These snowflake pretzels and no bake candy cane frosted pretzels are made with snowflake-shaped and flat pretzel crisps dipped in melted white and dark chocolate, then topped with crushed candy canes, sprinkles, and white nonpareils.

The salty crunch under a sweet peppermint coating is what makes them so hard to stop eating.

They’re an easy Christmas treat for cookie trays, classroom parties, and holiday gift tins, and kids can help with the decorating. I pack them into cellophane bags with a few treats from these homemade Christmas candy recipes.

If you’re making a holiday treat tray this year, these are worth bookmarking too:

Snowflake Pretzels and No Bake Candy Cane Frosted Pretzels

Ingredients You’ll Need

Snowflake pretzels are seasonal, but regular twists work just as well, and flat pretzel crisps give you a big surface for the candy cane topping. Candy melts set firmer and faster than chocolate chips, so they’re the easiest option for beginners.

Ingredients

3 cups snowflake-shaped pretzels (or mini pretzel twists)
2 cups flat pretzel crisps or pretzel thins
12 oz white chocolate melting wafers or white candy melts
6 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate melting wafers
2 teaspoons coconut oil or vegetable shortening, divided
6 candy canes, finely crushed (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons white nonpareils or snowflake sprinkles
2 tablespoons red and green sprinkles or holiday sprinkle mix
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)

Directions

Line two large baking sheets with parchment or wax paper.
Unwrap the candy canes, put them in a zip-top bag, and crush them with a rolling pin until they’re mostly fine with a few small chunks.
Shake the crushed candy through a mesh strainer if you want to separate the fine peppermint dust from the bigger pieces (both are useful).
Put the white chocolate wafers and 1 teaspoon of coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave at 50 percent power for 1 minute, stir, then continue in 20-second bursts, stirring each time, until smooth.
White chocolate burns and seizes easily, so low power and patience are what keep it silky.
Stir in the peppermint extract now if you’re using it.
Drop a few snowflake pretzels at a time into the white chocolate and turn them with a fork to coat completely.
Lift each one out with the fork and tap the fork on the edge of the bowl so the extra chocolate drips back down.
Lay them on the parchment and immediately sprinkle with white nonpareils or snowflake sprinkles before the chocolate sets.
For the candy cane frosted pretzels, dip half the pretzel crisps face-down in the white chocolate so just the top is coated.
Scrape the bottom against the bowl edge and set them on the parchment chocolate side up.
Press crushed candy cane onto the tops right away, since it won’t stick once the chocolate firms.
Melt the dark chocolate with the remaining coconut oil the same way, in short microwave bursts.
Coat the rest of the pretzel crisps in dark chocolate and top them with crushed candy cane, red and green sprinkles, or a drizzle of leftover white chocolate.
Mixing white and dark makes the tray look a lot more festive with almost no extra work.
If the chocolate in the bowl starts to thicken while you’re working, microwave it for 10 seconds and stir.
Thick chocolate leaves a lumpy coat and globs on the parchment.
Working in small batches also keeps the toppings from sliding off.
Let the pretzels set at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes, or put the trays in the fridge for 15 minutes to speed things up.
They’re ready when the chocolate is firm and they lift cleanly off the paper.
Snap off any chocolate feet around the edges for a neater look.
Arrange on a holiday platter or pack into gift bags and enjoy!

Important Recipe Notes

Use melting wafers. Melting wafers and candy melts set hard and shiny without tempering. Regular chocolate chips contain stabilizers that keep them soft and can make the coating streaky.
Keep water away from the chocolate. A single drop of water can make melted chocolate seize into a stiff paste. Dry your bowl, spatula, and fork completely.
Decorate fast. Sprinkles and crushed candy cane only stick to wet chocolate. Dip and top 4 or 5 pretzels at a time, then move on to the next batch.
Crush candy canes just before using. Crushed peppermint pulls moisture from the air and turns sticky. Crush them right before you start dipping.
Don’t overheat white chocolate. If it turns thick and grainy, it’s overheated. Stir in another 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil to try to loosen it, but sometimes you have to start over (this has happened to me more than once).

Fridge timing. A short chill speeds setting, but long stays in the fridge can cause condensation that makes the candy cane bleed red. Pull them out as soon as they’re firm.
Storage. Store in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 2 weeks, with parchment between layers.
Gifting. Make them up to a week ahead and pack them in tins or cellophane bags once fully set. Keep them away from heat so the chocolate doesn’t soften.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving:

Pile the snowflake pretzels and candy cane frosted pretzels together on a platter so the white and dark coatings stand out.

They’re great on Christmas cookie trays, dessert boards, and hot chocolate bars. Serve at room temperature for the best snap.

Storage:

Keep them in an airtight tin or container with parchment between layers for up to 2 weeks.

Store somewhere cool and dry, not near the oven or a sunny window. Humidity softens the candy cane topping, so seal the container well.

Customization:

Swap the candy cane for crushed Oreos, toffee bits, or mini M&Ms.

Tint the white chocolate light blue with oil-based food coloring for a frozen snowflake look. For gluten-free treats, use gluten-free pretzels, which dip exactly the same way.