Peppermint Bark Pretzels are a classic holiday treat of pretzel rods coated in melted chocolate and candy cane pieces. Make them in minutes!
Christmas is the perfect time of year to enjoy Homemade Candies and snacks. Especially if those homemade candies are flavored with Christmas classics like peppermint and chocolate. For more peppermint chocolate combo treats try Chocolate Peppermint Bark and Peppermint Bark Crackers next!
Table of contents
- About our Peppermint Bark Pretzels Recipe
- Peppermint Bark Pretzels Ingredients
- Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- How to Make Peppermint Bark Pretzels
- Nutritional Facts
- Making Peppermint Bark Pretzels Tips & Tricks
- How to Store Peppermint Bark Pretzels
- Ideas to Serve Peppermint Bark Pretzels
- FAQ for Peppermint Bark Pretzels
- Recipe Card
- Peppermint Bark Pretzels Variations
About our Peppermint Bark Pretzels Recipe
Peppermint Bark Pretzels are the perfect sweet, salty, crunchy treat to give as an edible gift, serve at a holiday party, or dip in Hot Chocolate. Making these yummy pretzels only takes a few minutes and a couple simple ingredients. What makes these delicious treats so amazing is that they are double dipped, first in melted chocolate chips then a white chocolate layer. Finally they get a generous sprinkle of crushed peppermint candy canes. The result is an addictive holiday candy that you’ll be craving all year round.
The salty crunch, sweet chocolate and fresh peppermint flavor make these Peppermint Bark Pretzel Pieces the ultimate holiday crowd pleaser. They are such an easy recipe, your kids can help make and decorate them! All you have to do is crush the candy canes into small pieces and prep the melted candy coating in jars. Set out a baking tray with parchment paper (and maybe some on your counter to help with clean up) and your little kitchen helper’s dipping station is ready to keep them occupied while you finish your other holiday season cooking.
Peppermint Bark Pretzels Ingredients
- Pretzel Rods: You could use any kind of pretzel pieces but using jumbo pretzel rods gives you a thick salty pretzel layer under that thick double chocolate candy topping. Plus they are easy to dip into tall cup so they are much less messy mini pretzels or other small pretzel pieces.
- Chocolate Chips: Regular chocolate chips are great for making peppermint bark candy because they melt well and the slightly bittersweet chocolate flavor balances out the white chocolate. This keeps them from being overly sweet treats.
- Candy Melts: The white chocolate melted candy coating is a little bit different from white chocolate chips because it has more cocoa butter. It makes for a smoother chocolate candy topping and it’s easier to add flavorings to, so if you wanted to add peppermint extract for more of the addictive flavor, you don’t have to worry about it seizing up.
- Candy Canes: Peppermint chocolate bark recipes are the perfect holiday snack to use up any broken candy canes! Unwrap the candy canes and put them in a zippered plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. If you don’t mind the clean up, you could use a food processor too.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Heat Safe Bowl: When melting chocolate in the microwave, you want to use a heat safe bowl, preferably glass, to reduce hot spots that will burn the chocolate. Even though it’s heat safe, doesn’t meant it won’t get hot so use oven mitts when handling it to prevent burns.
- Tall Cup: You want a cup that is tall enough to dip the pretzel rods in without having to stick your hand in the cup. If you use a mason jar, you can save some dishes because they are heat safe. Just microwave the chocolate directly in the jar.
- Parchment Paper: You want to line your baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. This way if the chocolate is sticking, you can just peel the layer of parchment paper off gently without breaking the chocolate off.
How to Make Peppermint Bark Pretzels
Time needed: 15 minutes.
- Melt the Chocolate Chips
Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a heat safe bowl in 30 second increments, stirring between each time, until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate into a tall glass cup.
- Dip the Pretzels
Dip the pretzel rods about halfway down into the melted chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip off and place them on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Allow to set and harden.
- Melt the White Chocolate
In another microwave safe bowl, melt the white chocolate candy melts for 30 seconds then stir. Continue heating in 15-30 second bursts until smooth. Pour the white chocolate in separate tall cup.
