Rolo Pretzels: Quick Sweet & Salty Bites for the Holidays
When I want to whip up a quick and delicious treat for friends and family, I turn to Rolo pretzels. They are so easy to make, yet they never disappoint. With just three simple ingredients—pretzels, Rolo candies, and M&M’s—I can create a satisfying mix of sweet, salty, and crunchy flavors that everyone loves. These treats are perfect for holiday gatherings, party favors, or just having on hand as a quick snack during the busy festive season.
It’s easy to get caught up in traditional cookie baking during the holidays. What I like about making a few batches of holiday pretzels is that they are small enough to fill cookie tins and platters. It’s always a nice surprise to find a cookie alternative when grabbing a snack to eat from a gift box.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Rolo pretzels are not only easy to make but also incredibly versatile, making them ideal for any holiday gathering. They are small enough to fill cookie tins and holiday trays, adding a delightful surprise to any dessert spread. These treats are perfect for parties, as they require no special equipment and are simple enough that even children can help assemble them. Whether you are hosting or looking for a thoughtful food gift, Rolo pretzels are the perfect addition to your holiday celebrations.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make these festive Rolo pretzels, I start with 96 pretzel snaps or pretzel twists, which provide the perfect base for holding the Rolo candy. Next, I use 96 Rolo candies—the combination of caramel and chocolate makes these treats truly decadent. To finish, I top each pretzel with one of the 96 M&M’s. For a festive holiday look, I prefer using red and green M&M’s, but any variety will work just as well.
How to Make Rolo Pretzels
To begin, I preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Lining a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil is essential to prevent any sticking and makes cleanup easy. Once the oven is preheated, I arrange the pretzels in a single layer on the baking sheet, making sure they are evenly spaced. I then place a Rolo candy in the center of each pretzel, ensuring that each one is perfectly positioned.
Next, I place the baking sheet in the preheated oven for about 3 minutes. This step requires careful attention because the goal is to soften the Rolos just enough to press down without completely melting them. Once the Rolos are soft, I immediately remove the baking sheet from the oven. While the Rolos are still warm, I press an M&M candy onto each one, gently flattening it to create that classic Rolo pretzel look.
Finally, I let the Rolo pretzels cool completely so the chocolate and caramel can set. To speed up this process, I often place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. This ensures that the treats are fully cooled and ready to enjoy or package for gifting.
HOW TO SERVE PRETZEL CANDIES
- BIG BOWL FOR A PARTY: If you’re hosting a party like Christmas, graduation, or birthday parties, serve it in a big bowl with a large spoon. Serve next to 9 oz. fancy plastic cups. Guests can fill their own cup up as needed.
- SHIP TO FAMILY/FRIENDS: Fill a quart size bag and ship it to your kids in college or to a friend across the country. During the holidays, fill up empty space on cookie platters, trays, and holiday tins with this snack candy.
- PARTY CUPS FOR EVENT: Fill fancy 9-ounce plastic cups with the candy bites. Place them on a food table for serving.
- DESSERT BOX/SPREAD: If you’re hosting a party with small bite-size dessert servings, serve a few candied pretzels in a muffin liner. This is perfect for those Christmas boxes and platters.
- PARTY FAVORS: Send the candy pieces home in a lunch bag size paper bag or a food-safe plastic candy bag.
Other Notes and Tips
☑ Perfect size to fill up empty spaces in a glass bowl, cookie trays and platters, or dessert tins.
☑ Ship well without breaking.
☑ Doesn’t cost a fortune to make. Frugal food gift to share for the holidays.
☑ Doesn’t use any special equipment.
☑ A fun recipe that small children can help make.
☑ Easy recipe to make a week or more in advance.
TRY THESE RECIPE TWISTS NEXT
- HERSHEY’S KISS – A wide variety of Hershey’s chocolate candy pieces can easily be swapped with the Rolos for more variety, see this Pretzel Kiss recipe.
- JUNIOR MINTS – chocolate covered peppermint candy pieces.
- PEPPERMINT BARK – Candy bark in a wide variety of flavors in place of the M&M’s or Rolos.
- SPRINKLES – Sprinkle festive Christmas or other holiday sprinkles on top of the warm Rolos candy.
- NUTS – Swap the m&m’s for pecans, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, or even gourmet chocolate covered nuts.
- REESE’S – Swap Rolos for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup minis or holiday bells.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I serve Rolo pretzels at a party?
These treats are versatile and can be served in multiple ways. You can place them in a large bowl with a serving spoon, use muffin liners for individual portions, or fill small decorative cups to create easy grab-and-go servings.
Can I make Rolo pretzels ahead of time?
Yes! Rolo pretzels can be made a few days in advance and stored in an airtight container. They keep well and are perfect for prepping ahead for holiday gatherings.
Can I use other types of chocolate?
Absolutely. You can use other caramel-filled chocolates, or even peanut butter cups, to create different flavor combinations.
How do I keep the Rolos from melting too much?
The key is to keep a close eye on them in the oven. You want them just softened, which only takes about 3 minutes. If they overheat, they will melt too much and lose their shape.
What can I use instead of M&M’s?
If you prefer a nutty version, you can use pecan halves, mini marshmallows, or another small candy of your choice. You can also use a second pretzel to create a pretzel sandwich.
TRY THESE CHRISTMAS COOKIES NEXT
- Strawberry Thumbprint Jam Cookies – Jam filled almond cookies.
- Pecan Fingers – Old fashioned pecan shortbread cookie fingers rolled in powdered sugar.
- 15 Christmas Cookie Recipes – Only the most important traditional cookie recipes that will make the baking list year after year.
- Russian Tea Cake Cookies – Easy shortbread cookie dough balls with pecans and rolled in powdered sugar.
- Raspberry Ribbon Cookies
- Almond Crescent Cookies
- Checkerboard Cookies Recipe
Rolo Pretzels
Ingredients
- 96 pretzel snaps or pretzel twists
- 96 Rolo chocolate covered caramel candies
- 96 M&M's I used green and red M&M's for Christmas
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Unwrap Rolos. Place in bowl.
- Fill 1-2 baking sheets with pretzels in rows.
- Place a Rolo candy in the center of each pretzel.
- Bake in oven for 3 minutes or until chocolate starts to soften.
- Remove from oven and immediately top each Rolo with M&M candy.
- Allow chocolate to set (cool) for several hours before storing in a container or ziplock bag.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate and it’s accuracy is not guaranteed to be exact.
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