A timeless favourite, home made chocolate-covered pretzels are at all times a crowd pleaser. Benefit from the crispy, crunchy texture inside a tender chocolate coating, with that salty-sweet taste combo nobody can resist.
I initially printed this recipe in 2012 and have since added new images and extra success ideas.
That is my go-to recipe for chocolate-covered pretzels. This may occasionally appear to be a very easy recipe, contemplating you actually solely want 3 elements, however belief me once I say these are at all times a smash hit with anybody and everybody!
You may make them as easy or as fancy as you need. Dip numerous dimensions and shapes of pretzels; use white, milk, or darkish chocolate (or all three!); add coloured sprinkles for holidays or to match a celebration theme… And also you don’t should restrict your self to sprinkles! Chopped nuts, crushed sweet canes, toffee bits, crushed Oreo crumbs… have enjoyable with it.
It’s at all times good to have a no-bake deal with to accompany your different Christmas cookies. It’s what I like about caramel corn, peanut butter balls, and rum balls, too.
And if utilizing pretzels which can be labeled gluten free, this makes an ideal gluten-free dessert, as properly.
Why You’ll Love Them:
- Simple no-bake recipe
- Preserve them easy, or costume them up with colourful sprinkles and chocolate drizzles
- A tin of those makes a beautiful reward
- Lengthy shelf life
- If utilizing pretzels labeled gluten free, makes an ideal gluten-free dessert
The Greatest Pretzels to Use
Most sizes and styles of pretzels work for dipping in chocolate, whether or not that’s massive or small pretzel twists, thick pretzel rods, honey wheat braided twists, and even vacation shapes. My favourite is the mini twists, which I believe present the proper ratio of candy, tender chocolate to salty, crunchy pretzel!
Clearly you’ll need to keep away from flavored pretzels, just like the honey mustard selection!
Greatest Chocolate to Use for Dipping Pretzels
With regards to melting chocolate for coating pretzels—or peanut butter balls, Oreo balls, peppermint bark, you get the concept!—I at all times suggest chopping up actual, high quality chocolate.
For the best-looking and best-tasting chocolate-covered pretzels, begin with actual chocolate. Use the 4-ounce “baking chocolate” bars you will discover within the baking aisle of the grocery retailer. I desire Baker’s or Ghirardelli manufacturers. Melting wafers additionally work, and for these, I like to recommend Ghirardelli model. You should use milk, semi-sweet, darkish, or white chocolate to coat your pretzels.
Don’t use chocolate chips, which include stabilizers to forestall them from melting easily. Save them to your chocolate chip cookies.
A splash of vegetable oil thins out the chocolate so it’s the very best consistency for dipping. For those who discover your chocolate continues to be too thick, add a bit of extra vegetable oil. Coconut oil works too, however I like to recommend vegetable oil for finest outcomes. (And if utilizing melting wafers, no want so as to add oil.)
Easy methods to Make Chocolate-Lined Pretzels
Soften the chocolate: You should use a double boiler, however I normally simply use the microwave. Place the chopped chocolate, together with the oil, in a microwave-safe bowl or glass liquid measuring cup. Microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after every increment, till utterly melted and easy.
Dip: Drop a pretzel twist within the melted chocolate, and carry it again out once more with a fork. Faucet the fork gently on the facet of the bowl/measuring cup to permit extra chocolate to drip off. Use a toothpick (or one other fork) to slip the dipped pretzel onto the lined baking sheet. (If utilizing pretzel rods, merely maintain one finish and dip the opposite finish within the chocolate.)
You actually can. I’ve a Easy methods to Mood Chocolate tutorial in my cookbook, Sally’s Sweet Dependancy, and there are various accessible on-line. Tempering chocolate is a technique of fastidiously and slowly heating and cooling chocolate. The good thing about tempering is that it maintains that scrumptious “snap” when biting into the chocolate. Additionally, when merely melting chocolate (with out tempering), chances are you’ll discover a boring look and streaks within the chocolate because it units. When tempering, chocolate stays a bit shiny, and the streaks don’t type.
