretzel, causing the bottom to be flat. Use your hands to mold the caramel back around the rod (or just roll the rod gently on the parchment paper to smooth it around).
- Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, on half power, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth.
- Pour the chocolate into a tall glass. Dip the caramel-coated pretzels in melted chocolate. You can use a spoon or spatula to help smooth the chocolate up and around if you need to.
- Lay the dipped pretzels on a parchment lined sheet. While the chocolate is warm, you can sprinkle on a few light weight toppings or sprinkles, if desired.
- Allow the chocolate to set up before eating or removing from parchment.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience. I originally shared this recipe in December 2014. Updated December 2020. This post contains affiliate links. I love sharing my favorite products with you.
I bought sweetend condensed milk instead..v would that work? Or does it need to be evaporated milk..
Thanks I am excited to try it?
Becca
Hi Becca, this recipe needs evaporated milk. There are other homemade caramel recipes out there that use sweetened condensed though, it you want to try one.
Hi These look great, I made them but the Carmel got rock hard. I used the Carmel bits. I’m thinking I over-cooked the Carmel. Your thoughts? Thank you so much.
Luann
HI Luann, Did you microwave the caramel bits, next time just microwave them until they barely melt–if you cook them too long, they will be too hard when cool.
Hi Laura! I am making these on short notice! Where can I find the caramel bits besides online? Safeway? Walmart?
Help please:)
Hi Alex, I know my Walmart has them. I’ve seen them in all of my local grocery stores, near the chocolate chips. Good luck!
Could I use a sugar substitute (likeStevia)?
Hi Linda, a sugar substitute wouldn’t work for the homemade caramels. Sorry!
Could you spread a little peanut butter on the pretzel, refrigerate, and then dip in chocolate? I think that sounds great.
Hi Donna, that could definitely work. Just make sure the peanut butter is cold so it doesn’t melt into the chocolate when you dip them. Another idea is to make a peanut butter sauce that would set a little better (like the peanut butter sauce from this recipe: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/chocolate-peanut-butter-pretzel-bars/ )
Sounds amazing! Let me know how it turns out!
This is exactly what I needed! I’m looking for ideas for a bake sale that our boy scout troop is doing next month. These will be perfect – thank you!
Prefect–what a great idea! Hope you enjoy them!
I slipped the parchment paper with carmel pretzels onto a cookie sheet and into refrig to speed up carmel hardening .
Do you use 1 stick of butter (as indicated in the ingredients) or 2 sticks as described in the directions?
1 stick of butter! Thanks
In process of making these and the caramel did not really come together as described. My caramel looks thin after cooking for about 20-25 minutes as I stirred so wouldn’t bubble over pot. Only making a few with this thin layer of caramel. The rest will be chocolate covered.
Hi Georgia, next time be sure to cook the caramel longer, and test it with the ice water method. It’s ready when you can mold it with your fingers and it holds together well. You could also use a candy thermometer to help determine if it’s ready.
How many pretzels does this recipe make?
These were a very large pain in the butt to make. Time will tell if the chocolate sets up…the caramel, while delicious, remained so “soft but still pliable” that it wouldn’t keep its shape. Now, it is up to the chocolate to harden enough to keep it all together…..not looking good, as it is pooling pretty badly….of course I can always “shave” that part off…. so, three plus hours later, the end result is chilling in the fridge and I am cleaning my kitchen. Not exactly fast and easy. And, how I can pack and wrap these for gift giving is beyond me….messy.