Making Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods

[bonkos6]

I am going to attempt to make some chocolate covered pretzel rods. I think it is a pretty straight forward process. I am going to attempt to dip them in chocolate then add either some jimmies or crushed candy. I was wondering if anyone had any tips to make the process a smooth one? I do have one question though, did you add oil to the chocolate?

 

[pha1226]

I made them this weekend. I added 1 Tablespoon of Crisco to 1 bag of chocolate chips and it worked really well.

 

[niclodn]

Pretzel rods are extremely easy -- I do them and a bunch of other candy every year. The key is to get the "right" kind of chocolate. I bought Giradelli's at Sam's this year and it's been great! You just melt it in a double boiler on low. You can also melt it in the microwave, but I like the double boiler (since I do a lot, it keeps it melted longer!).

You can also buy the candy wafers from your local Hobby Lobby or Michaels store -- it works well too. Good luck!

 

[misricsmith]

I use chocolate melts
put them in a microwave cup
melt at 40% power
stir half way thru
ohoooooooooooooh so easy
take about 130 sec to melt

wait a few minutes so the chocolate is not so hot
to
pu on jmmies though

 

[dex08]

I just made a batch last night... I microwaved my chocolate, but had to zap it again halfway through the process because the chocolate got too thick. I put a tablespoon of crisco in mine.

I also spread peanut butter on half of the rods before dipping in the chocolate. These turned out so yummy!! I sprinkled red and green nonpareils on the pb ones and the plain ones will be drizzled with green and red (I got candy wafers to do this).

 

[momofdbsdc]

I melt my chocolate in the crock pot, it works out great. First I do white chocolate then milk chocolate. I never have to worry about the chocolate thickening .

 

[daughtersrus]

Pretzel rods are extremely easy -- I do them and a bunch of other candy every year. The key is to get the "right" kind of chocolate. I bought Giradelli's at Sam's this year and it's been great! You just melt it in a double boiler on low. You can also melt it in the microwave, but I like the double boiler (since I do a lot, it keeps it melted longer!).

You can also buy the candy wafers from your local Hobby Lobby or Michaels store -- it works well too. Good luck!

I've been buying Ghiradelli's at Sam's for several years now. I prefer to melt it in the microwave.

I add a variety of sprinkles, candy cane pieces, chopped nuts or caramel. For those that I dip in white chocolate, I add green or red sugar sprinkles.

The ones dipped in chocolate and caramel and then rolled in chopped nuts are to die for.

 

[Geekerbell]

I typically use the wafer chocolates you can get at Hobby Lobby or other craft stores. It melts great in the microwave.

Also a great topping on milk chocolate is crushed Heath bars. Sooo yummy!

 

[mtblujeans]

I got white chocolate chips to melt down....do you have to add Crisco to white chocolate?

 

[casjen]

The rods are so much easier to coat when you can just dunk and swirl in a tall glass.

My Target $ spot had some cute gingerbread and candycane sprinkles I got for the rods. I usually pour the sprinkles onto a plate and roll the chocolate covered rod in it.

If you use mini M&M's be sure to sprinkle those on. They're too heavy to roll on.

 

[Schachteles]

I've been buying Ghiradelli's at Sam's for several years now. I prefer to melt it in the microwave.

I add a variety of sprinkles, candy cane pieces, chopped nuts or caramel. For those that I dip in white chocolate, I add green or red sugar sprinkles.

The ones dipped in chocolate and caramel and then rolled in chopped nuts are to die for.

I spent Sunday dipping pretzels...all of them in caramel and then chocolate...half of them with nuts and half without.

Now this Sunday I will spend my day making Oreo Truffles...oh I those!! To die for!!

