Description
These festive Grinch Pretzel Bites are a delightful holiday treat featuring soft caramel centers sandwiched between mini pretzels, dipped in vibrant green candy melts, and topped with adorable heart-shaped sprinkles. Perfect for Christmas parties or gifting, they combine sweet, salty, and crunchy textures with a fun seasonal twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Pretzel Bites
- 48 mini pretzel twists
- 12 soft caramels, unwrapped and cut in half
Candy Coating
- 1 cup vibrant green candy melts
- ¼ cup kelly green candy melts
- 1–2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
Decorations
- 24 heart-shaped sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Arrange pretzels and add caramel: Place half of the mini pretzels on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Put a half caramel on top of each pretzel, positioning it right in the center for even melting during baking.
- Bake to soften caramel: Bake the pretzels with caramels for 5 minutes or until the caramels soften and become gooey.
- Form pretzel bites: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and immediately press another pretzel on top of each softened caramel, sandwiching them. Let the pretzel bites cool completely to set the caramel.
- Melt candy melts: In a double boiler or a heat-safe bowl placed over simmering water, melt the vibrant and kelly green candy melts, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add vegetable shortening a teaspoon at a time and stir until the melted candy is smooth and glossy.
- Dip pretzel bites: Dip each pretzel bite into the melted candy coating, covering about two-thirds of the pretzel. Place them back onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Add sprinkles: Gently press a heart-shaped sprinkle onto the candy-coated surface of each pretzel bite while the coating is still soft to help it adhere.
- Let candy set: Allow the candy coating to fully set at room temperature before storing or serving.
Notes
- Store these pretzel bites in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week to maintain freshness.
- Use vegetable shortening gradually to achieve a smooth, dip-ready consistency for the candy melts.
- Be sure to work quickly when coating and adding sprinkles, as the candy melts begin to harden as they cool.
- If you prefer a stronger green color, adjust the ratio of vibrant and kelly green candy melts accordingly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 pretzel bites
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
