Chocolate-Covered Pretzels

Sweet, savory, crunchy, and delicious the perfect treat for every sweet tooth.

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My sweet tooth is well documented, baked goods, candies, sweet drinks, and more, if it has a sweet flavor I am going to, at the very least, try it. I know that it may not be the healthiest habit, but I find ways to make sure I enjoy my sweets. As much as I love sweet treats, I also have a deep love for salty snacks, tortilla chips, potato chips, and my all-time favorite, pretzels.

I love a big Bavarian soft pretzel; I cannot go to a concert at an arena without finding one. I love pretzel rods and as a kid I would pretend to be Audrey Hepburn with my long cigarette holder pretzel rod. With that said, I think the greatest invention of mankind is not fire, it is the blending of sweet and salty snacks. Trail mix to salted caramel, blend sweet and salty and you have found your way to my heart. My all-time favorite blending of sweet and salty is a chocolate-covered pretzel, there is nothing better than biting through that rich chocolate outer layer and being met with the salty goodness of the pretzel underneath.

The origins of the chocolate-covered pretzel are not definitive, some speculate that they originated in the 1500s when German baker Herr Franz Joseph Leibniz supposedly teamed up with a local chocolate shop to make the treat. While this is a fun story it is unlikely since chocolate was only available as a drink up until the 19th century.

Regardless of where they originated, the popularity of chocolate-covered pretzels has taken off in recent decades. So, what has been the cause of this trend? I would assume it is due to the incredible flavors of sweet rich chocolate married with the savory saltiness of the pretzel. Their popularity has brought a wide variety of options, dark chocolate, white chocolate, milk chocolate, and blends of any variation, the chocolate-covered pretzel has become as synonymous with gift-giving on the holidays and Valentine’s Day as the chocolate-covered strawberry.

Are Chocolate Covered Pretzels Healthy?

Healthy is in the eyes of the beholder, I know I say it all the time, but everything in moderation. This recipe uses a semi-sweet chocolate bar that you melt in the microwave and miniature pretzel twists. You can make the recipe healthier using a whole-wheat mini pretzel or by substituting dark chocolate in place of your semi-sweet chocolate.

You can easily make the recipe gluten-free too by substituting a gluten-free pretzel, making them safe for those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease. You can also swap your chocolate to a plant-based alternative to suit any vegans in the family. Essentially you can make chocolate-covered pretzels work for most diets as long as you do not overindulge.

What if I don’t have a microwave?

I know it seems hard to believe but I do not own a microwave, when my husband and I remodeled our kitchen, we made the decision not to include one. At first, I thought we might be the only people making that decision, but it turns out we are not alone, just in the minority. As of 2023 ninety percent of American households have microwaves, but if you are in the minority like me, you can still enjoy chocolate-covered pretzels. As I like to say nothing beats a classic, you can melt your semi-sweet chocolate in a pot on your stove top with a double boiler. Simply keep your stove on low heat and bring a medium pot of water to a light boil, put your chocolate in a smaller pot set in the medium pot, moving and stirring it constantly as it melts. As soon as your chocolate is smooth and melted you can remove from heat and follow the rest of the recipe as stated, dipping your pretzels in your chocolate and lying them on your parchment paper, preparing to be cooled.

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
40 pretzel twists

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep

Set up parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Melt

Microwave chocolate until smooth.

Dip

Coat pretzels with chocolate, and place on a sheet.

Chill

Refrigerate until chocolate hardens.

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How to Store them?

After cooling your pretzels bring them to room temperature and transfer them into an airtight container or individual sealed bags. They should last for up to three days on the counter at room temperature, up to five days in the refrigerator, or you can freeze your chocolate-covered pretzels for up to six months.

Can I add other things to my chocolate-covered pretzels?

There is no limit to what you can do with your salty-sweet treats. After dipping them in the melted chocolate, try sprinkling over some peppermint candy pieces, chopped nuts, or sea salt before you pop them into the fridge to set.

Do I have to use miniature pretzel twists?

While this recipe calls for miniature pretzel twists you can use any form of pretzel you prefer, I often will use pretzel rods as an alternative to miniature pretzel twists and dip a full end into my melted chocolate.

Serving Suggestions

The way you serve your chocolate pretzels is truly up to you, they make for fantastic gift bag fillers. You can easily gift a tin of chocolate-covered pretzels or a heart-shaped box. I also like to serve them with hot chocolate or coffee, in fact dipping your chocolate-covered pretzels in coffee before biting adds an additional layer of flavor.

If you liked this recipe and want to keep experimenting with pretzels, then take a look at these savory Ranch Pretzels just here.