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Valentine Pretzels are tasty Valentine’s Day treats and super easy to make. Watch our dipped pretzels recipe video below and follow the step-by-step instructions with key recipe tips to see how to make chocolate covered pretzels with candy melts.
Dipped and Decorated Valentine Pretzels are perfect for kids to help make and give as sweet Valentine’s Day gifts to their friends and family.
We love that these Valentine snacks aren’t pure chocolate, so kids don’t get as much of a sugar rush from them as some other types of treats.
These Valentine pretzels have been one of our reader favorites since we first shared this post in 2012. One of our contributors Cat Davis made these dipped pretzels with candy melts with her kids and they’ve been such a hit that we have updated this post with a video, new photos and an updated recipe.
Valentine’s Day is one of those wonderful holidays where the only gift you need to give is a little love to the people you care about most. As a mom, I spend all year doing the things I have to do with my kids, so I like taking the extra time during the holidays to do the things I want to do with them. That usually means baking something extra special or surprising the kids with a breakfast made with love in the form of heart shaped pancakes.
This year, spend some time with your kids in the kitchen making tasty treats like these Dipped and Decorated Valentine Pretzels.
Or you could whip up a batch of these cute treats yourself and give them to your kids along with one of these other valentines gifts for kids.
How to Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels
An easy dessert for kids, pretzel twists and rods dipped in pink candy melts are then decorated with Valentine’s Day hearts and candy sprinkles.
Step 1 – Gather your favorite pretzel snacks.
The large pretzel rods and twists work well for this sweet project but you can also dip the small sticks and mini twists too. In our original post, Cat used large pretzel twists and rods, but here in Canada, I couldn’t find large pretzels.
So when I made these chocolate covered pretzels, I used regular pretzel twists and pretzel sticks, as well as mini-pretzel twists and rods.
Step 2 – Melt Chocolate
Do you use candy melts or chocolate chips for chocolate covered pretzels?
Candy melts are the perfect product to use to make dipped Valentine pretzels. They melt easily and come ready in fun holiday colors like red, white, and pink. (Our local stores only had white candy melts, so I used red food coloring to make some of our candy pink.)
You can melt chocolate chips or bars of chocolate if you don’t have any candy melts or if you prefer the taste of real chocolate.
Since chocolate chips (or white chocolate chips) don’t melt as easily or as smoothly as candy melts, add some vegetable shortening to the chocolate chips when you melt them. The shortening will help thin out the chocolate and make it easier to work with.
Our original pretzel valentine recipe called for 2 tablespoons of vegetable shortening for a cup of candy melts. But, I don’t find that you need that much shortening, especially if you are using candy melts and not chocolate chips.
In fact, since candy melts are made for melting and coating, you may even be able to skip the vegetable shortening if you don’t have any on hand.
If after you melt the candy or chocolate, you find it is still too thick and doesn’t flow smoothly from a spoon, increase the amount of shortening.
How do you melt the “candy melts” for your dipped pretzels?
The key to melting candy melts or chocolate chips is to proceed carefully and stir OFTEN.
You can melt your candy in the microwave or with a double boiler.
(If you don’t have a double boiler, you can use a metal or glass bowl on top of a saucepan with a couple of inches of water in it. But make sure that the bowl is larger than the pot so no water or steam can get into the candy bowl. Water will make your candy seize and ruin it.)
Using a microwave is a simpler method for how to make chocolate covered pretzels because you don’t have to worry about water/steam getting into the candy and seizing it. But heat slowly and cautiously.
When melting the candy, use a microwave-safe bowl, ideally glass or ceramic, and add a teaspoon or two of vegetable shortening to about a cup of candy melts.
Microwave the melts for 30-seconds and then remove and stir. Return candy to microwave and heat in 15-30 second intervals, stirring each time in between until the melts are smooth and creamy.
It will look like your candy melts or chocolate chips aren’t melting, but they are. Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir well.
The heat from the bowl as well as from the heated candy will continue to melt the rest of the candy.
Step 3 – Dip Valentine Pretzels
Place a large sheet of wax paper over a hard surface. Dip and cover each pretzel covering about a third of the surface. Tap the pretzel on the side of the bowl to remove excess candy.
If your bowl is too small, use a spoon to pour the candy melts over the pretzels… pouring the melted candy with a spoon works really well for the decorated pretzel valentine rods.
You can use a coffee warmer to keep your candy warm, melted, and smooth. But make sure to stir regularly and don’t leave it on too high of a heat or it may scorch and burn.
Step 4 – Decorate Valentine Pretzels
This is the part of making chocolate covered pretzels that kids love the most!
Place the dipped pretzels on a sheet of wax paper and decorate with your favorite candy sprinkles.
Step 5 – Let Dipped Pretzels Harden
Let the dipped pretzels sit and harden for about an hour. You can also place them in the fridge for a quick chill.
