Making chocolate covered pretzel rods is easier than you might think! These treats are perfect to serve year-round and easy to customize for any holiday or party. They are the perfect sweet, salty treat for the whole family.
If you love chocolate-covered treats, try my Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Chocolate Dipped Spoons for coffee, or Dessert Charcuterie Board, where you can dip everything in chocolate!
Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods
When I was little, we made chocolate-covered pretzels as a treat. I would sit at the kitchen table, eagerly waiting to dip each pretzel into the melted chocolate. Even now, as an adult, I can’t resist chocolate-covered pretzels or strawberries!
Homemade chocolate pretzel rods make a fun gift for a special occasion. If you’re looking for a creative way to give these pretzels, try packaging them in a cellophane bag and tying the bag with a ribbon or a sealed container like a mason jar
These pretzels are perfect any time of the year and great for the whole family! They are ideal for Halloween, Christmas, Hanukkah, or other holidays such as Bridal Showers and Baby Showers, Valentine’s Day, or 4th of July Parties.
Throwing a Halloween party? Check out my Halloween version, too!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect sweet and salty combo: These chocolate covered pretzel rods hit all the right notes with their crunchy, salty pretzel base and sweet chocolate coating – making them absolutely irresistible!
- Incredibly versatile: From holiday parties to gift-giving, these treats can be customized with different chocolates and toppings to match any occasion or celebration throughout the year.
- No baking required: With just a few simple ingredients and steps, you can create these impressive-looking treats without ever turning on the oven.
Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods Ingredients
Pretzels rods – Long, round pretzels that are perfect for dipping in chocolate. They are sold in packages of 12 or 24, a popular snack for parties and holidays. When making this treat, use salty pretzel rods for more flavor.
Chocolate Chips or Candy Melts – You can use any chocolate to make these. We prefer white chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips.
Sprinkles and Toppings – Adding sprinkles and toppings is so much fun! They make this easy treat festive and delicious! See our topping recommendations below.
Wax or Parchment Paper – We use this to line the baking sheet so the chocolate doesn’t stick.
Sheet Pan – After the pretzel rods are dipped in chocolate, lay them to dry on a lined baking sheet.
How to Make Chocolate-Covered Pretzel Rods
- Prep Your Baking Sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Melt the Chocolate: Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 15-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth.
- Dip the Pretzels: Use a rubber spatula to help coat each pretzel rod in the melted chocolate and remove any excess chocolate.
- Add Toppings (Optional): Place dipped pretzels on the baking sheet and sprinkle with decorations while the chocolate is still wet.
- Chill: Refrigerate the pretzels for 30 minutes, or until the chocolate is firm.
Storage
Let the Chocolate Set: Make sure the chocolate is fully hardened before storing.
Use an Airtight Container: Place the pretzel rods in a single layer in an airtight container. To prevent them from sticking, separate layers with parchment or wax paper.
Store in a Cool, Dry Place: Keep the container in a cool, dry location, away from direct sunlight or heat sources. Avoid storing in the refrigerator unless absolutely necessary, as moisture can cause the chocolate to bloom (develop a white coating).
Shelf Life: Properly stored chocolate-covered pretzel rods can last for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe Variations – Types of Chocolate
Milk chocolate – Milk chocolate is a type of chocolate that contains milk solids and sugar. It is usually sweeter than dark chocolate and has a creamier texture. Milk chocolate is a popular choice for candy and desserts.
Dark chocolate – Dark chocolate contains more cocoa solids than milk chocolate. It has a richer flavor and is less sweet than milk chocolate.
White chocolate – This type of chocolate does not contain cocoa solids. It is made from cocoa butter, milk solids, and sugar.
Semi-sweet chocolate – Contains more cocoa solids than milk chocolate but less than dark chocolate. It has a sweeter flavor than dark chocolate but is not as sweet as milk chocolate.
Delicious Toppings
Sprinkles are a classic topping for chocolate-covered pretzels. You can use different sprinkles. We like using themed sprinkles to match a party or holiday.
