Chocolate covered pretzel rods are the perfect blend of sweet and salty! Use colored chocolate or decorate them with sprinkles for any occasion!
No baking required to make these easy treats and everyone absolutely loves them! They store well in the fridge for a couple of weeks making them the perfect treat anytime!
A Favorite Treat!
Looking for a fun but fancy, easy, sweet treat? Chocolate dipped pretzel rods are a favorite.
- Sweet and salty, creamy and chewy all in one bite.
- Swap out chocolate for colored candy melts or add your favorite sprinkles over regular chocolate for any holiday.
- These can be made in the microwave or stovetop.
- Make these ahead of time if you’d like, they store for weeks in the fridge.
What’s in Caramel Pretzels?
PRETZELS Pretzel rods are easy to find online, in the snack aisle of any local market, or at even craft stores (like Michaels).
CHOCOLATE Chocolate and candy melts can be picked up in the baking aisle. I use semi-sweet chocolate chips for this recipe but any chocolate will work.
CARAMEL This recipe calls for creamy caramel squares.
DECORATIONS What we really love about sweet treats is that they can be decorated any way you like! Reverse the order of dark to white chocolate. Of course, they’re great with sprinkles for Valentine’s, baby showers and beyond!
Gift Tip
These make great gifts either wrapped individually or in gift tins.
- Individually: Place them in little bags made for pretzel rods. Add a ribbon and a tag.
- As a Gift: Find tins or cardboard treat boxes online or at craft stores or even the dollar store.
How to Make Dipped Pretzel Rods
These super fancy-looking treats are delicious, and are also so easy to make!
- Melt the caramel per the recipe below.
- Pour the caramel mixture into a mug or tall glass and dip each rod, allow to cool on a prepped sheet pan.
- Once the caramel is set, melt chocolate in a microwave-safe container.
- Dip the cooled caramel covered pretzels into the chocolate and return them to the baking sheet to cool.
- Place the white chocolate or milk chocolate (or almond bark) in a small zippered bag and melt in the microwave. Snip off one corner and squeeze the chocolate out over the pretzel rods in a zig-zag pattern. Easy peasy!
To Melt Chocolate on the Stove
The caramel can be melted on low heat in a small saucepan. To melt the chocolate, use the method below.
- Fill a medium-sized saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer.
- Place a bowl over the water but not touching the water and add chocolate to the bowl.
- Stir until smooth and melted.
Important: Do not get any water in the melted chocolate or it can seize up.
Before the drizzled chocolate hardens, sprinkle on your favorite decorations. We like sprinkles, nonpareils, crushed candy canes, multi-colored discs, chopped nuts, edible glitter, even crushed peanut butter cookies or Oreos!
Tips for Perfection
- Ensure you are using parchment paper to avoid sticking, not waxed paper.
- Allow the caramel to cool before dipping in the chocolate.
- Cooled caramel can be gently molded around the pretzel before dipping in chocolate. Simply roll cooled caramel pretzels in your hands.
- Chocolate for this recipe can be chocolate chips, chopped chocolate bars, or even candy melts. The better the chocolate, the better the flavor.
- For a pretty and glossy surface, do not overheat the chocolate.
- Add chopped nuts, sprinkles, or decorations while the chocolate is still warm.
- If you have extra caramel or extra chocolate, pour it onto parchment and let it cool. Remove from the parchment and store in an airtight container or sandwich bag. Store in the cupboard for future treats.
How to Store
- Keep caramel pretzels in an airtight container at room temperature layered between parchment paper for about a week.
- Freeze caramel pretzels by individually wrapping them in parchment paper and storing them in a zippered bag labeled with the date on it. They will keep a couple of months.
More Chocolatey Treats!
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries – only 2 ingredients
- Caramel Chocolate Trifle – with a homemade caramel layer
- Chocolate Cashew Clusters – a no-bake treat
- Gooey Chocolate Pudding Cake – bake in 30 minutes
- Chocolate Caramel Cake – so moist & delicious
- Hot Chocolate Bombs – a hug in a mug
- Chocolate Peppermint Cookies – so fun & festive
Did you make these Chocolate Caramel Pretzels? Be sure to leave a comment & a rating below!
Caramel Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods
Ingredients
- 1 package pretzel rods 10 ounces
- 12 ounces chocolate milk or dark
- 6 ounces chocolate candy melts white or milk
Caramel
- 14 ounces caramel squares unwrapped
- 1 tablespoon light cream
Instructions
- Line a large sheet or pan with parchment paper.
- Combine the caramel squares and light cream in a medium microwave safe bowl.
- Microwave the mixture 2-3 minutes (in 30-second increments, stirring after every 30 seconds) until the mixture is completely melted and smooth.
- Pour the caramel mixture into a tall glass measuring cup or mug. Dip each pretzel rod ⅔ of the way to cover in caramel. Place on parchment paper to cool.
- Once the caramel is set, melt the chocolate in the microwave on 40% power for 45 seconds. Stir and continue microwaving at 20-second intervals until just melted. Stir until smooth.
- Dip the caramel-coated pretzels into the melted chocolate and place on parchment paper to cool. (You may want to pour the chocolate into a tall glass measuring cup or mug.)
- Melt the chocolate melts in a small zippered bag and snip the corner off. Drizzle over chocolate. Add favorite decorations if desired.
- Store in an airtight container. Yield: about 2 ½ dozen.
Notes
- Ensure you are using parchment paper to avoid sticking, not waxed paper.
- If the caramel starts to thicken or harden you can microwave for 20 seconds or until softened.
- Allow the caramel to cool before dipping in the chocolate.
