The very first time I made Grinch Pretzels, my entire kitchen smelled like melted white chocolate and warm pretzels, and I instantly fell in love with how cheerful and fun they looked spread across my counter to cool. I remember dipping that first pretzel into the vivid green candy coating and giggling because it really did look exactly like something straight out of Whoville. These little treats have become a holiday tradition in my kitchen, mostly because they turn even the simplest afternoon into a burst of festive joy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’ll adore this recipe because it takes almost no effort, but the results look like something you’d see in a fancy holiday dessert spread. You get the perfect combination of salty, sweet, creamy, crunchy, and adorable—all in one ridiculously easy bite. And from my experience, people cannot resist these cute little pretzels with their bright green coating and signature red heart. They disappear from the table faster than anything else I make in December.
Ingredients
- 2 cups mini pretzels
- 1 bag (10 oz) green candy melts
- 1 cup red candy melts
- 1–2 teaspoons vegetable shortening (optional, for smoothing chocolate)
- Parchment paper for drying
These ingredients are simple, but the magic is in the color and contrast. If you can’t find green candy melts, you can use white melts and stir in a few drops of oil-based candy coloring—just avoid water-based colors because they seize the chocolate. Shortening is optional, but I’ve learned it really helps create that silky dip that coats pretzels evenly. And for the hearts, red melts work best because they pipe smoothly and firm up quickly.
Equipment Needed
- Microwave-safe bowls
- Fork or dipping tool
- Parchment-lined baking sheet
- Small piping bag or zip-top bag
- Spoon or spatula
You don’t need any special equipment for this recipe, and that’s something I love about it. A simple microwave-safe bowl melts candy perfectly if you heat it in intervals and stir patiently. I’ve used a fork, a dipping wand, and even chopsticks to lift the pretzels out of the chocolate—whatever you’ve got will work. A piping bag helps with shaping the red heart, but if you don’t have one, snipping the corner of a zip-top bag works beautifully.
Step-by-Step Instructions
The first thing I do is line a baking sheet with parchment paper because it gives the pretzels a place to rest while they cool without sticking. Then I melt my green candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl, heating in 20-second bursts and stirring between each one. I’ve learned that rushing this step only leads to clumps, so I take my time until everything is smooth and glossy. If the mixture looks too thick, I stir in a tiny bit of shortening.(See the next page below to continue…)