Chocolate Covered Pretzels are a sweet and salty no-fuss treat to satisfy your sweet tooth. Make with real chocolate and top with flaky sea salt for a quick and crunchy snack. Enjoy them on your own or gift them to friends or family for birthday or holidays!
These decadent treats are easily customizable. Our favorite is a simple combination of dark chocolate and sea salt. But we also like to add sprinkles or nuts. If you want extra chocolatey goodness, drizzle white, ruby, or dark chocolate on the pretzels. Whatever you try, you can't go wrong!
Looking for a unique chocolate dipped alternative? Check out our Matcha White Chocolate Strawberries, Chocolate Covered Marshmallows, or Chocolate Covered Banana Bites.
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About Chocolate Covered Pretzels
- Taste - The combination of savory pretzels and rich chocolate is delicious and satisfying.
- Texture - The outside chocolate shell is firm while the pretzels have a light crunch.
- Effort - Just melt the chocolate, dip the pretzels, wait for them to chill in the freezer, then enjoy!
- Time - It takes about 5 minutes to melt and temper the chocolate, a few minutes to dip the pretzels, then about 20 minutes for them to cool before you can enjoy them.
Ingredients
- Pretzels - You can use either salted or unsalted pretzels for this recipe. If you use salted pretzels, don't add flaky sea salt at the end or the pretzels may be too salty.
- High-quality chocolate or baking chips - We prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips because they are the perfect balance of sweet and rich.
- Coconut oil - Coconut oil adds a nice shine to the chocolate.
- Flaky sea salt - Sea salt balances the sweetness and brings out the rich chocolate flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chocolate - The pretzels will also be delicious dipped in dark chocolate, white chocolate, ruby chocolate, or milk chocolate depending on how sweet you want your pretzels.
- Chocolate covered pretzel rods - Substitute pretzels rods for regular pretzels if you prefer the shape.
- Mini pretzels - You can also make this recipe with mini pretzels if you prefer smaller bite size pretzels.
- Shredded coconut - Sprinkle shredded coconut on the pretzels for extra sweetness.
- Chopped nuts - Chopped nuts like peanuts, walnuts, or pecans add a hearty crunch.
- Sprinkles - Cover the chocolate pretzels in colorful sprinkles for an extra sweet festive flare.
- Gluten-free - Use gluten-free pretzels to make this recipe gluten-free.
Instructions
- Prepare station - Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper and set aside. This will be your surface for your dipped pretzels. If using toppings, place a scoop of each topping in small bowls or plates so they are ready for dipping.
- Melt chocolate (double boiler or microwave) - Use a double boiler or microwave to melt â…” of the chocolate and coconut oil, if using. If you microwave the chocolate, place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave in 30 second increments at 50% power and stir in between each interval until melted and smooth. This will help melt the chocolate and prevent the chocolate from burning. Gradually stir in the remaining â…“ chocolate in small amounts at a time until the chocolate is completely melted. This will temper the chocolate and give the pretzels a nice shine. See double-boiler instructions if using.
- Dip pretzels - Submerge a pretzel in the chocolate until thoroughly coated and use a fork to lift the pretzel out of the chocolate. Remove the excess chocolate by allowing it to drip in the bowl. Then place the pretzel on the parchment paper and continue the process until all the pretzels are dipped. Note: If you use toppings, dip the pretzels in the desired toppings then place on the parchment paper or sprinkle the toppings on each piece. The chocolate must still be wet for the toppings to stick to the surface.
- Drizzle with another chocolate (optional) - If drizzling with another chocolate, such as white, ruby, or matcha, melt the chocolate using the same instructions as above, then use a fork to drizzle the chocolate on the pretzels.
- Chill pretzels - Place the pretzels in the refrigerator to set the chocolate and chill in the freezer for at least 20 minutes until the chocolate is set. Then enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Pro tip: You can also use salted pretzels for this recipe. If you use salted pretzels, don't add flaky sea salt or the pretzels will be too salty.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover chocolate dipped pretzels in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks for best results. You can also freeze them in an air-tight freezer container for up to 1 month. If you have multiple layers of refrigerated or frozen pretzels, place wax paper in between the layers so the chocolate doesn't stick together.
Top Tips
- Use high-quality chocolate like Ghirardelli, Guittard, Lily’s, or Trader Joe’s baking chocolate or chocolate chips for the best results. Trader Joe’s has great affordable options! Cheap chocolate chips have fillers and do not melt well.
- Chocolate and water do not go together. Make sure your surface area is completely dry because even a drop of water or condensation will cause the chocolate to seize and not stick!
- If the melted dipping chocolate starts to harden, warm the chocolate in the microwave for a few seconds or place it back onto the double boiler for a few seconds and stir to reuse.
- If using chopped chocolate, make sure the chocolate pieces are relatively the same size to ensure even melting.
- If using a glass bowl to double boil, it will take longer to cool and temper than a metal bowl. Only use glass in a microwave as metal is not microwave safe.
Recipe FAQs
How far in advance can you make chocolate covered pretzels?