Different Types of Chocolate – Melt a different type of chocolate and drizzle it lightly over the first one to get double chocolate pretzel rods!
Caramel – Though they might be a bit sticky for gifting, my easy caramel sauce would be delicious on these pretzel rods!
Nuts – Almonds, peanuts, or pecans are a delicious addition to these pretzels.
Dehydrated Dried fruit – Dried fruit such as raisins or cranberries would be a tasty topping for these pretzels.
Candy -Small candy such as M&M’s or Reese’s Pieces would make an excellent topping for these pretzels.
Dried Edible Flowers – Edible flowers such as lavender or rose petals would be a beautiful and unique topping for these pretzels.
Candy Canes – These are perfect for making your favorite Christmas treats!
Crushed Cookies – Oreos and graham cracker crumbs make great toppings.
Mini Marshmallows – Add this festive dessert as a topping if you love marshmallows.
Eden’s Tips
- The pretzels will set up perfectly at room temperature, so there’s no need to refrigerate them.
- I like to use chocolate chips because that’s what I usually have on hand, but keep in mind they don’t set up as hard as chocolate bars because chocolate chips have ingredients that prevent them from melting.
- If you’re making these for a holiday or event, try using colored candy melts for the main chocolate or for drizzling! This is an easy way to add a bit of festive color.
- If you end up with extra chocolate, pour it over nuts, popcorn, or regular pretzel knots for another easy treat!
- These would be great served on a board with other treats. Try them on an appetizer platter for kids, a Halloween board with other Halloween party snacks, or a dessert charcuterie board!
4 Easy Ways to Melt Chocolate
There are many different ways to make chocolate-covered pretzels. Choose the method that works best for you.
Microwave: Of course, this is the easiest way! Heat the chocolate at 15-second intervals in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring in between, until it is melted and smooth.
Double Boiler Method: Place a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Add chopped chocolate to the bowl and stir until melted and smooth.
Hot Water: Place chocolate chips in a resealable bag. Submerge the bag in hot water, massaging the bag until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
Crock Pot: Add chocolate chips to the bowl of a crock pot. Set the crock pot to “low” and let the chocolate melt, stirring occasionally. Once the chocolate is melted, you can turn off the crock pot and dip the pretzels into the chocolate.
More Easy Desserts You’ll Love
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Easy Monkey Bread Recipe
- Homemade Chocolate Truffles
- How to Make an Easy Fruit Platter
- Deviled Strawberry Cheesecakes
- Butterless Chocolate Chip Cookies
I hope you enjoy these chocolate-covered pretzel rods! In the comments below, please let me know what your favorite topping is.
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Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 ounces chocolate chips, any type of chocolate works
- 24 pretzel rods
- 1/4 cup sprinkles, or other toppings
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave at 15-second intervals, stirring in between until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Dip each pretzel rod into the melted chocolate, using a rubber spatula to help coat and remove excess chocolate.
- Place the pretzel rods on the prepared baking sheet.
- If you are using sprinkles, add them while the chocolate is still wet.
- Place the pretzels in the fridge for about 30 minutes, or until the chocolate is set.
To drizzle another color over the dipped rods, do we wait until coating has dried and hardened or drizzle before coating sets?
I would wait until the chocolate has hardened a bit.
Easy and addicting!! Yum!
Thank you for the comment!!
I followed this recipe. Packaged my pretty rods for sale, but a few days after the chocolate looked bad, whiteish. What do you think?
It is called chocolate bloom, either temperature fluctuations or the way it was stored.
So fun and easy to make. I love how customizable these are!
These are a go-to for just about any occasion for me. They are super simple, super delicious, and always a hit!
The best!! The combination of sweet & salty is so good! These are so pretty & also make great gifts!
These really are perfect for any occasion- so easily customizable! I love that with the pretzel rods you can have help from kiddos, regular pretzel twists would just be too small and messy.