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Rolo Pretzels are the best Christmas treat! Easy to make with Rolo caramel candy, pretzels, and red & green Christmas m&m candies. Sweet & salty flavor thanks to the salty pretzels, caramel chocolate, and chocolate m&m’s. 

We also love these peppermint bark pretzel bites. They use candy cane kisses instead of a Rolo!

A white plate with rolo pretzels on it.

Rolo Pretzels Recipe for Christmas

You’ve probably seen this recipe floating around on the internet. There is a reason they are so popular! These rolo pretzels are easy to make with only 3 ingredients and they have the best sweet & salty flavor ever. Perfect for Christmas treats, take some to the neighbors, or leave some out for Santa ??.

There are lots of ways to switch up this recipe for Christmas rolo pretzels so be sure and read below for all my tips and variation ideas. 

Close up shot of a stack of rolo pretzels on a white plate.

What You’ll Need

You only need 3 ingredients to make these! The hardest part is unwrapping all the Rolos. This is also the best recipe to get the kids involved with. They can press the m&m’s on top, lay out the pretzels, and unwrap the Rolo candies. 

  • Snaps Pretzels : These square, criss-cross pretzels are my go-to when I make pretzel bites. Mini twist pretzels can be used if you can’t find the square snaps. 
  • Rolo Candy : These are a caramel and chocolate candy, with each one being individually wrapped in gold foil. 
  • Red & Green Christmas M&M’s Mix

Ingredients needed to make rolo pretzels with each ingredient shown and labeled.

How To Make Easy Rolo Pretzels

You will need one cookie sheet and something to line the cookie sheet with. I love parchment paper but you can also use tin foil or a silat liner. 

Pretzels : Lay pretzels out on the cookie sheet. You can make as many, or as little, of these Rolo Pretzels as you want. You don’t want the pretzels touching at all. Make sure, especially if you are making lots of the them, that the pretzels have space between the other one and they are not touching. 

Rolo : Place an unwrapped Rolo in the center of each pretzel. 

Bake : Cook for 2-3 minutes. You don’t want the Rolo to become deformed, that means they were in the oven for too long, you want the Rolo to be soft but not totally deformed and melted. 

M&M’s : Immediately place a m&m on the top of each Rolo and gently press down. Not all the way, just enough for the m&m to adhere to the chocolate. 

Step by step photos for how to make rolo pretzels.

Step by step photos for how to make rolo pretzels.

Tips For Success

Here are a few of my most helpful tips so that this recipe can be a success in your own kitchen. 

  • Baking : The bake time is short, only 2-3 minutes, you just want to bake them enough so that the Rolo is soft enough but not deformed. The rolo should still look like a Rolo when you take them out. If you’re able to gently press down an m&m on it, then you cooked it for the perfect time. If it’s deformed then it was in there too long. You should not need to cook longer than 3 minutes. Check the oven at 2 minutes to see how the Rolos look.
  • Serving Size : You can make as many, or as little, of these as you want! I put general directions and amounts in the recipe below but that’s not final. Make less or more depending on how many you need. 
  • Spacing : No matter how many rolo pretzels you make, you need to make sure that there is spacing between each pretzels. The pretzels should not be touching at all. 

Overhead shot of Rolo pretzels on a white background.

Variation & Substitution Ideas

There are several ways you can switch up this recipe! Here are a few of my ideas below. 

  • Switch Out The M&M : Instead of the m&m candy on top use walnuts or pecans for even more of that sweet & salty flavor. 
  • Rolos : I love the caramel + chocolate that the Rolo has but you can use other stuff here as well. A milk chocolate Hershey’s kiss is a good substitute, or I have seen some people use a Reese’s miniature peanut butter cup here as well. 
  • Pretzels : I love the snaps because they have a larger surface area which ensures that none of the caramel or chocolate leaks out the bottom. If you can’t find them then mini twist pretzels will work fine here. 
  • Add Sprinkles : Sprinkle some nonpareil (the small ball sprinkles) onto the warm chocolate. This will add some color and make them even more festive. You will want to do this right after they come out of the oven to ensure that the chocolate is warm enough for the sprinkles to adhere to. 

Rolo pretzels on a white plate with a red and green cloth in the background.

