Caramel Pretzel Bites

On the Fifth Day of Christmas The Busty Baker made for me... Caramel Pretzel Bites!

‘Tis the season for lots of holiday parties. Whether it’s a party at work, or a party with friends and family, chances are you’ll hit up, or host at least one social gathering this season. And chances are, you’ll be met with the same old tired cheeseball , veggie tray, or bowl of nuts as snacks. Why not serve up something different? Why not set out a bowl of Caramel Pretzel Bites?

The perfect balance of sweet and salty, bite-sized pretzels are wrapped in chewy caramel, and then dipped in chocolate. What’s not to like? Add a bit more of a crunch by rolling the dipped pretzels in chopped nuts, or add a festive touch with some colorful sprinkles. They‘re a beautiful and tasty addition to any party.

My only complaint—they’re time consuming. I almost gave up after rolling out just 10 caramels. Luckily Boyfriend was there once again to save the day, and mastered the art of rolling out 5 at a time to make things go so much quicker. (A much quicker, easier method? Look near the apple section of the grocery store for those caramel apple wraps. It's already rolled out for you--just cut and wrap around the pretzel.) My first thought about these was that they weren’t really worth the effort, but after eating a rather shameful amount of them, I definitely think they were. They’re completely addicting, and I found myself at work wishing I had brought some with me to snack on, then completely binging on them when I got home. They’re that good. So serve them up, or bring them along to your next gathering. You'll be the hit of the party!

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Caramel Pretzel Bites
Adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray Holiday 2008
Makes 50



One 14-ounce bag soft caramels
One 10-ounce bag pretzel nuggets
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups natural almonds, toasted and finely chopped (optional)

1. Unwrap the caramels, then using a rolling pin, roll out each one into a 1/8-inch thick oval. Wrap a rolled-out caramel around each pretzel nugget, pinching the ends to seal.
2. In a double boiler over simmering water, melt half of the chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Add the remaining chocolate, remove the top of the double boiler from the saucepan and stir until smooth.
3. Place the almonds, if using, in a shallow bowl. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Using a fork, dip a caramel covered pretzel nugget in the chocolate to coat, tapping off any excess chocolate. Transfer the pretzel to the almonds and toss to coat; place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pretzel nuggets, reheating chocolate as needed. Let stand until set, about 3 hours.