Enjoy the perfect holiday treat with this delicious recipe for Salted Caramel Pretzel Bark. The combination of sweet caramel, salty pretzels, and rich chocolate is sure to satisfy all your cravings. This no-bake dessert is perfect for Holiday parties, Christmas goodie trays, or any time of the year when that salty sweet craving hits!
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Using only 6 simple ingredients, this Salted Pretzel Caramel Bark comes together in no time and is a family favorite! Smooth melted chocolate, crunchy salted pretzels, creamy caramel, and sea salt sprinkled on top creates a combination that can’t be beat! Also check out my Peppermint Oreo Bark, Buckeye Balls, Cornflake Brittle, and Classic Peanut Brittle for more candy recipes to try!
Why You’ll Love this Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bark Recipe
- No Bake– can’t beat an easy no-bake treat that the kids can even help make! No need to use your oven! Feel free to double, triple, or even quadruple the recipe to make plenty for large crowds.
- Simple Ingredients– no need to find ingredients you’ve never heard of. Using a only a few simple, shortcut ingredients, this bark is ready in minutes! No candy thermometer needed making this fail proof and fool proof!
- Great Gift Option– food gifts are always a hit with friends, family, teachers, and neighbors. This bark can be wrapped in plastic bags, placed in tins, or added to a goodie plate.
- A Salty Sweet Favorite– whether you are craving salty items or sweet, this satisfies all cravings!
Ingredients Needed to make Salted Caramel Pretzel Bark
Below is a brief overview of each ingredient needed. To see printable recipe card, scroll to the bottom of this post.
- Chocolate Chips– semi-sweet chocolate chips are best, I use Nestle, however, any brand works. Dark chocolate chips work great too.
- Vegetable Oil– just a little gets added to the chocolate chips when melting. You can also use coconut oil.
- Caramel Candies– Kraft caramel candies are best, however, any brand will work. I have found Kraft to be the creamiest, best flavored.
- Heavy Cream– this gets added to the caramels when melting. You can also use half and half or milk if needed, but heavy cream is best.
- Pretzels– use your favorite mini pretzels for this recipe. I love using mini twists, but any type works. PRO TIP: use gluten free pretzels to make this a gluten free dessert.
- Sea Salt– this adds the salty taste to the topping just before chilling. Use coarse sea salt versus table salt as it adds more flavor and shows up more in appearance.
How to make this Salted Caramel Pretzel Bark Recipes
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips and vegetable oil for 30 second increments, stirring well in between, until melted. PRO TIP: I use the microwave to make the process faster, however, using a saucepan over medium heat works great too.
- Pour about 3/4 of the chocolate mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, and spread out into a thin, even layer using a rubber spatula.
- Press the pretzels down into the melted chocolate.
- In another microwave safe bowl, heat the unwrapped Kraft caramels and heavy cream for 30 second increments, stirring well in between, until melted.
- Drop the caramel by large spoonfuls over pretzels, and swirl around with a spoon.
- Drop the remaining chocolate mixture by spoonfuls evenly over the caramel, and swirl to combine.
- Sprinkle with coarse sea salt. PRO TIP: You can also add chopped pecans to the topping for an added crunch.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours, until the bark is set.
How to make homemade caramel
Don’t want to use Kraft caramel candies for this recipe? No problem! You can also make your own homemade caramel sauce mixture in the convenience of your own home.
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 sticks butter (1 cup)
- In a small saucepan, melt together brown sugar and butter. Use low-medium heat only otherwise you run the risk of burning the caramel.
- Bring the mixture to a rapid boil stirring frequently. Stir until mixture starts to stick to the pan and turns into a thick caramel mixture (about 7 minutes).
- Drizzle caramel evenly over pretzels and proceed with recipe as written in recipe card below.
Storing Chocolate Salted Caramel Pretzel Bark
- This no bake sweet and salty combo will last for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature. You can store it for longer in the fridge, about 1 month. Depending on your preference have it right out of the fridge or allow it to get back to room temperature before enjoying it.
- If freezing, place in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Separate layers of the bark with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Once you are ready to serve, thaw it in the fridge overnight and enjoy!
More Holiday Recipes to try
- Peanut Butter Blossoms– soft, chewy, and a Holiday favorite! Soft peanut butter cookies topped with a sweet Hershey Kiss – the perfect combination for any dessert lover.
- Easy Christmas Cookie Cake– the perfect addition to any holiday gathering. With a soft and chewy texture and festive colors throughout, this chocolate chip cookie cake is a family favorite!
- Bacardi Rum Cake– has been a classic since the 70’s! Soft, fluffy, and bursting with flavor in every bite!
- Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies– loaded with all your favorite mix-ins like chocolate chips, M & M’s, pretzels, and even crushed potato chips. A soft, chewy, salty, and sweet cookie perfect for any Christmas cookie plate!
- Christmas Puppy Chow– an easy to make Holiday favorite! Rice Chex Cereal coated in a chocolate peanut butter mixture and finished off with a powdered sugar coating with Holiday M & M’s sprinkled throughout.
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Salted Caramel Chocolate Pretzel Bark
Enjoy the perfect holiday treat with this delicious Salted Caramel Chocolate Pretzel Bark recipe. A sweet and salty combination that will satisfy all your cravings!
Servings: 12
Calories: 276kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 oz chocolate chips semi-sweet
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil or coconut oil
- 11 oz Kraft caramel candies
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 cup mini twist pretzels
- sea salt
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
- In a microwave safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips and vegetable oil for 30 second increments, stirring well in between, until melted.
- Pour about 3/4 of the chocolate mixture onto the parchment, and spread out into a thin, even layer.
- Press the pretzels down into the melted chocolate.
- In another microwave safe bowl, heat the unwrapped caramels and heavy cream for 30 second increments, stirring well in between, until melted.
- Drop the caramel by large spoonfuls over the pretzels, and swirl around with a spoon.
- Drop the remaining chocolate mixture by spoonfuls over the caramel, and swirl to combine.
- Sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours, until the bark is set. Break into small pieces and serve!
Nutrition
Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 166mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 111IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 1mg
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robbyn
p.s. 1/2 bag of pretzels? what size bag
Kristin
Oops, so sorry about that! I have updated the recipe! Should be half of a 12 oz bag, so using 6 oz
robbyn
6 oz or 12 oz bag of choc chips
Kristin
12 oz, sorry about that!
alli
How much caramel? I didn’t see it in the ingredients list. Thank you!
It looks delicious!
Kristin
Hi!! The brown sugar and butter get melted together to create a caramel mixture. 🙂