Salt is a magical ingredient that enhances both sweet and savory recipes, cutting away bitterness in a pinch. Adding pretzels won’t just leave you with a delicious salty-sweet finish, but it will also add some much-needed crunch! The texture is just as important as the flavor, after all. Trust me; you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how one simple ingredient can make these 20 recipes unforgettable.
1. Peanut Butter Chocolate Pretzels
Chocolate and pretzels are one of my favorite food combinations. The rich, creamy flavors of the chocolate, along with the crunchy, salty deliciousness of the pretzels, just keeps me reaching for more. Add peanut butter to that, and I’m powerless to say no! I just love how these look with that light white chocolate and peanut butter coating and dark chocolate stripe. That said, dipping individual pretzels will take some time and patients. Instead, try striping them with each of the chocolates. Use a piping bag and work back and forth until you’re left with a fantastic contrast of colors and texture.
2. Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe
It’s always so funny to me to see these sweet “salad” recipes pop up. I don’t know why they use the term, but this is the only kind of salad I want from now on. I like to think of this as a “lush” recipe, which is essentially a sweet layered dessert, kind of like a strawberry and pretzel lasagne. Since the creamy filling and Jell-O topping are so sweet, this pretzel crust couldn’t be more perfect. It has a slight bitterness, but that salty taste works so well at balancing it all out. Feel free to change up the flavors, too. Maybe try mango chunks in pineapple Jell-O?
3. Kitchen Sink Cookies
I’ve never made it out of Panera without one of these babies, and I don’t think I ever will. They’re soft, chewy, chocolatey, and wonderfully salty all at once. Kitchen sink cookies are essentially big cookies with lots of fillings. Although you could use anything from M&Ms and Reese’s Pieces to white chocolate chips and dried fruit, I think this blend of chocolate, toffee, and crunchy pretzels is divine.
4. Salted Chocolate and Caramel Pretzel Bars
If you’re looking for something sweet, salty, crunchy, creamy, and, best of all, no-bake, then this one’s for you! You’ll start by melting chocolate in the microwave and spreading it out on a lined baking sheet. I like to keep it relatively thick so that when you add the pretzels, they have something to stick to. Once the chocolate is covered in pretzels, you’ll pour over the melted caramels, being sure to get all the way to the edges. Finally, drizzle over extra chocolate, so it’s striped, but you can still see the caramel and pretzels underneath.
5. M&M Kissed Pretzels
These little pretzel bites look terrific, and I often give them out over the holidays in my cookie boxes. They take around 15 minutes, start to finish, and the most you’ll need to do is line everything up on a baking tray. Start with the pretzels, which can be touching if need be. I suggest you make plenty because you’ll eat a few before they make it to the bowl! Top the pretzels with Hershy’s kisses and bake for 5-7 minutes until the chocolate is soft. Finish by pressing an M&M onto each kiss, nestling it in the softened chocolate.
6. Salted Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies
Between the soft and chewy texture, the caramel and chocolate, and the crunchy pretzels, these are downright addictive. Seriously, unless you have iron-clad willpower, don’t make these. I ate three before they cooled and almost burned my mouth! The base for these cookies is as you’d expect, using brown and white sugars to ensure they’re sweet and tender with that irresistible chewy finish. But the chef’s kiss here is the caramel core. You’ll form the cookie dough around the caramel so that as it bakes, it infuses into the cookie and melts into an ooey-gooey center.
7. Christmas Reindeer Crack
Reindeer crack is kind of a twist on the classic muddy buddy recipe. Only this version uses pretzels and M&Ms to ensure it’s festive and bright. Mini-pretzels work best since the Chex Mix is bite-sized. I think it looks better to have everything of a similar size. Of course, you could always chop up larger pretzels, if that’s all you have. I’ve even used peanut butter pretzel nuggets before, and they were beyond scrumptious! Feel free to use milk or dark chocolate, or maybe a mix of dark and white. Just keep in mind that the pretzels will have a slightly bitter flavor, and white chocolate helps to sweeten things up.
8. Pineapple Pretzel Salad
Pineapple pretzel salad is a sunny take on the more classic strawberry pretzel salad. The two are similar, but this has a tropical flavor, which I just love. Although the pineapple layer is sweet, it’s also a little tangy, which will play off that salty crust just right. To really boost that tropical flavor, try making the filling with coconut cream instead of whipped cream. And maybe top it off with toasted coconut, too.
9. Pretzel Turtles
These are deliciously similar to the M&M kissed pretzels. Much like the recipe above, you’ll start by adding pretzels to a baking tray and covering them in candy. The main difference here is that you’ll use Rolos instead of Hershey’s. Rolos will give you caramel and chocolate, making this extra indulgent. Of course, you could use caramel-filled Hershey kisses, though I don’t think they have as much caramel inside. Feel free to top them with M&Ms if you want that pop of color, but I think the pecans taste so good, adding a nutty, buttery flavor.
10. Bird Nests {Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzels}
This clever recipe is the perfect little treat to put out at your next Easter party. Though it would be welcome at most gatherings, you can’t deny how effective the nest looks with the mini-eggs on top. Unlike most of these recipes, you’ll need to buy pretzel sticks for this to achieve the right look. Just be careful when mixing in the chocolate, as these are more delicate.
