Crunchy Pretzel Caramel Clusters (Printable)

Crunchy pretzels coated in caramel and chocolate create sweet-and-salty clusters, perfect for any occasion.

# What You Need:

→ Pretzels

01 - 3 cups mini pretzels or pretzel twists, broken into bite-sized pieces

→ Caramel

02 - 1 cup soft caramel candies, unwrapped
03 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream

→ Chocolate

04 - 9 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
05 - 1 tablespoon coconut oil or unsalted butter

→ Topping (optional)

06 - Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

# Steps:

01 - Line a large baking sheet with parchment or wax paper to prevent sticking.
02 - Combine caramel candies and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth and fully melted, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
03 - Fold pretzel pieces into the melted caramel gently until all pieces are evenly coated.
04 - Drop heaping tablespoons of caramel-coated pretzels onto the prepared baking sheet, shaping into clusters. Allow to set for 10 minutes or until just firm.
05 - In a separate microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate and coconut oil or butter. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until smooth and fully melted.
06 - Dip each pretzel cluster halfway into the melted chocolate or spoon chocolate over each cluster to coat. Return to the baking sheet.
07 - Sprinkle clusters immediately with flaky sea salt if desired.
08 - Refrigerate the clusters for 20 minutes or until the chocolate is firm. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They taste like you spent hours in the kitchen when you really just needed 25 minutes and a microwave.
  • That sweet-salty balance hits different, especially when you use really good chocolate and real flaky salt.
  • Everyone asks for the recipe, and you get to experience the joy of saying it's ridiculously simple.
02 -
  • The microwave will trick you—30 seconds feels too short but it's perfect, and just a few seconds too long means your chocolate breaks and never recovers.
  • Don't skip the sea salt, and don't use regular table salt; the flaky kind makes the entire thing sing in a way that changes people's minds about what they thought they liked.
03 -
  • Double-dipping creates a thicker chocolate shell that feels more luxurious and holds up better if these end up anywhere warm.
  • If your chocolate seizes or gets grainy, add a tiny splash of oil and stir slowly—sometimes it saves everything, sometimes it's a lesson in letting things go.
Go Back