Last updated on June 13th, 2025
Chocolate Dipped Pretzels combine the perfect combination of salty and sweet and are easy to coat in milk, dark or festive white chocolate. Give these simple treats away in gift tins or add to holiday cookie platter along with old-fashioned toffee or old-fashioned peanut butter fudge.
These are such a simple and fun treat to make with your family during the holiday season. They also make a great gift if you package a few of them in a festive holiday tin.
Ingredients
OPTION #1 Candy melting discs: For the best tasting, look for chocolate melting disks that are made of 100% real chocolate. Most candy disks sold in stores contain mostly sugar, palm oil and other artificial ingredients. To make chocolate shiny for smooth dipping you can add a drop of canola oil to melted chocolate. If you use the candy melting discs, do not add any oil as they already contain palm oil.
OPTION #2 Chocolate bars: Chocolate baking bars. If using a block of chocolate, it may need to be tempered 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.
- Paramount crystals: Paramount Crystals are used to help melt chocolate, candy melts or yogurt, to help create a smooth, glossy coating. Use 1 tsp Paramount Crystals for every 2 cups chocolate, candy melts, or yogurt coatings.
- pretzels: Pretzels are a hard, crunchy snack available in several shapes. The best type of pretzels for dipping include rings, small twists, waffle shaped, or pretzel rods. Look for these festive-shaped pretzels found in grocery stores during the holiday season.
- Oil-Based Food Gel Color: Oil based food gel is a highly concentrated food color specifically designed to blend into fat-based ingredients like chocolate, butter, or cocoa butter. Using an oil-based gel vs. a water-based gel will prevent the chocolate from seizing.
Method
1. GATHER EQUIPMENT
- Basic baking equipment: measuring cups and spoons, liquid measuring cups, spatula, bowls, cookie sheet, silicone baking mat or parchment paper
- Highly Recommended: double broiler or electric chocolate melter, chocolate dipping tools
- Recommended, not required: gel or oil-based color, squeeze bottle, Flo-Coat (if using gel food colors)
2. MELT CHOCOLATE (CHOOSE METHOD)
- Double Broiler: 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. Be sure not to heat chocolate over 115°F, as it will burn. Use a high-quality stainless steel pot such as AllClad Double Broiler along with a digital thermometer for best results.
- Microwave: 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.
- Electric Melting Pot: Melt chocolate in a electric chocolate melting pot such as Wilton Brand.
3. COLOR & MELT WHITE CHOCOLATE
- Candy melting disks: these are sold pre-colored, however, they are not real chocolate. They are primarily made of oil and sugar and do not taste as good as real chocolate.
- Color white chocolate (using oil-based color): When coating pretzels or other food in white chocolate, you must use oil-based candy coloring. I prefer to use , however, it is not typically sold in grocery or craft stores.
- Color white chocolate (using standard gel food coloring): When you color white chocolate with regular gel food colo, you will need to add a product called “Flo-Coat.” To do this: add 5 drops of Flo-Coat to 1-part gel food color into the melted chocolate. This will ensure the chocolate will not seize once melted.
4. DIPPING THE PRETZELS
- Place pretzels in chocolate pot: place just a few pretzels in the chocolate pot at a time. Use a chocolate dipping tool or a fork to drain excess chocolate off the pretzel.
- Decorate: Be sure to sprinkle on decorations such as jimmies or non-perils right away so that the chocolate doesn’t set-up too fast. I prefer to use all-natural sprinkles. Read the ingredient labels on pre-made decorations and you’ll see that most have artificial flavor. You can also use course (decorating) sugar which are large sugar crystals. I prefer to use course sugar is over sanding sugar as it tends to clump and melt into the chocolate.
5. ALLOW TO 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 placed on a cookie sheet.
- Let pretzels fully dry before placing them in a storage container.
Equipment
Recommended tools: (affiliate links)
Dietary Substitutions
TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE:
- Swap out the pretzels with gluten-free pretzels. I recommend using a high-quality brand such as . They are a great choice because they are a crispy pretzel and hold the crunch.
TO MAKE VEGAN/DAIRY FREE:
- Use dairy-free chocolate. I recommend using a high-quality brand such as .
Storage
Store covered pretzels in sealed container or holiday tins. For a simple holiday gift, put some pretzels into a cello bag and tie with a cute bow.
You can also freeze dipped pretzels in a freezer-safe container. Place in layers between parchment or wax paper. To thaw, place container on counter-top and don’t open until they come to room temperature.
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