Chocolate & Candy Coated Pretzel Rods

Salted pretzel rods dipped in dark chocolate and coated with crushed candy bars and peanuts.

Like most holidays, we’re left with a ton of candy and Easter is no different. I could let my husband eat it all, but I need to watch his cholesterol because if I don’t, he certainly won’t. Sound familiar? So, I thought I’d make these sweet and salty goodies for Big Bang Bites. Friends and neighbors are always happy to sample what I’ve made, so nothing goes to waste around here.

For these treats, I used Malted Balls, Butter Fingers, peanuts, and Heath bars to coat these chocolate-dipped salted pretzels rods, but you can use just about anything that can be chopped up or sprinkled on. And you can use white chocolate, milk chocolate or colored chocolate. Combinations are endless.

Go ahead and experiment. Have fun. I’ve used nonpareils, mini chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, all kinds of nuts, hard candies, and cookie sprinkles. I’ve also used those fun-shaped colored sprinkles that come in jars for themed parties too. Last Halloween, I made them with white chocolate and sprinkled on orange, black and white candy bats. So cute! The kids loved them. But the ones here coated with candy bars are my favorite. Hmmm...I wonder what chopped up Snickers would be like? Next time.

Makes about 16

I made four kinds of pretzels, but if you make only one kind, you’ll have to estimate how much candy or nuts you need.

• 1 pkg large pretzel rods
• ½ cup or more of melted Wilton Dark Chocolate Candy Melts
• 1 Butter Finger candy bar, course chopped
• 2 Heath toffee bars, course chopped
• ½ cup or more of Malted Balls, coarse chopped
• ½ cup chopped peanuts

Course chop the candies and nuts, leaving them quite chunky, so you can see and taste them better. Set aside.

Melt the Wilton Candy Melts per package directions in a small bowl.

I use a butter knife and smear on the chocolate onto about two thirds of the pretzel rods. Sprinkle on the candy or nuts. Some of it falls off because the chocolate is warm, so you might have to press the candies and nuts on here and there. Lay the rods on wax paper to harden. I have a chunk of Styrofoam that I’ve made holes in, so I can prop them up. Store in an air tight container.