This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Dipped pretzel rods are one of our family’s favorite treats during the holidays. These treats are so delicious and addicting!
Pretzel rods are one of our go-to holiday treats that we love to gift to friends and neighbors along with Homemade Turtles, Christmas Crack, and Homemade Fudge!
What’s not to love?!
This delicious recipe for pretzel rods (a MUST-HAVE for Christmas) comes from my cousin’s wife, Karen.
Yes, I have had them many times at events and boutiques, but hers are by far the best we’ve had!!
Here’s why we love these chocolate covered pretzel rods:
- Caramel. The homemade caramel is so soft and buttery.
- Sweet and salty. The salty pretzel rods paired with the caramel and chocolate make the best flavor.
- Easy. Dipped pretzel rods are simple to make, but do require a few steps, especially since we used homemade caramel. Trust me, it’s worth it!
If you are a fan of chocolate covered ANYTHING, then you should absolutely try these out. It’s a treat you can’t resist!
Ingredients
- pretzel rods – about 30 rods
- chocolate candy melts – We used Ghirardelli melting chocolates (white chocolate, semi-sweet or dark chocolate all work). It is much like almond bark and chocolate wafers or Candiquick which can be used instead.
- Both Candiquick and Ghiradelli come in vanilla, which is nice to use if you want to dip in a colored coating. Simply mix in a few drops of food coloring to the melted candy.
- toppings and sprinkles
- brown sugar
- sweetened condensed milk
- light corn syrup
- unsalted butter
- vanilla extract
How to Make Pretzel Rods
- CARAMEL. Make caramel sauce by melting your butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, milk, and corn syrup. Boil over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly. Around 240°F (mixture will get thicker, a little shiny, and a tad darker). Remove from heat, add vanilla, and stir.
- DIP. Dip each pretzel in caramel and set on wax paper. You can choose to repeat this step for extra gooey pretzels.
- CHOCOLATE. While caramel is setting, melt 16 ounces of chocolate according to package directions. When caramel is just a tad sticky to the touch, carefully lift rod and dip in melted chocolate. Place on a clean sheet of wax paper to harden.
- TOPPINGS. Be sure to sprinkle your preferred toppings immediately, before chocolate has set so that it sticks to the pretzels. For a beautiful white drizzle, wait for chocolate to harden, then melt a few squares of the white candy quick and drizzle over the top.
Toppings. Here are a few of our favorite ingredients to sprinkle on top before the chocolate hardens and sets:
- crushed Butterfinger, Heath bits, mini M&Ms, or crushed Oreo cookies
- coconut flakes, mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, or crushed candy canes
Recipe Tips
Get the best looking chocolate pretzel rods with these quick tips.
- Smooth caramel. After you have placed the dipped caramel rods onto parchment paper to set, you may notice some caramel pooling at the bottom. Just let the caramel cool and set a bit. Then, when it is still pliable, use your fingers to smooth the caramel around the pretzel stick.
- Holiday ready. Easily change up the type of sprinkle and the colors used based on the special occasion. These make great treats for Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Easter, Christmas, birthdays, Tuesdays – really any occasion.
- Toppings. Here are a few of ideas of toppings:
- crushed Butterfinger, Heath bits, mini M&Ms, or crushed Oreo cookies
- coconut flakes, mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, or crushed candy canes
Store or Gift!
- STORE. This recipe for pretzel rods are partially covered, meaning some of the pretzels can be seen after dipping. The coated pretzels can last in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks at room temperature. If you choose to cover the entire pretzel rod, then they will last even longer.
- Great for gifts. This pretzel rods recipe makes a wonderful gift for any holiday. I wouldn’t make them more than 2-3 days ahead of time. This way they are still fresh and will last for several days once the recipient has them.
- I like to put several pretzel rods in a large candy bag and tie it closed with a festive ribbon. You can also put them in a holiday tin.
For more Holiday treats, try:
Pretzel Rods Recipe
Dipped pretzel rods are one of our family's favorite treats during the holidays. These treats are so delicious and addicting!
Ingredients
Pretzels
- 1 (12-ounce) bag pretzel rods about 30 rods
- 1 (16-ounce) package chocolate candy quick
- desired toppings and sprinkles
Homemade Caramel Sauce
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make caramel sauce by melting your butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, milk, and corn syrup. Boil over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly. Around 240°F (mixture will get thicker, a little shiny, and a tad darker). Remove from heat, add vanilla, and stir.
- Dip each pretzel in caramel and set on wax paper. You can choose to repeat this step for extra gooey pretzels.
- While caramel is setting, melt entire tray of chocolate candy quick according to package directions.
- When caramel is just a tad sticky to the touch, carefully lift rod and dip in chocolate. Place on a clean sheet of wax paper to harden.
- Be sure to sprinkle your preferred toppings immediately, before chocolate has set so that it sticks to the pretzels.
- For a beautiful white drizzle, wait for chocolate to harden, then melt a few squares of the white candy quick and drizzle over the top.
Video
Notes
If you wish to dip two colors of pretzel rods you will only need to melt ½ of the package of chocolate candy quick and ½ a package of vanilla candy quick.
Nutrition
Calories: 222kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 11mg, Sodium: 163mg, Potassium: 106mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 29g, Vitamin A: 120IU, Vitamin C: 0.5mg, Calcium: 45mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These are so fun, easy and delicious. We actually used these as a 4-H project!
My grand children would love these. Heck I could eat them. Love peppermint and the chocolate , how can you pass thee up. Another treat for the holidays.
I love these pretzel rods. Would love to win your cookbook
Hi. I make these pretzel rods quite often. I want to make white ones with a pearl or opalescent type drizzle for a wedding. What would you suggest? I’m hesitant to add anything to melts for fear of seizing up. There is this stuff called Cake Drips, have you used it? There is a very find edible glitter but I don’t know if I can add it to the melts. Help!
I can’t say I have much experience with the decorating part of it. Perhaps you could dip in white chocolate and then drizzle with white/vanilla melts and add pretty sprinkles/edible glitter before it dries. Then it wouldn’t make the melts seize up but would still make it fancy/shimmery. Just an idea!
So yummy
The homemade caramel sauce really makes these super yummy. Kids also love using different toppings to decorate the rods.
This is a fun recipe to do at home. I love making these for gifts around any holiday.
Very easy and so good!