Rolo Pretzels FAQ’s

  • How Do I Store Leftovers?
    • Store leftovers Rolo Pretzels in an air-tight bag, or container with a lid, for several days at room temperature. Eventually the pretzel will get a bit stale, but these taste amazing several days after making them. 
  • Can I Freeze Rolo Pretzels?
    • Yes you can freeze these! I personally don’t freeze them because I don’t like the discoloration that happens to chocolate when it’s frozen. But they can be frozen very easily for up to 1 month. Let sit out at room temperature for a few minutes before eating. 
  • How Long Do They Need To Set For?
    • To speed up this process place the cookie sheet of pretzels in the fridge for about 15 minutes. You can also leave them at room temperature to firm up and set up, but this will take about an hour. You can also eat these warm too. They are. messy but they’re good with the gooey chocolate and caramel. If you are putting these on a Christmas plate for neighbors or friends then I would refrigerate them so they will harden and set up firmly. 

A tin of rolo pretzels with Christmas background.

Rolo pretzels on a white plate with a text box at the top of the picture with the title in green lettering.

Supplies Needed

Here are a couple supplies that you will need to make these easy, 3 ingredient Rolo Pretzels for Christmas. These are an affiliate link, meaning that if you purchase, I will make a very small percentage from the sale. As always, I appreciate the support for the free recipes I post. I will only recommend things that I personally own and love! Promise.

Cookie Sheet : I own multiples of these and love them! USA Bakeware brand makes the best stuff. It heats evenly and doesn’t stain. 

Parchment Paper : I buy these bulk I use them so much. They’re perfect for cookie recipes especially because it prevents the bottoms from getting browned. They’re easy to use because they are pre-cut. Just grab one and lay it on your cookie sheet. You don’t want the Rolo Pretzels sticking to the pan so these parchment sheets are perfect. 

More Christmas Treats You’ll Love

If you want more Christmas cookies and treats to make this year then be sure and check out these favorite recipes below!

Santa’s Cookie Bars : So festive with red & green peanut butter m&m candies and Christmas sprinkles. We make these every year for Santa because they’re his favorite!

Peppermint Cheesecake Cookies : Cheesecake cookies with peppermint inside of them and drizzle with a peppermint glaze. 

White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge : White chocolate peppermint fudge loaded with candy cane chunks. So creamy and smooth!

Cookies & Cream Mint Chocolate Fudge : Mint chocolate fudge with candy cane pieces and Oreo cookies. 

Sugar Cookie Truffles : Crushed sugar cookies with cream cheese and then dipped in chocolate. Festive topped with a chocolate drizzle and Christmas sprinkles. 

Muddy Buddy Cookies : Peanut butter cookie topped with milk chocolate and powdered sugar. Just like the classic snack mix!

Andes Mint Cookie Brownies : Chewy and chocolatey brownies with chopped mint cookies inside and frosted with Andes mint chocolates. 

Close up shot of a stack of rolo pretzels on a white plate.
Together As Family Logo

Rolo Pretzels


Author Jessica - Together as Family
Course Christmas, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Cooling Time 20 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings 48
Rolo Pretzels are the best Christmas treat! Easy to make with Rolo caramel candy, pretzels, and red & green Christmas m&m candies. Sweet & salty flavor thanks to the salty pretzels, caramel chocolate, and chocolate m&m's. 

Equipment

Cookie Sheet (13"x17")

Ingredients
  

  • 48 Snaps Pretzels
  • 48 Rolo unwrapped
  • 48 red & green m&m's

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Unwrap the Rolo candies from the gold wrapper and set aside.
  • Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and lay out the pretzels, leaving space between each one, so they're not touching.
  • Add a Rolo on top of each pretzel in the center.
  • Bake for 2-3 minutes.
    Rolo should still be intact and not be melted and deformed. You just want the Rolo to be soft. You should not need more than 3 minutes for this.
  • Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and immediately press a m&m onto the top of each Rolo. Press down gently so the m&m sticks to the chocolate. It should look like a button on top.
  • Place the cookie sheet in the fridge for 20 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden and set.
    You can leave them out at room temperature to harden but it will longer, 1-2 hours. They're also really good warm, with that melted gooey chocolate and caramel, so you can sneak one if you want.

Notes

Pretzels : Snaps are square pretzels that have a criss-cross pattern to them. I prefer them for these pretzels bites because they are larger and have more surface area, which means the chocolate won't melt down and off the pretzel on the bottom. If you can't find these then regular mini twist pretzels will work. 
Tip : For more salty & sweet you can place a walnut or pecan on top of the Rolo rather than a m&m. 
Serving Size : You can make as much, or as little, of these Rolo Pretzels as you want. Just make sure you have enough of each ingredient. And make sure that the pretzels are not touching on the cookie sheet. Make several batches if making lots of these. Don't try to squish a bunch on the cookie sheet. 

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