You only need 4 ingredients to make these Monster Halloween Pretzel Rods. The perfect food craft for kids, you’ll love how simple it is to make these Halloween treats. The Pretzel rods are dipped in orange and green melting candy, then add a few candy eyes to make a cute monster pretzel in minutes.
These are the perfect Halloween treats for kids! All you need are simple supplies to get started – and you’ll have a spooky treat in no time! Now is the time to start gathering ideas for Halloween snacks. Be sure to add this one to the top of your list!
Monster Halloween Pretzel Rods – Fun with Kids
The great part about making these pretzel rods is that they’re fast and simple. This is one of those recipes the kids can quickly help make. There isn’t a “wrong” way to decorate them, which can bring out even more creativity.
I think that they would be a fantastic addition to a Halloween party or a silly snack to share with family and friends. Monster pretzel rods would be super fun to make together before the kids head out to trick or treat or have them waiting when they come home.
Why Your Kids Will Love These PRETZEL RODS
- It’s as simple as melting and dipping!
- They’re “almost” too cute to eat!
- The colors of the melting wafers for the pretzel rods can be changed – your spooky Halloween pretzels can be any combination of colors.
- You can pair these with other fun-themed cookies on a Halloween dessert table platter or place them in cellophane bags for a party treat.
- They would make a sweet addition to a Halloween charcuterie board. Place them standing up in a jar surrounded by other Halloween cookies.
Ingredients to Make Spooky Pretzel Rods:
Pretzel rods – The long pretzel rods make this recipe super simple as they are much easier to dip and decorate than small pretzels.
Green & orange candy melts – These are the two colors I chose for Halloween. You make your monster pretzels in many different colors using candy melts in green, purple, black, etc.
Candy eyeballs – Not only do these look super cute, but they’re also great to have on hand for all kinds of kids’ holiday food crafts. (especially around Halloween!)
How to Make Halloween Pretzel Treats:
Scroll to the bottom of this post for the complete ingredient list and printable recipe. These steps are intended as a tutorial.
Step 1: Follow the directions on the package to melt the chocolate. Make sure you melt the colors in different bowls and stir while melting them every 15 seconds. (Make sure to use a microwave-safe bowl.)
The chocolate should have no lumps at all.
Once the green and orange chocolate is melted, grab and pretzel rod and dip it into the chocolate.
Let the pretzel hang over the edge of the bowl so that the excess chocolate drips back into it and saves you from having to melt more melting wafers later.
Tip: Before attempting to dye white melting chips or almond bark with food coloring or gel, read How to Color Candy Melts for details, as only specific food coloring will work.
Step 2: Set the dipped pretzel rod on a parchment-lined baking sheet and add the googly candy eyes while the melted candy coating is still wet so they stick.
Step 3: Leave them on the paper to dry – and then grab and eat!
What is the Difference between Almond Bark and melting candy?
Almond bark has a waxy feel in your mouth while melting wafers have a smoother taste. They can typically be interchanged in recipes, but you’ll notice that almond bark has a richer flavor. One of the most significant differences between the two is shape and coloring. Almond Bark comes in a large bar, sectioned in squares and rectangles, while melting candy typically comes in circles or “discs,” as some people call it.
The other noticeable difference is that almond bark is either white or brown confectionary. At the same time, melting candies are available in various colors and can have different flavors, such as peppermint melting wafers! This is what makes them more versatile for holiday recipes.
Tips for Making Halloween Pretzel Rods
- Ensure water doesn’t touch the melting wafers, or they won’t melt properly.
- Don’t over melt the chocolate. If you burn the chocolate, you will have to throw the whole thing out and start over with fresh chocolate. You can’t salvage or reuse chocolate that is burnt.
- If you want to help the pretzels firm up quicker, you can always put them in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- You can add some festive Halloween sprinkles to these pretzel rods as well!
Three Ways to Melt Chocolate
Double Boiler Method
This is probably one of the most popular methods to melt chocolate. It’s as simple as putting a pan of a saucepan of water on the stove and bringing that water to a boil.
Once the water is boiling, set a heatproof bowl full of melting wafers. It’s all about stirring until the steam and heat from the saucepan melt the candy until it is smooth in the bowl.
Stovetop Method
The stovetop method is popular because it’s pretty quick and simple. All you have to do is add the chocolate pieces to a saucepan and warm up on the stove.
The tricky part is that you must stir the whole time, so the chocolate doesn’t burn and gets ruined. With the chocolate melting right on the bottom of the pan, it can burn quickly when you’re not paying attention.
Microwave Method
If you want fast, the microwave will be the fastest option. I microwave for 30 seconds the first time, then in 15-second increments stirring each time.
How far in advance can I make Monster Pretzel Rods
You can make these pretzel rods a week in advance as long as they are stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
How long do decorated pretzel rods last?
If you keep them in an airtight container, they should last up to 2 to 3 weeks. I put waxed paper between them, so the dipped pretzel rods don’t stick together.
How To Store The Spooky Monster Pretzels?
The best way to store these chocolate pretzel rods is to keep them at room temperature in an airtight container or bag. It is recommended only to put them in the fridge for 10 minutes if you want them to set up faster. Staying at room temperature in an airtight container yields the freshest Halloween treats.
VARIATIONS TO THIS EASY RECIPE
- You can find various colored candy melts, Halloween-themed sprinkles, and different kinds of candy eyes at craft stores.
- Use your imagination and add other toppings to make these monster pretzels super scary such as larger Halloween sprinkles.
- Melt white chocolate chips or white candy melts and drizzle it back and forth on the pretzels for added interest.
- If you don’t have pretzel rods, you could use pretzel sticks. Make sure you have the smaller candy eyes.
More Halloween Pretzel Rod Ideas:
Here are a few other fun Halloween treat suggestions.
- Witch Finger Pretzel Rod Recipe
- Frankenstein Pretzel Rods
- White Chocolate Mummy Pretzel Rods
- Halloween Ghost Pretzels
Monster Halloween Pretzel Rods (4 ingredients)
Ingredients
- 18 pretzel rods
- 1 cup green candy melts
- 1 cup orange candy melts
- 54 candy eyeballs
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add each of the candy colors to separate heat-safe greased bowls.
- Heat for 30 seconds, remove from the microwave, and stir. Then heat in 15 -second intervals, removing from heat, and stirring well between each heating session, until fully melted. I have scorched my share of melting chocolate, so I am a bit conservative with melting chocolate and prefer heating it in shorter increments.
- Dip a pretzel rod into the melted candy, and use a spoon to help coat half of the pretzel.
- Set on the parchment-lined baking sheet, and immediately place 3 candy eyeballs on the candy coating. Repeat until you have coated all of the pretzels.
- Allow to set for 1 hour so that the candy can harden. You can pop them in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to speed up the process.