Description
Delicious homemade chocolate covered pretzels featuring semisweet baking chocolate dipped pretzel rods, optionally drizzled with vanilla almond bark and topped with your favorite sprinkles and nuts. Perfect for gifting or snacking, these treats combine salty and sweet in an easy-to-make recipe.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 24 whole pretzel rods (1 10/12 oz. bag)
- 12 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable shortening
- 1 teaspoon corn syrup
Toppings
- 3 ounces vanilla/white almond bark, chopped (optional)
- Sprinkles, crushed candy canes, toffee bits, mini candies, chopped nuts, crushed Oreos/cookies, shredded coconut, etc. (optional, quantity as desired)
Instructions
- Prep: Line a very large-rimmed baking sheet or your counter with parchment paper and set aside. Prepare any toppings you want to use by chopping or measuring them out.
- Melt Chocolate: In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the semisweet baking chocolate, coconut oil or vegetable shortening, and corn syrup. Microwave at 50% power for 60 seconds, then stir. Continue microwaving at 50% power in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth.
- Dip Pretzels: Transfer the melted chocolate into a glass to make dipping easier. Quickly dip each pretzel rod into the chocolate, swirling it so the chocolate covers about two-thirds of the rod. Allow excess chocolate to drip off, then place the dipped pretzel onto the parchment paper.
- Toppings: Immediately sprinkle your desired toppings over the chocolate-coated pretzels. Leave some rods without toppings if you plan to drizzle them with white almond bark. If the chocolate cools and hardens too much during dipping, reheat it briefly at 50% power and stir.
- Set: Let the pretzels set at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes until the chocolate hardens. Avoid refrigerating to prevent white streaks or pooling.
- White Drizzle (Optional): Place the chopped vanilla almond bark and 1/4 teaspoon coconut oil or shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then continue microwaving at 15-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted but not too thin. Let it rest if it becomes too runny.
- Decorate: Transfer the melted almond bark to a plastic bag and snip a small hole in one corner. Drizzle the white chocolate over selected pretzel rods, then immediately add toppings if desired.
- Final Set: Allow the pretzels to set for an additional 30 minutes at room temperature until the drizzle hardens completely.
Notes
- Use vanilla almond bark for the white drizzle instead of white chocolate because almond bark melts smoothly, does not require tempering, and sets with a firm, glossy finish.
- Avoid adding water-based flavorings such as vanilla extract as water causes chocolate to seize. Instead, use oil-based or candy flavoring oils.
- Feel free to experiment with various toppings like sprinkles, nuts, crushed candy canes, toffee bits, and shredded coconut to customize your pretzels.
- If the chocolate hardens during dipping, simply gently reheat it at 50% power in the microwave and stir to maintain a smooth texture.
- Allow pretzels to set at room temperature to prevent white streaking and pooling which can occur if refrigerated.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pretzel rod
- Calories: 160 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
