Chocolate Covered Pretzels

If you're looking for something easy and festive, look no farther.  Anyone can do these, even a child if supervised melting the chocolate.  You'd be surprised how often I've been asked to make these for parties or church functions.  I guess it's the sweet and salty thing going on with the pretzels and chocolate.  As it happens I was supposed to make these Chocolate Covered Pretzels last weekend for refreshments following a Christmas concert.  The program was out of town and as soon as we got on the road I remembered the pretzels.  Not only had I forgotten to bring them, I had forgotten to make them!   And at that moment of truth I couldn't even remember where I had put the pretzels when I brought them home from the store.  

As you can see, I found the pretzels and as there is another concert this weekend I'm bringing Chocolate Covered Pretzels.  I won't forget them this time because I've already taken them to the church.  That should assure delivery at the snack table.  

This is not as much a recipe as a process but I'll give you the approximate amounts so you'll know what to buy if you decide to make these. You can use a variety of coatings.  I prefer semi-sweet chocolate but milk chocolate or white chocolate can be used.  You could do some of each kind.  If you can't find the large pretzels you may use the skinny sticks or or the curly pretzels.  Remember to leave one end undipped so they won't be messy to handle.

Chocolate Covered Pretzels
2 packages large stick pretzels
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate or white chocolate chips

Suggested Toppings
Toasted coconut
Chopped toasted nuts
Crushed candy canes or other hard candy
Sprinkles
Crushed peanut brittle (Really, really good, but I couldn't find any at the store when I was there.)

Open pretzel packages and pick out all the unbroken pretzels and lay aside.  Eat the broken ones or save to use in another recipe.  Line a cookie sheet or bakers tray with parchment or waxed paper.

A simple double boiler: bowl over simmering water.

Melt the chocolate chips.  Any chocolate will scorch if melted over too high a heat.  Milk or white chocolate must be melted over very low heat as they will scorch quicker than the semi-sweet.  I like to melt chocolate chips in a double boiler over simmering water.  Don't boil the water, just let it simmer.  Stir the chips occasionally to help with the melting process.

When the chocolate is melted, dip each pretzel leaving the top uncoated.  This will give you a nice clean handle.  Let the excess chocolate drip off.  You can help this along with the back of a spoon.  Lay your dipped pretzel on the parchment paper. Sprinkle with your choice of toppings.  When you have your tray full let the chocolate set until hard.  You may place the tray in the refrigerator for 10 or 15 minutes to hasten the process.  Your pretzels are ready when they come off the paper without leaving any sticky chocolate behind.

A spoon will help you cover the pretzel with the melted chocolate.

Gently remove any excess with the back of the spoon.

 Lay the dipped pretzels on the parchment or waxed paper to set.

These are topped with crushed candy cane.

 When the chocolate is set hard place the pretzels on a serving tray.

 The finished tray of Chocolate Dipped Pretzels.  

From left to right:  Christmas sprinkles, toasted coconut and crushed candy cane.