Pretzel Hugs
intro
Salty crunchy pretzel snaps topped with melty swirled milk and white chocolate Hugs, finished with bright candy-coated chocolate and flaky salt for the perfect bite-sized sweet-salty holiday treat.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep Lined Baking Sheet
First, preheat your oven to 200°F (95°C). Line the large rimmed aluminum baking sheet with the cut sheet of unbleached parchment paper, smoothing out any large creases so the paper lies completely flat against the pan. Set the lined pan on the center of your counter.
Unwrap Chocolate Candies
Unwrap all 24 Hershey's Hugs candies, discarding the silver and white foil wrappers, and place the unwrapped candies in the small stainless steel prep bowl. Inspect each candy to make sure no small bits of foil are stuck to the chocolate, as these will create an unpleasant crunch in the finished treat.
Arrange Pretzel Base
Space the 24 square pretzel snaps evenly across the parchment-lined baking sheet, arranged in a 4x6 grid with 1 inch of space between each pretzel. Make sure each pretzel lies completely flat, with no tilted edges, so the chocolate candy will sit level on top and not slide off as it melts.
Add Hug Candies
Place one unwrapped Hershey's Hug directly in the center of each pretzel snap, pressing very gently to make sure the candy sits securely on the pretzel and does not roll off. Take care not to press hard enough to crack or break the pretzel at this stage.
Bake to Soften Chocolate
Carefully slide the baking sheet onto the middle rack of the preheated 200°F (95°C) oven. Bake for exactly 3 to 4 minutes, watching closely. The chocolate is ready when it looks glossy and soft to the touch, but is still holding its basic shape — it should not be fully melted and runny off the pretzels. A light touch to the top of a candy will leave a small indent without chocolate sticking to your finger.
Add Candy Toppings
Immediately after pulling the baking sheet from the oven, press one M&M candy directly into the center of each softened Hug candy, applying gentle even pressure so the chocolate flattens slightly to 'hug' the pretzel. Work quickly, as the chocolate will start to set within 2 minutes of coming out of the oven.
Add Flaky Salt Finish
After all M&Ms are pressed, sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt evenly over the tops of all the warm treats. The salt will stick to the soft melted chocolate and add a bright salty contrast to cut through the sweet candy.
Cool Until Set
Carefully slide the entire sheet of parchment with the treats off the baking sheet and onto the chrome wire cooling rack. Let the treats cool at room temperature for 20 to 25 minutes until the chocolate is completely firm and set. For faster setting, you can place the cooling rack in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, but avoid longer fridge time as the pretzels can absorb moisture and become stale.
Plate Finished Treats
Once the chocolate is fully firm to the touch and no longer sticky, transfer the cooled Pretzel Hugs to the cream white ceramic serving platter, piling them loosely for serving. Store leftover treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Tips
2.Work quickly to add M&Ms and salt immediately after pulling the pan from the oven. Once chocolate cools and re-sets, candy toppings will not adhere properly and may fall off when treats are handled or stored.
3.Use flat square pretzel snaps rather than thin pretzel sticks or thick twisted pretzels. Snaps provide a level, stable base that holds chocolate securely, and their thin, crisp texture creates the ideal salty crunch to balance sweet chocolate without overpowering the bite.
Made these for our neighborhood potluck this weekend and they were gone in 10 minutes flat! I used the milk chocolate hugs instead of dark and it was chef’s kiss. My 7 year old even helped me unwrap the candies, super easy kid-friendly activity too.
Bro these are insane. I made them in my dorm room tiny toaster oven for my floor’s movie night and everyone lost their minds. Way cheaper than buying snacks from the campus convenience store, and so stupid easy even I can’t mess it up. 10/10
I make a batch of these every Sunday for my kid’s lunchbox treats all week! They hold up perfectly in the fridge and don’t get soggy at all. My kids loved them so much they ask for seconds every time, way better than the processed granola bars I used to buy, and way faster to make. Total game changer for our weekly meal prep!
Wait has anyone tried these with the white chocolate hugs? I’m not a huge milk chocolate fan and was curious if it works as well? Only gave 4 stars for now because I haven’t tested that swap yet but the base recipe looks so easy!
OMG I made these for my kid’s class holiday party last year and I’m already getting requests to bring them back this year! I pressed a little red and green M&M on top right after taking them out of the oven and they looked so festive. 4 minute cook time is a lifesaver during the busy holiday season.
These are SO good, perfect trail snack! I packed a bag of them for our day hike last weekend and they gave me the perfect little sweet-salty energy boost halfway up the trail. Way less crumbly than granola bars too, which is a huge win when you’re eating on the move.