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Caramelized White Chocolate Pretzels with Candy Canes

“Oh, you know you love throwing a party. It’s the best kind of sickness.”

Such was Doctor Lisa‘s friendly diagnosis of my pre-Christmas party stressball whining.

And I had promised myself that this time I was not going to go over the top with my menu. Nope. Not the week after Thanksgiving.

pretzels dipped in caramelized white chocolate and coated with crushed candy canes
Photo: Casey Barber

I wasn’t going to fuss, I was going to keep things traditional, finger foods only, nothing crazy.

And Dan had already requested that the dessert table feature his two holiday favorites, peanut butter kiss cookies and buckeyes. He even volunteered to help me roll and bake them.

So how could it be anything but a big old self-imposed helping of masochism that made me add candy cane-coated caramelized white chocolate pretzels to the lineup?

pretzels dipped in caramelized white chocolate and coated with crushed candy canes
Photo: Casey Barber

Luckily, the extra effort was worth the insanity, as the combination of rich caramelized white chocolate, salty pretzel rods, and a dusting of cool and crunchy crushed candy canes was all I hoped it would be.

As I explained in my post on how to caramelize white chocolate, applying a low and slow heat to white chocolate until it turns golden gives it a taste similar to dulce de leche.

No longer the pristine snow-white (and somewhat bland) flavor of regular white chocolate, it’s now deeper and richer, just like the burnished sheen of a pretzel rod.

pretzels dipped in caramelized white chocolate and coated with crushed candy canes
Photo: Casey Barber

Dipping pretzels in caramelized white chocolate alone would have been a fantastically party-friendly addition to the holiday dessert table.

But it is the time of going overboard, after all, of adding extra ribbons and sparkles and decorations everywhere and anywhere.

So why not crush a box of candy canes and add their glittery, wintery coolness as a finishing touch? Honestly, it’s much better than eating plain candy canes, I know that much.

pretzels dipped in caramelized white chocolate and coated with crushed candy canes
Photo: Casey Barber

It just goes to show that despite my meltdowns and decisions to make seemingly finicky desserts, it’s completely possible to pull this one off off in a holiday rush when your mind and body are being pulled in many exhausting directions.

When making your own caramelized white chocolate pretzels, don’t forget to allot enough time for the chocolate to harden.

pretzels dipped in caramelized white chocolate and coated with crushed candy canes

You can place them in the coolest spot in your house (like the attic!) to help things along.

Once everything is baked, dipped, and rolled, you’ll end up with a dessert that takes the traditional chocolate-covered pretzel into surprising and sophisticated territory.

They’re a treat for kids from one to ninety-two.

pretzels dipped in caramelized white chocolate and coated with crushed candy canes

Caramelized White Chocolate Pretzels with Candy Canes

Yield: 5 dozen pretzels
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Additional Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes

Candy cane-coated caramelized white chocolate pretzels are a holiday upgrade from the usual milk chocolate treat. Crunchy, sweet, creamy, and salty, they're a fun Christmas dessert.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Make or re-melt the caramelized white chocolate according to recipe instructions.
  2. While the chocolate bakes or melts, cut each pretzel rod in half with a sharp knife. There are roughly 30 pretzels in each 12-ounce bag, so you'll have 60 half-size rods when you're done.
  3. Unwrap the candy canes and place in a large zip-top bag.
  4. Gently smash the candy canes into shards with a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat tenderizer, then pour the shards onto a small rimmed baking sheet.
  5. Line a large sheet pan with waxed paper.
  6. When the chocolate has reached the proper caramelized color and consistency or is fully melted, pour it into a heatproof 2-cup jar such as a pint-sized mason jar.
  7. Dip a pretzel rod into the chocolate, letting the excess drip back into the jar, then quickly roll it in the crushed candy canes and transfer to the lined sheet pan.
  8. Repeat with all the pretzel rods.
  9. Let the dipped pretzels sit at room temperature for a few hours to allow the chocolate to fully harden.
  10. Pretzels can be made 2 days in advance and will keep for up to a week in a sealed container at room temperature.

Notes

Pretzels can be made 2 days in advance and will keep for up to a week in a sealed container at room temperature.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 30 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 240Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 21mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 0gSugar: 14gProtein: 1g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate.

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