These caramel pretzels are crunchy, sweet, salty, and coated with caramel in every bite. Made with just three ingredients, they bake in only 10 minutes for an easy snack that's perfect for game day, parties, holidays, or whenever you're craving something sweet and salty.
Flaky sea salt turns these into irresistible salted caramel pretzels, balancing the sweet caramel and salty crunch. Everything is tossed together before baking, so there's no need to dip individual pretzels, making them especially easy when you need a quick snack for a crowd.
Caramel Pretzels At A Glance
- 🍽️ Course: Snack/Dessert
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 10 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 8
- 🥨 Flavor Profile: Sweet, salty, buttery caramel
- 🎉 Best Served For: Game day, parties, movie nights, and holiday snacking
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes
Summarize and Save This Content On
My husband and grandson couldn't stay out of these pretzels when we made them. They kept grabbing handfuls until the bowl was completely empty, which is always a pretty good sign that a snack is worth making again!
If you love easy sweet-and-salty snacks like this one, try my hot honey pretzels or Cajun pretzels next. For a party or game day spread, serve them alongside my ranch snack mix.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Only Three Ingredients: Mini pretzels, caramel sauce, and flaky sea salt are all you need.
- Quick and Easy: Toss everything together and bake for just 10 minutes with no individual dipping.
- Sweet and Salty: Caramel and flaky sea salt create the perfect contrast with crunchy salted pretzels.
How We Tested This Recipe
- Caramel Setting: We found that the caramel melts during baking and thickens as the pretzels cool, naturally forming some clusters.
- Preventing Large Clumps: Gently stirring the pretzels immediately after baking and again while warm helps keep them from setting into one large clump.
- Flaky Sea Salt: We kept the extra flaky sea salt even though the pretzels are already salted because its sharper salty bite better balances the sweet caramel.
Ingredients
You only need three easy-to-find ingredients to make this sweet and salty snack.
- Mini Pretzels: Their small size makes them easy to coat, bake, and serve as a bite-sized snack.
- Caramel Sauce: Adds rich caramel flavor and coats the pretzels as they bake. We used Ghirardelli Caramel Sauce, which coated the pretzels well and thickened as they cooled.
- Flaky Sea Salt: Balances the sweetness of the caramel and adds a noticeable salty finish.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Chocolate Caramel: Drizzle the cooled pretzels with melted milk, dark, or semisweet chocolate.
- Nutty Caramel: Add chopped toasted pecans or peanuts for extra crunch.
- Holiday Pretzels: Add seasonal sprinkles after baking while the caramel is still slightly sticky.
- Caramel Snack Mix: Combine the cooled pretzels with popcorn, cereal, or other favorite snack-mix ingredients.
How To Make Caramel Pretzels
These caramel pretzels couldn't be much easier. Coat and bake them, then add the sea salt and let the caramel set as they cool.
Step 1: Coat and Bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Add the pretzels and caramel sauce to a large bowl and gently fold until evenly coated. Spread in the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Salt and Cool. Remove from the oven and immediately gently stir the pretzels to help prevent large clumps. Sprinkle evenly with flaky sea salt and let cool for about 10 minutes, separating larger clusters as needed. The caramel will thicken and set as it cools. Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy.
Expert Tips
- Line the Pan: Parchment paper makes the sticky caramel pretzels much easier to remove after baking.
- Fold Gently: Gently fold the caramel into the pretzels rather than aggressively stirring so fewer pretzels break.
- Don't Skip the Sea Salt: The flaky salt provides a stronger salty finish than the salt already on the pretzels and helps balance the caramel.
- Cool Before Storing: Let the pretzels cool completely before sealing them in a container to help maintain their texture.
For more sweet pretzel treats, try my chocolate peanut butter pretzels and cinnamon sugar churro pretzels.
Storage Directions
Room Temperature: Once completely cool, store the pretzels in an airtight container or resealable bag at room temperature for up to 1 week. Keep them in a cool, dry place for the best texture.
Refrigerator: Refrigeration isn't necessary and may introduce moisture that can affect the pretzels' crisp texture.
Make Ahead: Make the pretzels ahead and store them completely cooled in an airtight container until you're ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
- Pretzel Dessert Platter: Pair with Thin Mints pretzels, maple pretzels, or pretzel turtles for a sweet pretzel assortment.
- Party and Game Day Snack: Serve in a large bowl alongside other salty and sweet snacks for easy sharing.
- Movie Night: Serve with popcorn and your favorite drinks for an easy family movie-night treat.
- Edible Gift: Package completely cooled pretzels in treat bags or containers for an easy homemade gift.
- Snack Board: Combine with popcorn, nuts, cookies, fruit, pretzel chocolate peanut butter banana bites and no bake pretzel cookies for a sweet-and-salty snack board.
Caramel Pretzels FAQs
Some clumping is normal because the caramel thickens as it cools. Gently stir the pretzels immediately after baking and separate larger clusters while the caramel is still warm.
We used Ghirardelli Caramel Sauce Squeeze Bottle, which coated the pretzels well and thickened as they cooled. Other caramel sauces may vary in thickness and may set differently.
Allow the pretzels to cool completely before storing them, then keep them tightly sealed in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Moisture can soften the pretzels.
Yes. Make them ahead, cool completely, and store them in an airtight container at room temperature until you're ready to serve.
More Pretzel Recipes
Love easy pretzel snacks? Try another sweet, salty, or savory pretzel recipe next.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Caramel Pretzels
Ingredients
- 6 cups mini pretzels
- ¾ cup caramel sauce
- ½ tablespoon flaky sea salt if desired
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Combine three pretzels and caramel in a large mixing bowl. Fold the ingredients together until the pretzels are evenly coated in caramel sauce.
- Transfer your pretzels to a 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Let your pretzels cool for a few minutes and then transfer them to a serving bowl.
Notes
- Caramel Sauce: We used Ghirardelli Caramel Sauce, which coated the pretzels well and thickened as it cooled. Other caramel sauces may vary in thickness and set differently.
- Prevent Large Clumps: Gently stir the pretzels immediately after baking and separate larger clusters while the caramel is still warm. Some clumping is normal.
- Don't Skip the Sea Salt: Flaky sea salt helps balance the sweetness of the caramel, even though the pretzels are already salted.
- Cool Completely: Let the pretzels cool completely before storing so trapped moisture doesn't soften them.
- Storage: Store completely cooled pretzels in an airtight container or resealable bag at room temperature for up to 1 week.
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