Christmas Pretzel Rods
These Christmas Pretzel Rods are a festive and easy snack or dessert for the holidays! They’re fun for little kids, and they also make great neighbor and teacher gifts!
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During this Great Quarantine, Robbie has really developed an interest in baking. In an effort to entertain Robbie, I’ve started employing him as my kitchen helper. His pay? Bites of whatever we bake. And bites of all the raw ingredients, too. I guess it’s that childhood curiosity, but Robbie really wants to know what everything tastes like. I’ve let him try raw flour (yuck), chocolate chips (can I have another one, Dad?), salt (yum!) and brown sugar (I think I like that!). I drew the line when it came to baking powder, baking soda and yeast. I didn’t want my new assistant to quit the job!
Robbie and I have made all sorts of fun recipes together, but the best part was when he turned to me months later and said, “Dad, that cake rose in the oven because of the baking powder.” I was pretty speechless. I don’t think Robbie has stopped talking for the entire Great Quarantine. But apparently he was listening to what I said, too. He’s soaking in things like a sponge these days!
One of our favorite Quarantine Treats is actually something really easy to make. We took pretzel rods and dipped them in melted candy coating. Then we explored Dad’s box of baking decorations and had a grand old time. 4th of July sprinkles combined with red and green sanding sugar? Sure! Valentine’s hearts combined with Autumn colored jimmies (or are they sprinkles)? Why not? After all, they all taste the same!
Christmas Pretzel Rods
Christmas Pretzel RodsLast weekend, Robbie and I decided to revisit our pretzel making memories, and we whipped up a batch of these Christmas Pretzel Rods. Somehow I managed to keep him focused on only Christmas-themed decorations this time! Truthfully, my favorite ones were the white pretzel rods drizzled with red and green candy coating. Those were super easy to make, and they totally look like something you’d find in one of those Christmas foodie gift baskets.
Forget the 1-2 pretzels you might find in a gift basket. You can make an entire bag of these Christmas Pretzel Rods in about 30 minutes – and that includes clean up time! Here are a couple of tips that I learned after (many) rounds of making these chocolate-covered pretzels. First (and most importantly), the sky is the limit in terms of decorations here. Have fun with it! Second, if you have a tall, skinny glass, then pour the candy coating in there and then dip the pretzel in. It makes things much easier!
Lastly, when you add the food coloring to make colored candy coating, you’ll notice that the mixture will seize up a bit. It’ll look kinda clumpy, and it definitely wouldn’t be “pipe-able.” Depending on the amount of candy coating you are coloring, just add a tiny bit of vegetable oil. Stir it up, and the candy coating will thin right back out. Fill a piping bag and get to work drizzling those pretzel rods!
These Christmas Pretzel Rods are a great activity for little hands during the holidays. Oh, and I bet a bundle of these pretzel rods would be a pretty fun neighbor or teacher gift, too! After all, the salty + sweet combination is pretty darned tasty. I hope you have as much fun making these as we did! Happy Holidays!
Did you make these Christmas Pretzel Rods at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog). I’d love to see how you decorated your pretzel rods!
Christmas Pretzel Rods
Ingredients
- 12 oz. white chocolate or vanilla candy coating
- 16 large pretzel rods
- various holiday decorations sprinkles, jimmies, colored sanding sugar, food coloring, etc.
Instructions
- Using either a double-burner or a microwave, carefully melt the white chocolate or candy coating. Transfer the melted chocolate into a tall, thin glass. (Tip: This will make the pretzel rods easier to dip.)
- Dip the pretzel rods into the chocolate and place on a parchment- or wax paper-lined baking sheet.
- While the chocolate is still warm, decorate the pretzel rods with various holiday decorations.
- Let cool for 1-2 hours, or until chocolate has hardened. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature.
Notes
Looking for more sweet Christmas recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
These are so fun! Perfect for kids to help decorate and I can’t help but nibble on these! Love that sweet and salty combination!
I’m with ya on the salty and sweet combination – plus, these are just so fun to make together! Thanks, Kathy!
These are so pretty. And good for Robbie. And you! My mother always chased us out of the kitchen because she needed to concentrate!
Haha – I totally get the concentrate in the kitchen (or anywhere else in the house for that matter)! However, an easy recipe like this one is perfect for Robbie to help with. 🙂 Thanks, Mimi!
so cute so pretty so much fun!
You can say that again, Sherry! We had making (and eating) these!
So awesome that Robbie likes being a kitchen helper! I bet you two had fun making these – they really are festive and addictive, I’m afraid. 😉
We really did have a lot of fun making these together – and you can easily change the theme with different colors. And, yes, these are terribly addicting! 🙂 Thanks, Marissa!
Whilst it has been an awful and particularly challenging year with this pandemic thing that’s so great that you and Robbie have been able to spend quality time together baking. And that he has taken a real interest. If he ever quits then let me know. I’ll be your baking assistant so I can try everything you bake. Including this yummy festive looking Pretzel Rods!! Ha ha!!
You’re totally right about that, Neil. It’s been incredibly difficult keeping Robbie home full-time, but there have been some great silver linings, too. Him helping me in the kitchen has been a lot of fun! Also, I think there’s always room for another assistant – come on over! 🙂
These look like a lot of fun to make. And really festive, too. A nice quarantine project to get the whole family in the holiday mood! Hope you guys had an awesome Thanksgiving.
We did indeed have a good Thanksgiving. I hope you and your family did, too! And, yes, these Christmas pretzels are an easy and fun (and tasty!) family activity. 🙂 Thanks, Frank!
I love salty and sweet combos so these are right up my alley. And I love how you can decorate them in so many ways. What a fun project! I would definitely love to have a few of these around the holidays. Such a great gift too! I may just have to double the batch 😉
You and me both, Dawn! Salty + sweet makes for such a tasty dessert. And these pretzels rods have both – and they’re so easy to make, too. Also, yes, I highly recommend doubling this batch…you know, just in case a couple go “missing.” 🙂
What a fun and I’m sure tasty food project. I never decorated pretzels with my kids, but sure decorated a lot of Christmas cookies.
I think it wise of you not to let Robbie try the baking powder and soda or yeast.
Christmas cookies are next on the list! The pretzels were much easier – but they disappeared about as fast as the cookies. 🙂 And, yes, I had to step in to keep Robbie from making a big mistake with a spoonful of baking powder. Yech. Haha!
I’m totally with you, David! I let my kids in the kitchen to explore and enjoy baking/cooking with them, it is so much fun! Honestly I don’t like pretzels , but you have made it look tempting with that candy coat, looks so festive , thanks for sharing this recipe, Have a great day!
It really is fun having a helper in the kitchen! I do have to go a bit slower than normal, but I’ve enjoyed teaching him some of the basics. And these pretzel rods were a fun activity for sure. Thanks, Aarthi!
It would be fun for adults too! like me… Definitely a good giveaway this holiday season
I totally agree that these are fun for adults, too! Robbie got to keep the best looking ones for his snacks…but Laura and I ate all of the “leftovers.” Yum!
These are so festive, David! My kids would have a blast making these! And I know they love pretzels and chocolate 😉
I absolutely love salty + sweet in desserts, and these pretzels are SO easy to make. They would be great foodie gifts…if you can keep from eating all of them first. Haha! Thanks, Michelle!