These sweet and salty Rolo Pretzel Reindeers are full of yummy chocolate and caramel, topped with a crunchy pretzel. They’re super easy to make in just 15 minutes, and bring a ton of fun to any holiday gathering. Perfect for making with kids and a hit at holiday parties!
Every Christmas, making these Reindeer Pretzels has become a family tradition in our home. The kids have a blast adding the eyes and red noses, and it’s just one of those simple yet fun activities that bring everyone together during the holiday season.
For more fun holiday treats, check out our Christmas recipe section. You might also like these related recipes: Christmas Puppy Chow, Grinch Hot Chocolate Bombs, Church Window Cookies, Velveeta Fudge, Christmas Puppy Chow Fudge, and Biscoff White Chocolate Salami.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fun Treat! The kids LOVE these pretzels! Get them involved, let them help you make them, it’s a great Christmas activity.
- Few Ingredients: You only need 4 simple and budget-friendly ingredients to make these treats.
- Sweet and Savory: Savory pretzels with sweet Rolos; chocolate and caramel centers, is the best combination ever!
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you need to make these pretzel reindeers:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Rolos: These give you both caramel and chocolate in one bite. No Rolos? Try Hershey’s Kisses instead!
- Mini Pretzels: They add the crunch and serve as antlers and face. If mini salted pretzels are not available, you can use mini Oreos for the base and pretzel sticks for the antlers.
- Candy Eyes and Red Candy Nose: These make your reindeers come alive! For the nose, I used cinnamon imperials, you can also do mini M&M’s, jelly beans, red gumdropts, or red hots! And if candy eyes are not available, you can use mini white chocolate chips with a dot of black icing for pupils.
How To Make These cute Treats
Start by turning on your oven and setting it to 250°F (120°C). Give it some time to reach the desired temperature while you work on the next steps. Take out a baking sheet and cover it with a piece of parchment paper or a Silicone baking mat. This will make sure your Rolo Pretzel Reindeers don’t stick to the sheet and are easy to remove later.
Tip!
Before you start, set aside a few extra pretzels. Sometimes pretzels can break while you’re working on them, and it’s good to have backups.
- Cut the Pretzels for Antlers: Grab a handful of mini pretzels and use a sharp knife to carefully cut them in half. These halves will serve as the reindeer antlers, so set them aside for now.
- Lay Out the Pretzel Bodies: Now take whole mini pretzels and lay them flat on your prepared baking sheet. Space them out so they aren’t touching each other.
- Add the Rolos: Place a Rolo candy on top of each whole pretzel, positioning it in the middle to make sure it melts evenly.
- Time for the Oven: Slide your baking sheet into the preheated oven. Let the Rolos and pretzels heat for about 3 minutes. You want the Rolos to get soft but not completely melt.
- Attach the Antlers and Face: Once out of the oven, immediately press the cut pretzel pieces into the sides of the soft Rolo to make antlers. Then, quickly add the candy eyes and a red candy nose. Speed is key here; the Rolos will start to harden as they cool.
- Chill and Set: Move your assembled Rolo Pretzel Reindeers into the fridge. They should take about 10 to 15 minutes to harden and set.
Tip!
Double-check that there’s room in your fridge to place the baking sheet flat so the Rolo Pretzel Reindeers can harden undisturbed.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t Over-Melt: You want the Rolos soft, not liquid so be careful when you melt them in the oven. If you don’t want to use an oven, you can try the microwave but you have to be super careful as they will melt very quickly.
- Swift but Careful: When adding the antlers and facial features, you need to be quick but gentle to make sure everything sticks but nothing breaks.
- Storing: While these Reindeer Pretzels are best enjoyed fresh, you can store them in an airtight container for up to a week. However, we don’t recommend freezing them as the pretzels may become soggy.
- These Reindeer Pretzels make a fun addition to any holiday spread. You can also pack them in small gift boxes and give them to your friends, family, or neighbors as a homemade holiday treat.
More Holiday Snack Recipes To Try
All Snacks →
Rolo Pretzel Reindeers are a super fun and easy recipe that you can make for the holidays. They’re perfect for family gatherings and are kid-friendly too! Don’t forget to rate and review this recipe after you try it. Also, pin it so you don’t forget it for next year!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Rolo Pretzel Reindeers Recipe
Ingredients
- 40 mini pretzels
- 20 Rolos
- 20 Red Hots or Cinnamon Imperials
- 40 candy eyes
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C). Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Put 20 mini pretzels flat on the parchment paper.
- Cut Pretzels for Antlers: Carefully cut the remaining 20 mini pretzels in half using a sharp knife. These halves will serve as reindeer antlers.
- Unwrap 20 Rolos and put them on top of the 20 whole pretzels that are already on the baking sheet.
- Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for about 3 minutes. You want the Rolos to soften but not melt entirely.
- Once out of the oven, immediately put on the candy eyes, followed by the Red Hots or Cinnamon Imperials for noses, and finally the pretzel halves for antlers. Do this while everything is still warm, so they stick well.
- Let them sit until the Rolos harden again. This makes sure all the parts stick together well.
Notes:
- Be quick but gentle while assembling to make sure everything sticks before the Rolos cool down.
- If you’re making these ahead of time, you can store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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