Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

Last updated on December 14th, 2024

Chocolate Dipped Pretzels combine the perfect combination of salty and sweet and easy to coat in festive colored white chocolate. Give these simple treats away in gift tins or add to holiday cookie platter. These are a simple fun treat to make with your family around the holidays. You can package them in holiday tins where they will stay fresh for a while. Most grocery stores sell the holiday themed pretzels which I like to dip and you could easily dip pretzel rods too.

How to make Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

INGREDIENTS

chocolate:

There are so many options of chocolate to melt: real chocolate, chocolate chips, or candy melting disks. If you use chocolate baking bars or a block of chocolate you should temper if it contains real cocoa butter mass and cocoa solids. Chocolate chips are a fast way to dip treats as they don’t contain as much cocoa butter as real chocolate so you don’t need to temper them.

Candy melting discs are the fastest and easiest option, however, they are not 100% real chocolate. The discs contain mostly sugar, palm oil and artificial ingredients and do not taste as good as real chocolate. To make chocolate shiny for smooth dipping you can add a drop of canola oil to melted chocolate or chocolate chips. If you use the candy melting discs, do not add any oil as they already contain palm oil.

paramount crystals:

Paramount Crystals are used to help melt chocolate, candy melts or yogurt coatings to help make coatings smooth. Use 1 tsp Paramount Crystals for every 2 cups chocolate, candy melts, or yogurt coatings. Put chocolate in heatproof bowl and add paramount crystals slowly until desired consistency is achieved. NOTE: Storage: Should be stored cool and dry. Net Weight: 4 oz.

METHOD & STEPS

How to melt chocolate:

There are several melting methods to melt chocolate:

• Melt chocolate over double broiler by melting half the chocolate in a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water that is not touching the water, until the chocolate reaches 115-120° (dark chocolate) and 105-110° (milk or white chocolate) and then remove from heat and stir in remainder of chocolate until smooth. 
• Melt chocolate in the microwave by placing one third of chocolate into a glass bowl and microwave for 30-seconds. Then add an additional third of the chocolate and continue to melt in 30-second increments until it is all melted and smooth. Remove from microwave and add in final third of the chips. 
• Melt chocolate in a electric chocolate melting pot. Be sure not to heat chocolate over 115°F, as it will burn.

How to color white chocolate

There are candy melting disks that are already pre-colored, however, they are not real white chocolate. They are primarily made of oil and sugar and do not taste as good as real white chocolate. You can easily make your own colored white chocolate. When coating food in white chocolate, you must either use oil-based candy coloring or if you use the gel food coloring you already have, you will need the addition of a product called “Flo-Coat.” To do this: add 5 drops of Flo-Coat to 1-part gel food color into the melted chocolate.

To color white chocolate you will need to make sure to use oil-based gel paste. I prefer to use Americolor Oil-Based Candy Color, however, it is not sold in conventional grocery or craft stores.

Let pretels dry:

After you have dipped the pretzels be sure to put them on a non-stick surface such as sheets of parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat. Place the baking mat on a baking sheet.

decorations:

I only use all-natural decorations like sanding sugar, jimmies or non-perils, read the ingredient labels on pre-made decorations (you’ll see most have artificial flavor) and stay away from those brands. You can also use course (decorating) sugar which is made up of larger sugar crystals. I prefer to use course sugar is over sanding sugar or granulated sugar, as they are super fine and may clump and melt into the chocolate.

Here are some more Christmas Candy Recipes to try this holiday season:

EQUIPMENT: