Next time you need a (ridiculously) easy treat, food gift or party snack, grab a packet of pretzels and a big bar of your favourite chocolate. Melt chocolate, dip pretzels, pop into the fridge, and there you have it – 2-ingredient, 10-minute pretzels dipped in chocolate ‘heaven’. Just like magic.

I know. I have a cheek calling this a recipe. It isn’t one really. It’s an idea. But it’s a fabulous one, right?

I’m so addicted to these chocolate covered pretzels that I have to ration the amount of pretzels I buy. If I have them in the pantry, it’s just too easy to make myself a big stash of these salty sweet gourmet chocolate biscuits… and eat them far too quickly.

Why you’re going to love them

• It’s the easiest ever last-minute gift. But it can look so classy. Make, package in a small box or see-through food bag, tie with a ribbon and… done.

• They’re perfect last-minute treats or party snacks.

• They’re ‘free from’. Check the packet, but they can be free from dairy, milk, eggs and nuts. Which means they can be suitable for vegans, or people with egg or milk allergies.

• They’re great for making with kids. The easiest ever cooking project!

About the ingredients

The amazing thing about this chocolate biscuit recipe is that you only need 2 ingredients:

1. your favourite chocolate
2. a bag of pretzels

I have experimented with A LOT of different types of pretzels and chocolate (oops).

My conclusion? Enjoy experimenting for yourself and find out which combo you prefer!

I usually use one particular brand of traditional twisted pretzels from my local supermarket. I slightly prefer the texture. And my favourite 70% cocoa organic chocolate when it’s on special.

But seriously, just use any pretzels you can find and your favourite type of chocolate (rods, twists or something else is fine). In my local supermarket the pretzels are usually with the crisps/chips and other similar snack foods.

How to make them

See how easy it is:

Step 1: Melt chocolate. I usually melt a big bar (200 grams or 7 ounces) in a glass jug or small bowl in the microwave in 30-second bursts. It takes from 1.5 to 2.5 minutes depending on the type of chocolate. When it’s nearly fully melted, just stir until the rest has melted too. This is a lazy but effective way of ‘tempering’ the chocolate!

If you prefer to melt the chocolate the traditional way, just place the glass bowl of chocolate pieces over a saucepan of boiling water until it melts. Don’t let the bowl touch the water.

Step 2: Drop the pretzels into the chocolate a few at a time. Grab a teaspoon and give them a good dunk. My 3-year-old loves helping with this!

Step 3: Fish the pretzels out of the chocolate with the spoon or a fork. No need to wipe off any of the chocolate – the thicker the better! Place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Step 4: Put the tray of chocolate dipped pretzels in the fridge to set. I find it only takes 5 to 10 minutes for the chocolate to set.

Step 5: Lick the bowl (of course). My son loves ‘helping’ with this part too.

A few top tips

1. Use a small spoon to dunk the pretzels and fish them out. When you’ve almost used up all the chocolate, it’s easy to scrape around the bowl with the spoon and drizzle the last bits on a few more pretzels.
2. Don’t throw away the broken bits of pretzels! I love to cover those in the chocolate too and pile them on the baking tray in little pretzel stacks. Mmm!
3. Keep your finished choccie biccies in small food bags in the fridge. I think they taste better cold.

Variations

This is one of those things where the variations are limited only by your imagination. Here are a few ideas:

• While your ‘chocolate biscuits’ are still wet you can drizzle over a different kind of chocolate with a piping bag or even just a spoon e.g. white chocolate zigzags!

• Sprinkle over coconut, finely chopped nuts or dried fruit, sprinkles, mini m&ms, or anything else tiny and tasty that you can think of.

• Dip in the chocolate as usual. Let dry, then just half dip in a different kind of chocolate. Alternatively, melt two different kinds of chocolate together, say milk and white, then lightly swirl together before dipping for a fun swirly chocolate effect.

• Add a few drops of food colouring to white chocolate to make fun colourful chocolate pretzels.

• Sandwich two pretzels together with nut butter or cookie butter before dipping. Mmmmm!

• Use the finished pretzels to decorate desserts like cupcakes, birthday cakes, cheesecakes or ice cream sundaes!

• For a simple homemade food gift that anyone would love, make a selection of different kinds of chocolate biscuits. Put them in a clear food gift bag, plain glass jar or small gift box. Add ribbons and a gift tag.

More things to know (FAQs)

More easy homemade food gifts

• Chocolate bark. Choose between toffee apple, mango and pistachio or Easter. All delicious and also perfect for a last-minute gift.
• Chocolate rocks or cute chocolate lollipops. Two more so-easy-it’s-embarrassing idea.
• My favourite: these dried orange slices or these sweeter candied orange slices dipped in chocolate. They’re both amazing, and soooo easy.
• Chocolate dipped Oreos.
• Chocolate marshmallow crispy squares.
• Or see all my food gift ideas here.