Description
These Christmas Rolo Pretzel Crunch Clusters are a festive and irresistible holiday treat combining salty pretzels, gooey caramel chocolates, crunchy pecans, and colorful candy toppings for a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and crunchy flavors. Easy to make and perfect for holiday parties or gifting.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 60 waffle-style mini pretzel twists
- 60 Rolo candies, unwrapped
Toppings
- 30 pecan halves
- ½ cup red & green candy buttons or M&M’s
- ¼ cup Christmas nonpareils or sprinkles
- Optional: extra milk chocolate melts or Hershey Kisses
- Optional: flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C) to prepare for gently melting the Rolo chocolates.
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and allow easy cleanup.
- Arrange Pretzels: Evenly place the waffle-style mini pretzel twists on the prepared baking sheet, making sure they are spaced sufficiently.
- Add Rolo Candies: Place one unwrapped Rolo candy in the center of each pretzel, positioning them carefully.
- Bake Rolos: Bake in the preheated oven for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the Rolos become glossy and soft but still hold their dome shape; this ensures they melt evenly without losing structure.
- Add Toppings: While the Rolos are warm and soft, gently press one topping (pecan half, candy button, chocolate melt with sprinkles, or nonpareils) into each melted candy center.
- Optional Salt Finish: Add a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on selected clusters to provide a delightful flavor contrast.
- Cool Clusters: Allow the clusters to cool at room temperature, or refrigerate them for 10 to 15 minutes until the chocolate firms up and the clusters hold together.
Notes
- Do not overbake the Rolos; they should be soft but still domed to avoid spilling caramel.
- Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and simplify cleanup.
- Customize toppings based on your preference for extra color or crunch.
- Refrigerate if you want the toppings to set faster or for firmer clusters.
- Flaky sea salt is optional but enhances the sweet-salty flavor combination.