Chocolate covered pretzels are good for up to 2 weeks. If you are going to gift them, we recommend doing so within 1 week of making so the giftee has plenty of time to enjoy them while they are fresh.
Are pretzels and chocolate good together?
Yes! Pretzels are lightly savory and crunchy while the chocolate is rich, sweet, and makes a crisp shell.
Why do my chocolate covered pretzels turn white?
This can occur from a process called chocolate bloom. Chocolate bloom does not mean the chocolate has gone bad, but it can occur if the chocolate is improperly tempered or the storage temperature fluctuates too much.
What chocolate is best with pretzels?
Dark or semi-sweet chocolate is best because they are richer and purer chocolates that balance the savory pretzels nicely.
Is it better to use a glass or plastic bowl to melt chocolate?
Glass bowls are best because they stay hotter for a longer period of time. Plastic bowls retain moisture and can make the chocolate seize.
Did You Like This Recipe?
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How to Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Chocolate Covered Pretzels are a sweet and salty no-fuss treat to satisfy your sweet tooth. Make with real chocolate and top with flaky sea salt for a quick and crunchy snack. Enjoy them on your own or gift them to friends or family for birthday or holidays!
Servings: 50 pretzels
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 cup high-quality semi-sweet, dark, or white chocolate or baking chips, i.e. Ghirardelli, Guittard, etc.
- 2 teaspoon coconut oil optional
- 2 cups unsalted mini pretzels about 50 pretzels
- flaky sea salt
Optional Toppings
- chopped nuts optional
- shredded coconut optional
- 2 oz melted white chocolate, ruby chocolate, or milk chocolate optional
- sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Prepare station - Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or wax paper and set aside. This will be your surface for your dipped pretzels. If using toppings, place a scoop of each topping in small bowls or plates so they are ready for dipping.
- Melt chocolate (double boiler or microwave) - Use a double boiler or microwave to melt â…” of the chocolate and coconut oil, if using. If you microwave the chocolate, place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave in 30 second increments at 50% power and stir in between each interval until melted and smooth. This will help melt the chocolate and prevent the chocolate from burning. Gradually stir in the remaining â…“ chocolate in small amounts at a time until the chocolate is completely melted. This will temper the chocolate and give the pretzels a nice shine. See double-boiler instructions if using.1 cup high-quality semi-sweet, dark, or white chocolate or baking chips, i.e. Ghirardelli, Guittard, etc., 2 teaspoon coconut oil
- Dip pretzels - Submerge a pretzel in the chocolate until thoroughly coated and use a fork to lift the pretzel out of the chocolate. Allow the excess chocolate to drip in the bowl. Place the pretzel on the parchment paper and continue the process until all the pretzels are dipped. Note: If you use toppings, dip the pretzels in the desired toppings and then place on the parchment paper or sprinkle the toppings on each piece. The chocolate must still be wet for the toppings to stick to the surface.2 cups unsalted mini pretzels, flaky sea salt, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, sprinkles
- Drizzle with another chocolate (optional) - If drizzling with another chocolate, such as white, ruby, or matcha, melt the chocolate using the same instructions as above, then use a fork to drizzle the chocolate on the pretzels.2 oz melted white chocolate, ruby chocolate, or milk chocolate
- Chill pretzels - Place the pretzels in the refrigerator to set the chocolate and chill in the freezer for at least 20 minutes until the chocolate is set. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container for up to one month.
Notes
Top Tips
- You can also use salted pretzels for this recipe. If you do, just don't add flaky sea salt or the pretzels will be too salty.
- Use high-quality chocolate like Ghirardelli, Guittard, Lily’s, or Trader Joe’s baking chocolate or chocolate chips for the best results. Cheap chocolate chips do not melt well because they have fillers.
- Chocolate and water do not work well together. Make sure your surface area is completely dry.
- If the melted chocolate for dipping starts to harden, warm the chocolate in the microwave for a few seconds or place it back onto the double boiler for a few seconds and stir to reuse.
- If using chopped chocolate, make sure the chocolate pieces are about the same size to ensure even melting.Â
- If using a glass bowl to double boil, it will take longer to cool and temper than a metal bowl. Only use glass in a microwave as metal is not microwave safe.
- Use gluten-free pretzels to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Use a saucepan and a heat resistant glass or metal bowl to make a double-boiler.Â
- Fill the saucepan with 1-2 inches of water and bring to a simmer. You do not need the water to boil to warm the bowl. The bowl should fit on the saucepan without touching the water, or the bowl will get too hot. Place the bowl on top of the saucepan and add the â…” of the chocolate. Stir the chocolate until melted then remove from the heat. If using a thermometer, the chocolate should register around 115°F and no higher than 120°F.Â
- Carefully wipe the bottom of the bowl with a dish towel to ensure no condensation or water drips onto your work space or in the chocolate.Â
- Gradually stir in the remaining ⅓ chocolate in small amounts at a time until the chocolate is completely melted. This will temper the chocolate and give the pretzles a nice shine. At this point, the chocolate should be between 84°F and 89°F.
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