Easy Christmas Chocolate Pretzel Toffee Recipe

If you love sweet treats then this Easy Christmas Chocolate Pretzel Toffee Recipe is the perfect addition to your holiday cookie platter. It covers all bases. Sweet, salty, crunchy and highly craveable! The best part is that this toffee pretzel recipe takes only minutes to make and does not require a candy thermometer!

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Why You'll Love This Easy Chocolate Pretzel Toffee!

There is nothing I love more than indulging my sweet tooth at Christmas and this recipe is one that I enjoy making. It is perfect for the holiday season and is fool proof. The sweet and savory flavors work perfectly as a delicious snack, or you could even make a big batch and create DIY gifts for the whole family. Trust me my friends are always begging for this chocolate pretzel bark.

You may have noticed that this recipe calls for half of the amount of butter and brown sugar that most toffee recipes use. I find it so sweet that it can be almost overpowering. Using half of the amount is plenty to get the pretzels to stick together and gives the perfect combination of sweet and salty flavors.

This indulgent treat is a great recipe that you are going to make year in and year out. The crunchy texture packs a punch in flavor as you get the sweetness from the melted chocolate and buttery toffee and the salty kick from the pretzels. You have to try this one as it does not disappoint! 

• Super easy to make - You only need a handful of ingredients and a little bit of time to make these sweet and salty treats. 
• Family-friendly - This is one holiday recipe that is perfect for the whole family to enjoy. The kids will love it just as much as the adults. 
• No need for a candy thermometer - You can easily whip up a batch of these delicious butter toffee pretzels with just a simple sauce pan and baking sheet.
• ​Everyone will love it - This will soon become a favorite recipe to make as a tasty DIY and edible gift for Christmas time or really anytime of the year.

Equipment Needed

• Baking tray or baking sheet
• Spatula or Whisk
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk 

Key Ingredients

Salty Pretzels - Any kind will do but you want enough to cover the baking tray you are using. This is what will help give that savory flavor to this sweet toffee recipe. Mini pretzels or pretzel rods work perfectly.

Unsalted butter and brown sugar  - The key ingredients to make a delicious sweet-tasting toffee. 

Semi-sweet chocolate chips - You can use any brand you like, but I recommend getting a good quality chocolate. 

Sprinkles and white chocolate chips - This is an optional way to decorate your Christmas pretzel toffee. I like to use holiday sprinkles and the white chocolate adds a little extra sweetness. You could melt the chocolate or add them whole to the melted chocolate. 

Step-By-Step Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Cover a rimmed baking tray with foil. Spray with cooking spray. This is a very important step! You must use non-stick spray or cooking spray to prevent the pretzels from sticking to the baking tray.  

Cover your baking tray with an even single layer of pretzels getting them as close together as possible.

In a small saucepan over medium heat melt the butter and stir in the brown sugar.

Once the mixture comes to a rolling boil, time for 3 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure this does not stick. I always set the timer on my phone.

When 3 minutes have passed, carefully pour the toffee mixture over the top of the pretzels. The trick is to get enough on so that they stick together. It will not completely cover and that is okay.

Place the pretzels in the preheated oven for 5-6 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with semi-sweet chocolate chips. (Reserving the white chocolate).

Use a spatula to spread the chocolate over the mixture. You may see a pretzel peaking out but that is okay, just cover as much as possible.

Add the sprinkles to the chocolate while it is still melted so that it will adhere.

Melt the white chocolate in the microwave in 15-30-second intervals and stir between each until the chocolate is smooth. Add a ½ teaspoon vegetable oil to make it easier to drizzle if necessary.

Drizzle the white chocolate over the top of the pretzel toffee. Cool for 20 minutes and then place in the refrigerator for an hour to completely harden.

Once the chocolate has hardened, carefully peel it away from the aluminum foil. Place on a cutting board and cut into squares or triangles or break into pieces.

Storage

You could make this easy chocolate toffee pretzel bark ahead of time. Once ready, place the toffee in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Substitutions And Additions

• Add some nuts - You could also add some chopped nuts to this delicious toffee recipe. Walnuts or almonds would work very well with the flavors. 
• Pretzels - You could use any type of crunchy pretzels you like or even saltine crackers as an alternative. 
• Extra textures - Another great addition would be to add crushed-up cookies to this pretzel recipe. 
• Marshmallows - Marshmallows will also work well with this. 
• Chocolate - You can switch out the semi-sweet chocolate for another type. White chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate would work well. 
• Peanut butter - You could add a swirl of peanut butter before this sets. It will really add to the flavor of this pretzel toffee bark. 
• Salted caramel - You could add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt to the toffee to make a delicious salted caramel. 

Expert Tips

• Spraying the foil- using cooking spray is a very important step to make sure the toffee will easily come off. I've read many people have had problems with foil sticking in toffee recipes but every time I make this recipe it peels right off with no problem. I also use a heavy duty foil because I find that the thinner variety rips easier.
• Timing- because we do not use a candy thermometer timing is key in this recipe. Let the mixture come to a boil before setting the timer. Which means you want to see bubbles coming from the center of the pot.
• Cooling- cool for 20 minutes on the counter and then pop it in the fridge so the chocolate can harden. This will speed up the process and make it so much easier to cut.

Why Is My Chocolate Pretzel Toffee Not Hardening?

This is likely to be because your kitchen or the room you are making this recipe in is too warm. The refrigerator can help speed the process up. This is why it is best to store this toffee in the refrigerator once made.