- Cooled caramel can be gently molded around the pretzel before dipping in chocolate. Simply roll cooled caramel pretzels in your hands.
- Chocolate for this recipe can be chocolate chips, chopped chocolate bars, or even candy melts. The better the chocolate, the better the flavor.
- For a pretty and glossy surface, do not overheat the chocolate.
- Add chopped nuts, sprinkles, or decorations while the chocolate is still warm.
- If you have extra caramel or extra chocolate, pour it onto parchment and let it cool. Remove from the parchment and store in an airtight container or sandwich bag. Store in the cupboard for future treats.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Cookies, Dessert, Party Food
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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I would like to make these a couple weeks ahead of time for company cookie tins. Do you think they would hold up in the freezer?
These freeze well Lauren! Freeze caramel pretzels by individually wrapping them in parchment paper and storing them in a zippered bag labeled with the date on it. They will keep a couple of months. Enjoy!
I went looking for a recipe just like this and of course, here’s one from Holly!!!…my grandson and I are making a tray of these to take to his classroom for tomorrows Valentine’s celebration!
That is so sweet, Sandi! I hope his class loves them!
I’m getting ready to make these for a party but see from all the comments a similar issue with the pretzels softening from the caramel. I would recommend dipping the rods in chocolate first as this will prevent moisture from the caramel impacting the pretzel rod. After you dip them in chocolate, repeat with dipping in caramel and then again in chocolate and then decorating as desired. This should remedy the problem.
I made these for a party. Thanks goodness I checked them before serving them. The pretzels were as soft as soft could be. What a mess. I know you always say, “I have never had that problem”, but many of us have, so any advice? Waste of time and money for me.
I’m so sorry to hear that. How disappointing. We tested the recipe a number of times and made some updates to make sure the texture is maintained. Thank you for your comment Betty.
Can I use a melting pot to melt the Carmel instead of microwave?
We have only made this recipe as listed Connie, but that should work out fine! Let us know how it goes.
Made these today… the taste of the caramel is good, however when placing them on the parchment paper to cool they were so sticky they stuck to the paper and ripped the paper, getting pieces all in the pretzel, I had to throw all of them away. One big sticky mess!
How disappointing Amy, I’m sorry these didn’t work out for you. I’ve never had problems with them sticking to parchment paper before (only wax paper) so I’m not sure why yours stuck.
Just made my first batch. The caramel is delicious! I used semi sweet choc chip and it’s not hardening?? How long for chocolate to set?
These are amazing!! and bless you for leaving the nutrition at the bottom !
So glad you loved them Grethel!
I made these for a party. We tasted one before the party. Glad we did. The pretzel was soft and not good. I used the large pretzel and even cooled the caramel a bit before applying to the pretzel. Not good.
I’m sorry these didn’t work out for you, I haven’t had any problems with the pretzels being soft.
I made these today for my daughter’s “Princess Bride, Enchanted Forest” themed Bridal Shower. I labeled them Magic Twigs. They turned out beautifully! Thank you for the recipe.
What a great idea!! (Princess Bride is one of my all time favorites). Congratulations to your daughter!
I can’t wait to try these for Christmas for the kids especially.
What are white candy melts? Is that the same as white chocolate? The recipe calls for 6, so my question is 6 what and in what form do they come in? I don’t see any of its use in the written recipe. At which point in the instructions should I incorporate the white candy melts? Thank you in advance for helping me understand this recipe better.
The white candy melts are similar to white chocolate but intended for melting so they melt much smoother. They are just little disks and you need a few for decorating in step 4 (it’s just a couple of tablespoons of melted chocolate). You can find them at Michaels, in the baking aisle or online at amazon.
If you just need a few, check the bulk area of your grocery store, you can usually get them there as well!
I loved your recipe for the caramel (nice and soft, unlike store bought caramel) and I used Ghiradelli milk chocolate chips and they turned out amazing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
How should I store these and how long will they keep? Do they need to be refrigerated?
Thanks. They look delicious.
They will keep a couple of weeks. I store them at room temperature.
I’m not so crazy about Carmel so do you think peanut butter would work instead? I really like pretzels covered with with almond bark. Hope these will be as good.
Thanks. I enjoy your recipes!
I have only tried this as written so I can’t say for sure how peanut butter would work out.
I live in Canada, any idea where one would pick up these Pretzel Rods?
Yes, they have them at Michaels in Canada. :)
Do you use salted or unsalted butter? Light or dark corn syrup? Light brown or dark brown sugar?
Thanks!!
I use unsalted butter and light corn syrup. Either type of sugar will work just fine.
The taste good but I found the Carmel made the pretzels a little soft and then the Carmel kept bursting through my chocolate. I waited more than 6 hours between Carmel and chocolate layer but after chocolate dried I got small beads of it that burst through the chocolate. I wouldn’t make these again
How disappointing Rachel, I’m sorry this didn’t work out for you. I’ve made this several times and never had problems with the pretzels softening. Were they the large pretzel rods as pictured? Did you make the caramel recipe included in this post and if so did you make any changes?
Do you put the drizzle on all sides of the pretzel or just the side facing up on the parchment paper?
I just put it on the side facing up.
Thanks so much for this recipe….my daughter loves these…and she has been looking for a recipe….she will be so glad to get this…..
They are so pretty and sounds delicious…..she buys one overtime she sees them…..
Thanks for posting….
These are absolutely to die for!! They have them at Starbucks and I love them. I can’t believe there is a recipe and I can now make them for myself!! That’s so amazing. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe :)
You’re welcome! Enjoy! :)