 

[Mickey527]

I bought some chocolate dipped Oreos the other day in Walmart and WOW are they delicious. but very expensive, $3.89 for 12 cookies.
So I went to the store and got regular oreos and the chocolate from AC Moore (It's on sale at AC Moore and Joanne's). The dipped ones were just like the ones in Walmart. Only I decorated mine with swirls of white and red chocolate melts.
Well last night I was at Trader Joes. they have the peppermint filled Oreo type cookie. I dunked those in the chocolate. Guess what everyone is getting from me this Christmas? I bought out all the cookies they had a Trader Joes today. One of my sons (all 3 work at TJ's) said last year those cookies sold on ebay for $20 a box. So buy them early if you have a hankarin for dunkin.
I am going to pick up some of those smooth and meltie mint flavored ones today and try and melt them. I think those would be even better on the peppermint oreos.

 

[mom2cookies]

If you are not familiar with melting chocolate, just be sure not to get water in it. The chocolate will " seize " making it harden. If this does happen, just add some melted crisco or oil to it and stir. However, if you scorch the chocolate, you pretty much have to toss that batch bc the " burnt" flavor will permeate through out ( even the part that isn't " burnt" ).

 

[Schachteles]

I bought some chocolate dipped Oreos the other day in Walmart and WOW are they delicious. but very expensive, $3.89 for 12 cookies.
So I went to the store and got regular oreos and the chocolate from AC Moore (It's on sale at AC Moore and Joanne's). The dipped ones were just like the ones in Walmart. Only I decorated mine with swirls of white and red chocolate melts.
Well last night I was at Trader Joes. they have the peppermint filled Oreo type cookie. I dunked those in the chocolate. Guess what everyone is getting from me this Christmas? I bought out all the cookies they had a Trader Joes today. One of my sons (all 3 work at TJ's) said last year those cookies sold on ebay for $20 a box. So buy them early if you have a hankarin for dunkin.
I am going to pick up some of those smooth and meltie mint flavored ones today and try and melt them. I think those would be even better on the peppermint oreos.

The truffles are to die for...seriously...I don't really eat a lot of junk food...but I could eat a whole plate of them. You put the oreos in the food processor and grind them up and then mix them with cream cheese and roll into balls and dip them...I want to go home and start on them NOW! I do plain chocolate ones and then do ones with mint Oreos and mint chocolate. My DH's company loved them so much, I am getting paid to make them for people in his office, nice way to make some extra $$.

 

[Schachteles]

And when you really get into candy making, you will want to start to "invest" in the good products. I used to just use Kraft caramels for my pretzels and regular chocolate chips...now that this is a production for me I go to a candy/cake decorating place and buy the "professional" stuff and it works so much better, but does cost more, but I think that it is worth it. One trip this year costed me like $130...for chocolate, caramel, colored melts, sugar decorations, etc. And surpringly my DH loves the stuff so much he didn't even flinch! which is VERY uncharacteristic!

 

[4fosterkids]

I'm new to the dipping world...lol
Do you have to add oil, or only for certain chocolates? What does the oil do?

I almost bought the Ghiradelli chocolate at Sam's this week, but changed my mind because I didn't really want that much. Does it taste that much better then the chocolate chips or melting dots?

I'm loving all the ideas! Thanks so much

 

[bonkos6]

Do you guys just place the covered rod on wax paper to harden?

 

[Califgirl]

I line a baking sheet with wax paper, and put a rack on top of that. then I lean the pretzels with the non-chocolate part on the rack, and just the tip of the chocolate on the baking sheet. It takes about a half hour or so to harden, if you just leave them out. (faster if you have room to put them in a fridge) Of course if you just leave them out, you have the temptation of pretzel rods sitting there, just begging to be eaten. And quite honestly, who can resist??

BTW, Why do you add Crisco?? and do you need to add it to all comercial chocolate (like chocolate chips, or herseys candy bars?) I always use the chocolate wavers from the craft store.

 

[Mcqueen Fans]

Ok, I have to get into this topic. Candy making is what I love to do and it is how we go to Disney every year! I always use the wiltons condy melts. Another great thing to do with the oreo and cream cheese mixture is put into a mold. You can do all kinds of shapes. For valentines day I use big heart, for easter I use eggs and for christmas I use little squares. I then decorate the squares to make them look like presents. They are really cute! They make a great gift.

 

[Tigger7570]

Would the bags of Ghiardelli chips at the grocery store work just as well or do you use the bark type of Ghiardelli?
Thanks