Crisp pretzel rods dipped in caramel, chocolate and topped with colorful sprinkles.

I decided to try something new this year which is sometimes intimidating. I love eating festive pretzels but never have I tried to dip them myself. So I do what I always do when I want to try something new, I go to Pinterest and compare every recipe. I like to know everything about the dish I am making.

Helpful hints to dipping pretzels.

So I decided to share what I learned from my latest undertaking. First make sure you freeze your pretzel rods. This will help the caramel to stick and hold it’s shape quickly.

Then make your caramel. There are two ways to do it. One is this great recipe I found or the second, unwrapping caramels and adding 1 tablespoon of water to 24 caramels. I kept my caramel on the stove on a low heat and used a spatula to spread it on the pretzel rod. The less caramel on the rod the better, otherwise it clumps. I put parchment paper on a cookie sheet and placed my pretzel rods there once they were dipped in caramel. Then place them in the fridge to set up.

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Caramel for Dipping Pretzels

Crisp pretzel rods dipped in caramel, chocolate and topped with colorful sprinkles.

Servings

Pretzel Rods

Ingredients

• 2 sticks butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup light Karo syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Servings Pretzel Rods Ingredients 2 sticks butter 2 cups brown sugar 1 can sweetened condensed milk 1 cup light Karo syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a heavy duty pan.
2. Cook on low-medium heat, stirring constantly. The color will change from a light brown to a caramel color, the color of brown sugar. Once the color has changed it is ready for dipping.
3. Reduce the heat to low and spread caramel onto pretzel rods.
4. You can also pour caramel onto a cookie sheet, let it cool and cute it into strips or squares for homemade caramel soft candies.

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Next you prepare your chocolate. I placed four glass glasses in my crockpot on high and filled it with water. I waited to heat the chocolate until the caramel was ready. You have to act fast or the chocolate will get lumpy. I used a spoon to spread the chocolate on the parts that weren’t covered in the cup. I found it easiest to let the chocolate drip a bit before placing in on clean parchment paper.

Now it’s time to decorate. Sprinkles, candy canes, chocolate chips, M&M’s and cinnamon and sugar are some of my favorites. Once I decorated them I placed them back in the fridge and let the chocolate set.

Finally I bagged them up for friends and family. There is nothing better than making homemade gifts at Christmas time. If you like pretzels try my homemade hot fudge.