Description
These Christmas Caramel Pretzel Bites are a festive and delicious holiday treat featuring soft caramel sandwiched between mini pretzels, drizzled with colorful red, green, and white candy melts, and topped with holiday sprinkles for a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 48 mini pretzel twists
- 12 soft caramels, unwrapped and cut in half
Candy Melts
- 1 cup red Candy Melts
- 1 cup green Candy Melts
- 1 cup white Candy Melts
- 1-2 Tablespoons vegetable shortening
Toppings
- Holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Arrange pretzels and top with caramel. Place half of the mini pretzel twists on the baking sheet in a single layer, then put a caramel half on top of each pretzel, centered.
- Bake the pretzels with caramel. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes or until the caramels are softened and melty.
- Top softened caramels with pretzels. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and immediately place a pretzel on top of each softened caramel half, pressing lightly to sandwich the caramel between pretzels. Leave on the baking sheet to cool completely.
- Melt red candy melts. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the red candy melts and 1 teaspoon of vegetable shortening. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each until smooth. Add more shortening, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed for a smooth consistency.
- Drizzle red candy melts. Transfer melted red candy to a piping bag or plastic bag with a small cut corner and drizzle over each pretzel bite to coat them evenly.
- Repeat melting and drizzling for green candy melts. Repeat the melting and drizzling process with the green candy melts and vegetable shortening over the pretzel bites.
- Repeat melting and drizzling for white candy melts. Repeat the process with white candy melts and vegetable shortening, drizzling over the pretzel bites.
- Add holiday sprinkles. Immediately after drizzling with white candy melts, sprinkle holiday-themed sprinkles over the pretzel bites.
- Allow candy melts to set. Let the candy melts fully harden and set before storing or serving the pretzel bites.
Notes
- Store pretzel bites in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week to keep them fresh.
- For longer storage, keep the bites refrigerated to maintain freshness, but be aware candy coating may sweat when brought to room temperature.
- Vegetable shortening helps candy melts achieve a smooth consistency for drizzling; do not skip or substitute with oils that might change texture.
- You can use pretzel rods instead of twists for a different shape and presentation.
- Holiday sprinkles can be customized to match any festive occasion or color theme.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pretzel bite
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