11. Chocolate Pretzel Granola Bars
Granola bars are an excellent way to get a boost of energy during that mid-morning slump. They’re the perfect on-the-go snack, and they’re pretty healthy to boot. Unfortunately, some granola bars are either loaded with artificial sugars and preservatives or cost an arm and a leg. That’s why I like to make them at home, where I can control the flavors and what goes inside. Though I usually stick to dried fruits and yogurt chips, these chocolate pretzel bars are calling my name. The base flavors are honey, brown sugar, peanut butter, vanilla, and cocoa powder. Plus, you’ll get incredible texture from the chocolate rice cereal, oats, and pretzel pieces.
12. Salted Chocolate Toffee Pretzel Bark
Saltine cracker toffee is a simple layered bark made using crackers, a simple toffee recipe, and plenty of chocolate on top. This recipe is super similar; only it uses salty pretzels in place of the crackers for a more pronounced flavor. Although you will need to make toffee, this recipe is crazy-easy. Just bring butter and brown sugar to a boil, and let it go, undisturbed for about three minutes. Instead of needing a candy thermometer and waiting for the right temperature, you’ll just pour the bubbling caramel right over the pretzels. Then pop it in the oven to finish. Throw the chocolate over the hot toffee and let it melt. How easy is that?
13. No-Bake Trail Mix Cereal Bars
Even though these are called trail mix cereal bars, implying that they’re relatively healthy, these aren’t the treat to give your kids for breakfast. Yes, there is cereal inside, including Cheerios and Rice Krispies, but there are also marshmallows, M&Ms, pretzels, and peanut butter. That being said, these hybrid Rice Krispie treats are a little bit healthier than the OG recipe. Plain Cheerios are high in fiber and low in sugar, and the recipe also calls for peanuts and raisins. So, I’d say it’s a happy middle ground.
14. Pumpkin Pretzels with Jack-O-Lantern Faces for Halloween
No matter what time of year it is, I always dream of flannel, pumpkin spice, and all those fantastic Halloween treats I can’t wait to make. Now, I can’t lie and say these are lightning-fast and ready in minutes. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. These pumpkins are pretty time-consuming to make since you’ll have to dip each pretzel rod individually and then stack them up on a tray. But isn’t that why people have kids? They’ll love playing with the orange candy melts, and I’m sure you can have a tray ready in no time!
15. Strawberry Pretzel Pie
If I were you, I’d bookmark this recipe for later. Once you get a taste of that pretzel crust, you’ll want to use it on everything! The best part about this has to be that the filling is no-bake. You’ll just blend cream cheese with lemon juice, lemon zest, and sugar and add it to the pre-baked crust. Since the filling is no-bake, you can have this on the table in just a few hours.
16. Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels Recipe
If you’ve ever made pretzels, you’ll know there are a few steps to the process. Just like any authentic yeast-based dough, you’ll need to carve out a couple of hours to make this recipe. Once mixed and smooth, the dough needs an hour to rest and double in size. Then it’s time to shape. Don’t worry too much about getting it perfect. They’ll still taste great either way. But this tutorial is super helpful if you want that signature knot. Finally, these need to be dipped in a mix of water and baking soda before baking. That dip is how pretzels get their chewy consistency.
17. Strawberry Pretzel Salad Dip
I’ve talked about my love for sweet dips before, but in case you missed it: I LOVE dessert dips. Sure, guacamole is delicious, but have you ever tried caramel dip with a cheesecake layer and toffee bits on top? It’s out of this world amazing! If you liked the idea of the strawberry pretzel salad, but you’re in a rush, this is the next best thing. You’ll use strawberry pie filling, which will speed things up considerably. I’ve also tried this with apple, peach, and blueberry pie filling, and I think the latter was my favorite.
18. Peanut Butter Buckeye Pretzel Bites
Have you ever bitten into your third Reese’s peanut butter cup and thought, “Huh, wouldn’t this be great if it had some crunch?” This recipe is the ideal blend of creamy peanut butter, crunchy pretzels, and dreamy dark chocolate. Unlike similar recipes that use pure powdered sugar to achieve the desired texture, this recipe calls for powdered sugar and almond flour. This makes it a little less sweet and adds some texture, too.
19. Pretzel Crusted Brownies
I like my brownies rich, intensely chocolatey, and as fudgy as possible. I want them practically falling apart and oozing chocolate. I also love some crunch and often add chopped nuts to the batter. But for those looking to make your brownies nut-free, why not add a layer of salty pretzels instead? Remember that pretzel crust I told you to bookmark? Here’s where it will come in handy!
20. SNICKERS® Pretzel Bites
I was so bummed when I heard that Snickers discontinued their peanut butter bar. It’s the perfect combination of salty-sweet-chocolatey goodness! But then they came out with the peanut butter squares, and all was right with the world. Between the caramel, peanuts, and nougat, these are already pretty impossible to resist. But when you sandwich that between pretzels, they’re 100% dangerous. Click on a star to rate it!
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