Step 6 – Wrap Valentine Pretzels in Candy Wrappers
Wrap your treats with candy wrappers, which you can find at your local craft store or dollar store, and then tie with a ribbon.
These sweet treats make wonderful Valentine’s Day gifts for teacher gifts, friends, or family.
Valentine Pretzels
Video
Ingredients
- 1 bag Pretzel Rods
- 1 bag Pretzel Twists
- 1 bag Pink Candy Melts or use red food coloring with white candy melts
- 1 bag White Candy Melts
- 4 tsp Vegetable Shortening
- Candy Sprinkles various colors
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of each color of candy melts into separate microwave-safe bowls.
- Add 1 or 2 teaspoons of vegetable shortening to each bowl of candy melts. (You may want to use more depending on how thin you want the melted candy.)
- Microwave the melts in 30 second intervals, stirring each time in between until the melts are smooth and creamy.
- Place a large sheet of wax paper over a hard surface.
- Dip and cover each pretzel covering about a third of the surface or useĀ a spoon to pour the candy melts over the pretzels.
- Tap the pretzel on the side of the bowl to remove excess candy.
- Place the dipped pretzels on the wax paper and decorate with candy sprinkles.
These Valentine Pretzels are perfect for some special time in the kitchen with kids and even an affordable treat to make and take to school parties. Do you have a special treat you like to make for Valentine’s Day?
Pretzel Valentine Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Do Chocolate Covered Pretzels Last?
If you’re wondering how far in advance you can make chocolate dipped pretzels, we suggest making them a day or two before you give them as gifts for Valentine’s Day. Then you can let your lucky Valentine know they can keep the pretzels fresh to enjoy over the next two or three weeks in an airtight container at room temperature.
Do NOT put Chocolate Covered Pretzels in the refrigerator. The only time you might put the Valentine pretzels in the fridge is for a few minutes after you dip them in chocolate to help the chocolate set. But the maximum time the chocolate dipped pretzels should be in the fridge is up to 10 minutes.
Can You Freeze Chocolate Dipped Pretzels?
Yes, you can freeze chocolate dipped pretzels in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 12 months. In fact, you may find your Valentine pretzels can be quite tasty to eat still frozen.
Be sure the pretzels are completely dry and layer them with wax paper in the airtight container or a freezer bag.
Once you make up a big batch of these Valentine treats to give to friends, keep a container left for yourself in the freezer. Then over the next several weeks, you can sneak a yummy frozen treat every so often.
What Type of Chocolate Do You Use To Make Dipped Pretzels?
We find that using candy melts is the easiest way to make chocolate covered pretzels. The “candy melts” melt so smoothly and evenly that you may not even need to add vegetable shortening.
But of course, you can also use other types of chocolate to make dipped pretzels. If you using chocolate chips or chunks of chocolate, you’ll likely want to use vegetable shortening to help make a smoother melted chocolate. Be sure to microwave in only 30 second intervals and stir in between, or melt the chocolate in a double boiler.
Our Original Valentine Pretzels
As I mentioned, we first shared this Valentine’s Day treat that was made by one of our writers, Cat Davis, in 2012. Below are those photos where she used large pretzel twists and large pretzel rods.
The larger pretzels work really well for making dipped pretzels, so I highly recommend using large ones if you can find them in your local store. She used both pink and white candy melts, whereas in our updated photos we used only white candy melts and added red food coloring to make our pink pretzels.
We published the first version of this post on Feb 2, 2012.
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Pin these Valentine Pretzels for Later
More Valentine’s Day Treats
If you enjoyed this post for how to make chocolate covered pretzels, be sure to check out some more of our tasty Valentine treats…
Conversation Heart Cookies ā The Sweetest Valentineās Day Cookies
Bobi says
Valentine Pretzels love this. next valentines day making for my kids. Thanks
Jeniffer says
Too cute! We will be making these for the kids’ church classes on Wednesday. Thanks for sharing and the great instructions!
Susan says
I made these with my girls on the weekend and they had so much fun. (But I couldn’t find candy melts at the store… and as I had all three little girls with me, I just grabbed white chocolate chips which didn’t work as well.)
@PamelaMKramer - A Renaissance Woman says
Candy melts! I had no idea.
Melissa says
YUM! These look so good and easy too!
Zsa Zsa says
Hmmm… I think my kids can make these for their teachers this Valentine’s Day.
Cat Davis says
That’s a great idea. I was thinking since I can’t bring homemade treats for the kids, at least the teacher could enjoy a special goody basket.
Margaret says
Love this! Thank you!
Cat Davis says
You’re welcome Margret, please do let me know if you try them out.
Nichol says
I love how you made them for our next holiday. So pretty!
Cat Davis says
Thanks Nichol, they’re almost too pretty to eat. š
Tiff says
These look yummy and cute. And definitely an affordable way to give VAlentine’s treats!
Cat Davis says
Oh absolutely. You could make a ton of these for under $10.