How to Make Chocolate Carmel Pretzel Sticks

Create a sweet and salty treat for any occasion by coating pretzel sticks with caramel and chocolate. While the desserts may be sweet enough on their own, add more flavor with nuts, dried fruit, coconut or assorted candies and sprinkles. Holiday-themed or colored sprinkles can decorate your sweetened pretzel sticks to match any party or special occasion. While your guests may think you spent hours in the kitchen, these coated pretzel sticks take one hour to make.

Things You'll Need

• 50 caramels
• 2 tbsp. whipping cream
• Saucepan
• 18 pretzel rods
• Spoon
• Wax paper
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp. vegetable shortening
• Microwave safe bowl

Instructions

1. Combine unwrapped caramels and whipping cream in a medium saucepan.

2. Heat the caramels and whipping cream over low heat until the caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth.

3. Hold a pretzel rod diagonally over the saucepan. Use a spoon to scoop the caramel and pour it over the pretzel rod. Leave the end of the pretzel rod, where you are holding it with your fingers, uncovered to avoid burning yourself with the hot caramel.

4. Place the pretzel rod on a piece of wax paper to let the caramel cool and become hard.

5. Repeat for additional pretzel rods until you run out of melted caramel. You should have enough caramel to cover 18 pretzel rods.

6. Wait 30 minutes for the caramel covered pretzel rods to cool and harden.

7. Measure semi-sweet chocolate chips and vegetable shortening into a microwave safe bowl.

8. Microwave the chocolate on high for 30-second intervals until it is smooth and melted. Stir the chocolate and shortening mixture after each interval.

9. Scoop some of the melted chocolate with a spoon and drizzle it back and forth over the caramel covered pretzels. Continue to do this over the remaining pretzel rods.

Tips & Warnings

• Sprinkle chopped nuts, coconut, chopped dried fruit, candies or decorative sprinkles onto the pretzel rods while the chocolate is still warm.

• Substitute white chocolate for the semi-sweet chocolate chips to give your pretzel sticks a different look.

• Use half white chocolate and half semi-sweet chocolate to give the pretzel sticks a two-tone appearance.

References

• One Stop Baking: Dipped Pretzel Sticks
• Taste of Home: Caramel Pretzel Sticks