Desserts

Pretzel Crack

This Pretzel Crack is a rich, indulgent and crunchy snack or dessert that is great for the holiday season or DIY gifting. It's made with pretzels, homemade caramel and topped with dark chocolate chips and shredded coconut.

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a plate full of pretzel bark that is broken into pieces and topped with coconut.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Pretzel Crack comes together in just about 30 minutes!
  • You only need 4 ingredients.
  • Can be made vegan, dairy free, plant-based and gluten free.
  • Is super crunchy, and perfectly sweet.
  • Has a toffee like texture and flavor that is absolutely delicious.
  • The sweet chocolate and caramel goes so perfectly with the salty crunch of the pretzels.
  • Can also use graham cracker or ritz crackers instead of pretzels.
  • This recipe is fool proof, you really can’t mess it up.
  • Great for the holiday’s or DIY gifting.
  • If you love this recipe, check out my Chocolate Chips Pretzel Cookies.

Ingredients And Substitutions

These are the main ingredients and substitutions for Pretzel Crack. Scroll down to the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and instructions.

Use salted pretzels for the perfect sweet and salty taste, otherwise plain unsalted pretzels would work too. You can also use graham crackers, saltine crackers or ritz crackers.

Use grass-fed butter for the most flavor, or if you’re vegan or dairy free swap for a dairy free alternative.

I used a combination of brown sugar and coconut sugar for my caramel, but you can use any that you’d like. Cane sugar and monk fruit sweetener would also work.

You can use semi sweet, sweet or dark chocolate chips or even a chocolate bar if preferred. Dairy or dairy free will work!

Leave the bark as is, or top with your favorite toppings, I did shredded coconut but sprinkles, candy cane, peanut butter, or even more pretzels would work great as well. Feel free to get creative with it!

pretzels, chocolate chips, butter and sugar in individual bowls.

How To Make

ONE: Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper and coating it with non-stick spray. Preheat the oven to 375F. Then, lay out the pretzels in a single layer.

pretzels laid out on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper in a single layer.

TWO: Next, mix together the butter and sugars on the stovetop in a medium saucepan until smooth and creamy, about 5-7 minutes.

THREE: Then, pour the caramel over the pretzels and spread evenly. Place in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and top with chocolate chips and place back in the oven for 3-5 minutes. Remove and spread the chocolate evenly.

FOUR: Top with desired toppings and freeze for a minimum of 30 minutes. Break apart with your fingers or cut with a knife and enjoy!

Tips And Tricks

Cut the butter into cubes for quicker and easier melting.

Be sure the pack the brown sugar.

Both line the baking sheet with parchment paper and coat with non-stick spray.

Don’t let the caramel harden before pouring over pretzels otherwise it will be really hard to spread. Pour it over the pretzels while it’s still hot and bubbly.

Stir the caramel sauce constantly to prevent burning.

If your caramel hardens, it’s ok, just spread as evenly as you can and pop it in the oven, once the caramel is bubbly again spread evenly and then top with the chocolate chips and place back in the oven.

If the bark if completely frozen, allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before enjoying to avoid cracking a tooth.

How To Serve And Store

Serve pretzel crack once it has completely hardened. Break it apart with your hands or cut into squares.

Enjoy with a cup of coffee, tea or cup of hot cocoa.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer and enjoy up to 30 days. This sweet snack cannot be stored at room temperature.

a hand holding a piece of the pretzel crack with a piece of greenery in the background and a lit candle.

Taste And Texture

This Pretzel Christmas Crack is sweet, salty and filled with toffee like flavor.

The texture is smooth and creamy, but super crunchy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe vegan and/or gluten free?

Totally! Just be sure to use vegan/gluten free pretzels, butter and chocolate.

What type of pretzels work best for this recipe?

You can use any shape of pretzels that you’d like, just as long as it covers the bottom of the parchment paper. I prefer using a salted pretzel for that sweet and salty taste.

What can I used instead of pretzels?

Ritz crackers, saltine crackers or graham crackers!

Other Recipes You May Like

If you make this Pretzel Crack, I would really appreciate a comment and rating down below, under the recipe card. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me over on InstagramTiktok or Pinterest!

Pretzel Crack

This Pretzel Crack is a rich, indulgent and crunchy snack or dessert that is great for the holiday season or DIY gifting. It's made with pretzels, homemade caramel and topped with dark chocolate chips and shredded coconut.
5 based on 1 reviews
PIN RECIPE
PREP TIME:
10 minutes
COOK TIME:
15 minutes
TOTAL TIME:
25 minutes
Author - Hannah

Ingredients

  • 4 cups salted pretzels, any shape will work. I prefer using square
  • 1 cup grass fed butter, can sub dairy free butter
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar 
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar 
  • 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, can sub dairy free chocolate chips 
  • Topping: shredded coconut 

SCALE:

1X

YIELDS:

12 servings

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325F, line a small 13x9.5 baking sheet with parchment paper and coat with non-stick spray.
  2. Next, cover the parchment paper with the pretzels in a single layer. 
  3. Then, combine the sugars + butter in a saucepan over medium/low heat. Stirring consistently and watching carefully so it does not burn. The mixture will melt, then become bubbly. Stir for 5 minutes, remove from heat and immediately pour over pretzels.
  4. Use a spatula to spread evenly and then bake for 10 minutes. 
  5. Remove from the oven and carefully add on the chocolate chips, return to the oven to bake again for 2-3 minutes.
  6. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate evenly and then top with desired toppings if using any. 
  7. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes or until completely hardened. 
  8. Break apart with your hands, or cut into squares and enjoy! 

Notes

  • Cut the butter into cubes for quicker and easier melting.
  • Don’t let the caramel harden before pouring over pretzels otherwise it will be really hard to spread. Pour it over the pretzels while it's still hot and bubbly.
  • Stir the caramel sauce constantly to prevent burning.
  • If your caramel hardens, it’s ok, just spread as evenly as you can and pop it in the oven, once the caramel is bubbly again spread evenly and then top with the chocolate chips and place back in the oven.
  • If the bark if completely frozen, allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before enjoying to avoid cracking a tooth.

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5 based on 1 reviews

Leave A Comment And Rate This Recipe!

Rating:

Thank you for this recipe! I’m making it as we speak to give to co-workers. I’m seeing your note about it needing to be frozen or refrigerated…. Is this because of the butter or will it melt? This a knit-picky question but I plan to leave these on people’s desks in the office—do you think I can just let them know to put it in their fridges/freezers that night if they don’t eat it the same day, or do I need to make them keep it in the fridge during the work day (which is a bit harder)?

Hi Rachel!! I hope i’m not getting back to you too late. However, they need to be refrigerated because the chocolate will melt. However, you can still leave them on your co-workers desk. I would recommend wrapping them in baggies or wrap and leaving them in the freezer overnight, then leave a note for them to refrigerate at their earliest convenience. it’s pretty cold outside so the chocolate shouldn’t melt immediately. I’d say you’d have 3-4 hours before they become room temperature! Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