Gourmet Pretzel Rods

With the holiday season in full swing, I'll be sharing some of my most popular holiday posts over the upcoming weeks...such as this fantastic gift idea!

                            

These make great gifts for teachers and neighbors, and they are a cinch to make.  Here's the recipe...

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

 (you can substitute white chips also)

10 eight inch pretzel rods (check Aldi's, Walmart or Target)

Assorted sprinkles

Waxed paper

Melt 3/4 c. chocolate chips in microwave on medium power until melted. 

(or you can melt all the chocolate chips in a double boiler)

Then add the remaining 1/4 c. of chocolate chips and stir well.

Fold a piece of wax paper in half, open it up, and pour the sprinkles down the crease.

Dip and spoon chocolate on half of each pretzel rod, and then gently roll/press the chocolate

covered part in the sprinkles.  Place on another piece of waxed paper to set, and chill for
about 15 minutes in the refrigerator.

After the chocolate and sprinkles have set, place in large cellophane bags (Hobby Lobby has them in the cake decorating section~make sure you buy the extra long bags so the pretzels will fit) and tie with ribbon and tag made from scrapbook paper.  (I get my red and white striped ribbon from Walmart)

And here is another fun variation!

I clipped this recipe out of Country Living a couple of years ago for these pretty peppermint sticks.

Here is the recipe...

Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Sticks

Dip 12 five inch peppermint sticks, one at a time, into seven ounces of white chocolate.  Transfer to baking pan lined with parchment paper.  Allow the chocolate to set slightly-about 5 minutes, then roll the chocolate end of the peppermint sticks in 1/4 cup of white nonpareils.  Return to the lined pan and let stand at room temperature until chocolate hardens.                

enjoy!