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READY IN 15 mins

Gourmet Pretzel Rods

Read Reviews (51)

"They're CRUNCHY and CHEWY and SWEET and SALTY and have a touch of CHOCOLATE... the ultimate snack! I get the peanuts and caramels in the bulk food section of the grocery store. It took me a couple of tries to get the caramel right (if you use 2 tablespoons water like some recipes for caramel apples call for, it stays too gooey; if you don't use any water, the caramel gets hard as a rock!)" — JEANNIE C

Ingredients Edit and Save

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Original recipe makes 15 servings Change Servings

1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1 tablespoon water
15 pretzel rods

1/2 (14 ounce) package candy-coated chocolate pieces
1 1/2 cups chopped peanuts

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Directions

In a microwave safe dish, combine caramels and water. Microwave for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes or until smooth, stirring after each minute.
Dip a pretzel rod into melted caramel. Reserve about an inch at the end to use as a handle, and spread smooth with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Attach 12 chocolate pieces, then roll in chopped peanuts. Place on wax paper until set.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 5 mins
COOK 10 mins
READY IN 15 mins

Footnotes

If caramel becomes difficult to work with about halfway through dipping, you can add 1/2 teaspoon water, and microwave for another 30 seconds; but don't keep microwaving or the caramel gets ruined.

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Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Dec 12, 2006

I dipped each rod (I used jumbo 8" rods) in the caramel (leaving about a 2 1/2 inch "handle") put them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet (next time I think I will try to get them supported in a glass so that the caramel doesn't pool up at the end) & stuck them in the freezer for a couple of hours. Then I dipped them in ghiradelli dipping chocolate & coated them in the chopped peanuts. (I only used peanuts on the very end of the rods to give them a truly gourmet look). These are soo tasty! They taste like a twix candy bar, only much better.

—IMVINTAGE

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Dec 08, 2005

These are much better if you dip them in chocolate AFTER you dip them in caramel. I usually dip them in the caramel,let that sit for a moment, then dip them in melted milk chocolate and drizzle some melted white chocolate over the top. The presentation is beautiful and they taste wonderful!

—M4PERKINS

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56 Ratings

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Jun 13, 2008

Great recipe! I cut the pretzel rods in half (to better fit on the goodie tray) and dipped in caramel and chocolate. Let the caramel set and then dip in chocolate. If the caramel "pools" on one side while setting, roll the rods to smooth out the caramel after it has set. You can do so many things with this recipe, so many options for coating the rods.....nuts, candies, colored drizzles, sprinkles, etc.

—Auntie D in MN

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Dec 09, 2007

I opted for this recipe because it seemed so easy. My two friends and I made them together, one dipped them in caramel, I did the chocolate, and one topped them with nuts. We poured and smoothed the caramel with a spoon, let it sit for a minute or two, then did the same for the chocolate. The peanuts went on right away else the chocolate hardened and was no longer tacky. It was a sticky mess, but the end product was way worth it - thus the 5 stars. They are ABSOLUTELY delicious, better than store bought. I couldnt imagine doing them alone, the caramel and chocolate do get cold/hard and then the pretzels break. It would even be fun to do with kids. But, do try them, they are awesome and addicting, and worthy of many compliments.

—sandhub1

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May 08, 2009

I thought that these were amazing! I changed the recipe a little. I dipped them in caramel like the recipe called for then I rolled them in a mixture of mini chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, toffee chips, and chopped walnuts. I also didn't add the extra layer of chocolate on top in fear of making it too sweet. My family and friends LOVED them and asked for the recipe... Another great all recipes website recipe! Thank you

—May

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Oct 17, 2008

Yummy! Made these the other night for our departmental bake sale...they almost didn't make it to work. I found that the caramel did a little better when it hardened up just a little - after melting, I set it off the heat for a few minutes, then used the back of a spoon to smear on the pretzel rods. I didn't have any trouble with the caramel running all over the place once I put them on parchment paper to 'set' before covering with chocolate. I changed up the toppings a little - used chopped roasted peanuts (used my mini food chopper to chop 'em up fine), shredded coconut, chopped white chocolate, and multi-colored sprinkles. I didn't put all the toppings on one rod - I made a variety. The only thing I didn't like about this recipe is the use of pre-packaged caramels - it took a while to unwrap all those little buggers. However, I used what I had left over in my baking stash - next time I think I'll try making caramel from scratch. I had some caramel, chocolate, and toppings leftover, so I threw all the toppings together in with the caramel, stirred it up a little, rolled into small balls, then dropped them in the chocolate. A nice little surprise. Thanks for a great recipe!

—JBEANIE

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Sep 07, 2008

I made these at Christmas time and gave away to neighbors and friends with homemade cookies. The favorite was the one with chocolate and rolled in crushed butterfinger candy. Just freeze the candy and beat up in a plastic bag. I recommend laying down either wax paper or plastic because of the drips and mess. but oh so easy and oh so good

—Kathy H.

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Dec 24, 2003

I found this recipe to be a bit more time consuming than I had expected. However, it was very good. I found it helpful to have my "assembly line" of toppings ready to go. If you like peanut butter, you will love this. The combination of ingredients makes this a very thick, peanut butter-y tasting sort of treat. Definitely have a beverage available. I will make this again.

—RACHREID

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Nutrition

Calories
287 kcal
14%

Carbohydrates
40 g
13%

Cholesterol
4 mg
1%

Fat
12.5 g
19%

Fiber
1.8 g
7%

Protein
6.2 g
12%

Sodium
276 mg
11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Gourmet Pretzel Rods

Serving Size: 1/15 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 15
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 287
Calories from Fat: 113

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 12.5g 19 %
Saturated Fat 3.4g 17 %
Cholesterol 4mg 1 %
Sodium 276mg 11 %
** Potassium 187mg 5 %
Total Carbohydrates 40g 13 %
Dietary Fiber 1.8g 7 %
Protein 6.2g 12 %
Sugars 26.5g
Vitamin A < 1 %
Vitamin C < 1 %
Calcium 7 %
Iron 9 %
** Thiamin 7 %
Niacin 25 %
** Vitamin B6 3 %
** Magnesium 13 %
** Folate 13 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.