- Decorate
Dip the chocolate covered side of the pretzel rods into the white chocolate to cover the regular chocolate. Let the excess drip off then hold over a bowl of candy cane pieces. While the chocolate is still soft, sprinkle the outside with candy pieces. Place back on the baking tray and let harden fully before serving, gifting or snacking.
Nutritional Facts
Making Peppermint Bark Pretzels Tips & Tricks
Make these addictive holiday snacks and festive gifts absolutely perfect!
- Smooth Chocolate Coating
- For a smooth chocolate coating, it is important not to let any water get into your chocolate. So if you are trying to save dishes and use the same bowl to melt the white chocolate, make sure it’s completely dry before trying to heat the chocolate.
- Prevent Soggy Pretzels
- Let the regular chocolate completely set before dipping in the white chocolate so you don’t trap excess moisture or steam and make soggy pretzels. Also, store your finished pretzel rods in a dry, cool place.
- Easy Clean Up
- For easy clean-up, line a sheet with aluminum foil, wax paper, or parchment paper before you make the holiday treat. Then as the pretzel rods dry they won’t leave chocolate on the baking sheet.
How to Store Peppermint Bark Pretzels
Store: As long as your kitchen is kept fairly cool, you can keep Chocolate Peppermint Pretzels at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Put the pretzels in an airtight container and separate each layer with parchment paper or wax paper so that they don’t melt together. If your house is too warm and will melt the chocolate, put the container in the fridge.
Freeze: Unfortunately, freezing the pretzels won’t work well since the moisture can make them soft. It’s better just to enjoy the pretzels within the first 2 weeks.
Ideas to Serve Peppermint Bark Pretzels
Decorations: To make decorating the Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel Rods more fun add other festive decorations. Try adding holiday sprinkles, chocolate drizzles, edible glitter, or colored sanding sugar.
Gifting the Peppermint Bark Pretzels:
- One option is just wrapping the pretzel rods in cellophane bags with a festive bow. This is great for a gift you’re delivering in person where the packaging doesn’t have to be super durable.
- Lay the pretzel rods out in a single layer in the base of the box, then if you’re adding more layers separate each one with parchment paper so they don’t stick together.
- If you’re sending the gift through the mail add a gel cooling pack to make sure the chocolate doesn’t melt in transit.
FAQ for Peppermint Bark Pretzels
Peppermint Bark is called bark because the dark chocolate peeking through the thin layer of white chocolate is said to resemble tree bark. The little candy cane pieces are what makes it peppermint bark.
The big difference between chocolate chips and chocolate candy melts is that candy melts have more cocoa butter. This helps the melt more smoothly and lets the chocolate stay melted for a bit longer for easier dipping.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 12 ounce pretzel rods , package
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips , about 2 cups
- 6 ounces white chocolate melting disks , about 1 cup
- 1/4 cup candy canes , crushed
Instructions
- Add the chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, then stir and microwave for 15 seconds.
- Stir until smooth, then pour into a tall, thin cup.
- Dip the pretzels into the melted chocolate, let excess chocolate drip off.
- Place them back onto the baking sheet and let harden.
- Add the white chocolate melting disks to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, then stir and microwave for 15 seconds.
- Dip the pretzels into the white chocolate chocolate, let excess chocolate drip off.
- Holdover the bowl of crushed candy canes and sprinkle on the candy while slowly spinning pretzels.
- Place them back onto the baking sheet and let harden.
Nutrition
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Peppermint Bark Pretzels Variations
- White Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel Logs: You can change up the recipe easily by using white chocolate chips in place of the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Just melt down the white chocolate chips and dip the pretzels the same way you do regular chocolate. Instead of white chocolate chips, you could also use melted almond bark for the candy coating.
- Caramel: Make these even better with a layer of gooey caramel under the chocolate. Dip the pretzels in Caramel Sauce then freeze them. Once the caramel is hard, add the chocolate coating and peppermint candies.
- Coatings: In place of the peppermint pieces you can also use crushed peanuts, sprinkles, coconut flakes, or crushed pretzel pieces. You can also add a white chocolate drizzle over the surface instead of fully dipping the pretzels.
- Regular pretzels: Instead of using pretzel rods, you can also use regular pretzels, mini pretzels, or waffle pretzels. Pour the chocolate into a shallow bowl and use a fork to dip the pretzels into the chocolate.
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