Permit the chocolate to set. If desired, evenly sprinkle every with sprinkles whereas chocolate continues to be moist. I like utilizing nonpareils right here, that are the teeny-tiny coloured balls. However any sprinkles work!
And if in case you have leftover chocolate, be happy to drizzle it on prime—you should utilize a spoon or squeeze bottle for that. Place the baking sheet with the chocolate-covered pretzels within the fridge to set the chocolate. It ought to set in about half-hour, after which you possibly can switch the pretzels to a container, tin, bag… or your mouth.
Basic Chocolate Lined Pretzels
Prep Time: half-hour
Prepare dinner Time: 0 minutes
Complete Time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 cups pretzels
Class: Dessert
Methodology: Coating
Delicacies: American
Description
Chocolate lined pretzels are so easy to make, but at all times a crowd-pleaser. Have enjoyable with all of the variations together with totally different formed pretzels, white chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate, and numerous toppings like sprinkles, crushed sweet canes, Oreo cookie crumbs, and extra. See recipe Notes for extra concepts.
Directions
- Line a big baking sheet with parchment paper. Put aside.
- Soften the chocolate with the oil: You possibly can soften it in a double boiler or use the microwave. If utilizing the microwave: place the chocolate and oil in a medium heat-proof bowl. I like to recommend utilizing a deep bowl or a 2-cup liquid measuring cup as a result of its depth makes dipping very easy. Microwave for 20-second increments, stirring after every, till chocolate is totally melted and easy.
- Dip a pretzel within the melted chocolate. Use a fork to carry it out, and faucet the fork on the facet of the bowl to permit extra chocolate to drip off. Place every pretzel on the lined baking sheet and, if utilizing, prime with sprinkles whereas the chocolate continues to be moist. If in case you have leftover melted chocolate, you possibly can reheat it (if wanted to maintain it fluid) and drizzle it on prime of the coated pretzels. I normally use a squeeze bottle for drizzling.
- Refrigerate to set the chocolate, about 20–half-hour. As soon as chocolate is ready, retailer the chocolate-covered pretzels in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 1 week or within the fridge for as much as 2 weeks.
Notes
- Freezing Directions: As soon as the chocolate units, you possibly can layer the coated pretzels between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-friendly container. Freeze as much as 3 months. Thaw within the fridge or at room temperature. After thawing, the chocolate could seem boring and streaky, however it’s advantageous to eat.
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Baking Sheet | Parchment Paper | Double Boiler or Liquid Measuring Cup | Squeeze Bottle
- Chocolate: For the best-looking and -tasting pretzels, use 4-ounce “baking chocolate” bars discovered within the baking aisle. I desire Baker’s or Ghirardelli manufacturers. You want two 4-ounce bars for this recipe, 8 ounces complete. You should use milk, semi-sweet, bittersweet, or white chocolate. You could possibly additionally use chocolate melting wafers, equivalent to Ghirardelli model. Sweet melts or almond bark work too, however they don’t style like actual chocolate. Don’t use chocolate chips as a result of they include stabilizers stopping them from melting into the right consistency for coating.
- Oil: Vegetable oil helps skinny out the chocolate so it simply coats the candies. For those who’re utilizing chocolate melting wafers, you do not want so as to add oil. Coconut oil works, however the chocolate isn’t fairly as skinny. I’ve discovered vegetable oil is the only option. Don’t use butter.
- Enjoyable Variations: Dip numerous dimensions and shapes of pretzels; use white, milk, or darkish chocolate (or all three!); add coloured sprinkles for holidays or to match a celebration theme, and also you don’t should restrict your self to sprinkles! Chopped nuts, crushed sweet canes, toffee bits, crushed Oreo crumbs… have enjoyable with it.