The first time I made these ROLO pretzels, my entire kitchen smelled like buttery caramel and warm chocolate, and I knew right away this was going to become one of my favorite quick holiday treats. I discovered them during a frantic December evening when I needed a festive dessert but had almost no time to bake. As soon as I pulled the tray from the oven and pressed the bright red candies into the soft caramel centers, I felt that same little spark of childhood joy. These tiny reindeer-shaped treats are adorable, fun, and unbelievably easy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’ll love this recipe because it gives you maximum holiday cheer with minimal work, and from my own experience, people always think you spent more time on them than you actually did. You’ll also appreciate how kid-friendly and fail-proof they are—even if your holiday season is hectic, you can still make a dessert everyone will rave about. And you’ll love how the salty pretzels balance the caramel and chocolate perfectly, giving you that irresistible sweet-and-salty crunch every time. Most importantly, you’ll love how festive these little reindeer faces look lined up on a tray.
Ingredients
- 48 small pretzels (mini twists work best)
- 48 ROLO candies
- 48 red chocolate candies (such as red M&M’s)
- 48 candy eyes
These measurements make about four dozen tiny reindeer, which is usually just right for a holiday party tray. If you can’t find ROLOs, you can substitute any soft chocolate caramel candy that melts gently without losing shape—I’ve tried similar caramel-filled chocolates, and they work, though the flavor is slightly different. For the eyes, I prefer the pre-made candy eyes because they hold up perfectly in the warmth of the melted caramel, but small white chocolate chips dotted with a bit of melted chocolate also work in a pinch. And for the pretzels, avoid the extra-salted varieties—they overpower the caramel.
Equipment Needed
- 1 large baking sheet
- Parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
- Small offset spatula or butter knife (optional)
- Cooling rack
The parchment paper makes cleanup so much easier, especially when any caramel spreads during melting. If you don’t have parchment paper, aluminum foil with a little nonstick spray can work, but be gentle when removing the finished pretzels so they don’t stick. The cooling rack isn’t strictly required, but I like using it because it helps the chocolate firm up more quickly. And the offset spatula is useful if you need to nudge the ROLOs into place or help lift the pretzels while they’re soft.
Step-by-Step Instructions
When I first made these ROLO pretzels, I didn’t expect how quickly everything would move once the chocolates softened, so now I always set up my workstation before the baking sheet goes in the oven. I lay out the pretzels on the tray, unwrapped ROLOs beside me, and have the candy eyes and red noses ready in little bowls. This makes assembly so much smoother, especially when the caramel is warm and perfect for shaping. I recommend preheating your oven to 250°F first, then preparing the tray.(See the next page below to continue…)