Chocolate Pretzel Bark {Easy Pretzel Bark Recipe}
When you need a fast dessert or appetizer, whip up a batch of this easy Chocolate Pretzel Bark. Just two simple components and you’re on way your to a speedy and shareable snack that everyone will love! Pretzel bark and chocolate bark recipes are easily adaptable to be dairy-free, gluten-free, or vegan.
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Hey you! Yeah, you! Give me 15 minutes and I’ll give you a super-fast and incredibly tasty dessert! Sweet, salty, and crunchy – everything we all want and need in life.
Just like these Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups, this chocolate pretzel bark is one of those no-brainer easy dessert recipes. Unlike my Nana’s Almond Roca recipe, this chocolate bark is homemade candy without needing a candy thermometer! It’s perfect for last-minute snacks, parties, and holiday gift baskets.
Or, you know, eating it by the handfuls while you hide from your kids in your closet. We all have a thing.
Ingredients for Chocolate Pretzel Bark
Hold onto your hats – it’s just pretzels and chocolate!
What kinds of pretzel work best? I used organic pretzel sticks, but you can also use rounds, crisps, or even broken pieces of pretzels. Gluten-free pretzels are perfectly fine in this bark recipe.
I don’t recommend using thicker pretzels as they are much harder to break apart in the bark. And if you have delicate little sensitive teeth like me, thicker pretzels are a beast!
Since the chocolate is the star of the show, use the highest quality you afford. I love the big blocks from Trader Joe’s, but Ghiradelli and Guittard are also great choices.
Dark, milk, bittersweet, semi-sweet, etc., the choice is yours!
If you need to make this pretzel bark dairy-free or vegan, use dairy-free chocolate chunks like Enjoy Life.
Candy melts are a very convenient choice, but I find their flavor lacks the intensity of pure chocolate.
How to Make Chocolate Pretzel Bark
Let’s walk through this together (holding hands and skipping), but as always, you’ll find a detailed and printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Sprinkle your pretzels on top of the parchment. Pro tip: if you’re adding any toppings, make sure you chop them now.
Add your chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl (this huge glass measuring cup/bowl is one of my favorite kitchen tools and I use it at least once a day) and microwave at 50% less power for 30 seconds. Allow it to rest for 30 seconds, and then microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Repeat this cycle one more time or until the chocolate is mostly melted. Stir gently with a spoon until smooth.
Pour the chocolate over the pretzels, moving it around the pan to try to get as much coverage as possible. Use a silicone spatula and bring any orphaned pretzels into the safety of the chocolate goodness. Pro tip: if you’re adding any toppings, do so now.
Allow the bark to fully cool. If your kitchen is warm, you can place the plan in the fridge or freezer for 20-60 minutes.
Break cooled bark into pieces and enjoy!
Pretzel Bark Variations
Don’t just stop with the basics! Get creative and add some “pieces of flair” to your chocolate pretzel bark. Things like:
- Dried fruit
- Crushed peppermints/candy canes leftover from Easy Peppermint Bark
- Candied ginger
- Nuts
- Peanut butter, mint, or toffee chips
- Sprinkles
- Melted white chocolate (follow the melting instructions found in Addicting Strawberry and Chocolate Bark)
- Flaky sea salt (Maldon is my favorite and a box lasts forever) or even homemade vanilla salt
If you plan to add anything that requires chopping, I highly recommend having everything prepped before you even start melting the chocolate. Once the chocolate and pretzels start to cool on the baking sheet, it will be challenging to get any additional toppings to stick.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- To store, allow the pretzel bark to fully cool. Place pieces in an air-tight container (we love these glass containers because they don’t retain odors of previous foods and they last FOREVER) and keep at room temperature. The bark will be good for up to a week.
- Don’t rush the melting process as it can cause the chocolate to get grainy when it cools.
- If you don’t have a microwave, I recommend using a double-boiler in a pot on the stove. No double boiler? Use a glass bowl fitted over a saucepan. Add water to the saucepan but don’t allow it to touch the bottom of the bowl.
More Chocolate Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
- Addicting S’mores Bark
- Peppermint Bark Graham Cracker Recipe
- Aunt Barbara’s Old Fashioned Fudge
- Strawberry Paleo Truffles
- Nordy Bars
- Gluten-Free Mug Cake
Making this recipe or others?
Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #sustainablecooks. I can't wait to see your take on it!
Whip up a batch of this Easy Chocolate Pretzel Bark for a fast dessert. Just two simple components and you're on way your to a simple pretzel bark recipe!
- 16 oz chocolate (chopped) (dark, milk, bittersweet, or semi-sweet)
- 3 cups pretzel sticks
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Sprinkle your pretzels on top of the parchment. Pro tip: if you're adding any toppings, make sure you chop them now.
Add your chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 50% less power for 30 seconds. Allow it to rest for 30 seconds, and then microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Repeat this cycle one more time or until the chocolate is mostly melted. Stir gently with a spoon until smooth.
Pour the chocolate over the pretzels, moving it around the pan to try to get as much coverage as possible. Use a silicone spatula and bring any wayward pretzels towards the chocolate. Pro tip: if you're adding any toppings, do so now.
Allow the bark to fully cool. If your kitchen is warm, you can place the pan in the fridge or freezer for 20-60 minutes.
Break cooled bark into pieces.
To store, allow the pretzel bark to fully cool. Place pieces in an air-tight container and keep at room temperature. The bark will be good for up to a week.
If you don't have a microwave, I recommend using a double-boiler in a pot on the stove. No double boiler? Use a glass bowl fitted over a saucepan. Add water to the saucepan but don't allow it to touch the bottom of the bowl.
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This stuff is awesome!! I needed an easy last minute dessert to throw together for a family reunion last weekend. I had seen this recipe on Instagram earlier in the day, and thought it would be perfect. I was not wrong! I used a mix of dark chocolate and semisweet chocolate (because I didn’t buy a big enough bag of dark) and it came out great! It’s so good, and so easy, I’m planning to make another batch for my family’s Christmas party this coming Saturday. 🙂
Who-hoo, so glad you enjoyed it, Amanda! It really is stupidly easy so I love throwing a batch together.
Looks yummy (and easy! Right up my alley!) I love pretzels. I can’t believe I have never thought of something like this before. I have dipped them in the past, but that is a bit tedious.
I got a set (1-cup, 2-cup, 4-cup and 8-cup) of Pyrex measuring cups as a bridal shower gift over 27 years ago and use them all the time.
**knock on wood**
All four of them are still fully in tact, too. A little scuffed and a little chipped from nesting them, but they are one of my favourite things. And they sure stand the test of time! I don’t know what they cost my parents, but it was absolutely worth every penny.
Yum! Salty and chocolate — my two favorite tastes.
I tried pretzels in a nut bar recipe this past spring and my family thought it was genius. And pretzels are so much more affordable than nuts. Thanks for sharing.
I love the idea of it in nut bars!! I do suggest sprinkling some nuts on top of this as a variation, but adding them IN would be great too!