These shamrock pretzels are a fun and festive St. Patrick's Day chocolate-covered pretzels made with pretzels and candy melts. This viral no-bake recipe comes together quickly and creates crunchy, chocolatey shamrock-shaped pretzels that are perfect for parties, classroom treats, and holiday gifting.
🔍 Quick Look: Shamrock Pretzels
⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
❄️ Set Time: 20-30 minutes
🕒 Total Time: About 45 minutes
🧁 Yield: About 24 shamrock pretzel treats
🍀 Perfect For: St. Patrick's Day parties, classroom treats, dessert boards, and gifting
🥣 Tools: Baking sheet, parchment paper or silicone mat, microwave-safe bowls
⭐ Difficulty: Very Easy (no baking required)
Summarize and Save This Content On:
These shamrock chocolate covered pretzels are a fun and festive St. Patrick's Day treat that has been trending on Instagram and Tiktok for the last couple of years. They are quick to make, require just a few ingredients, and turn simple pretzels into adorable, chocolatey shamrock snacks that are perfect for parties, gifting, or classroom treats.
☘️ Why You'll Love These Shamrock Chocolate Pretzels
- Easy: These no-bake shamrock pretzels come together in about 5 to 10 minutes of prep time and use just 3 to 4 simple ingredients, making them an easy homemade St. Patrick's Day snack.
- Delicious: The combination of chocolate and crunchy pretzels is a classic crowd-pleaser that works for parties, dessert boards, and homemade edible gifts.
- Kid-Friendly: This is a great St. Patrick's Day activity for kids, letting them decorate and customize each shamrock pretzel with sprinkles or toppings they love.
Key Ingredients
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
- Pretzels: You'll need mini pretzel twists and pretzel sticks.
- Green Candy Melts: You can also use white chocolate or almond bark with candy coloring (oil based food coloring specially for chocolate), or use regular chocolate and green sprinkles. Really, it's to you any chocolate or candy melts will work. You can also use multiple colors and drizzle on extra chocolate.
- Toppings: St. Patrick’s Day sprinkles are the obvious choice but you can also decorate with chopped nuts, candy, coconut, or anything else you like!
How to Make Shamrock Pretzels
The nice thing about these St. Patrick's Day chocolate-covered pretzels is that there is really no right or wrong to decorate them, or enjoy them. That's one of the many reason they are so fun to make with kids!
- Melt Chocolate: In separate microwave-safe bowls, melt the candy melts according to the package instructions. Typically, this involves heating them in 30-second intervals and stirring until smooth. You can also melt over a double broiler on the stovetop.
- Dip Pretzels: Dip three twist pretzels in chocolate and then place in the shape of a shamrock on a piece of parchment paper or wax paper.
- Add Stem: Then, dip a pretzel stick in chocolate and place it in the middle to look like a stem.
- Decorate: Now the fun part, decorating! while the chocolate is still melted, add sprinkles, or crushed candy, nuts, or whatever else you'd like to add to these chocolate covered pretzels. Let the chocolate dry, gently remove from the parchment or silicone mat, and enjoy!
Fun Variations
- Shamrock Pretzel Pops: Use a lollipop sticks instead of the pretzel stick and you have a quick and easy shamrock pop!
- Shamrock Rolo Pretzels: Instead of using melted chocolate, place a rolo in the center of the pretzels that have been shaped like a shamrock. Then, bake as in the these Halloween pretzel treats. Once soft, press a green M&M or anything else you want into the center to hold the pretzels together. You can also decorate with melted chocolate, sprinkles, or anything else you want.
- Mint Chocolate Shamrocks: Add a drop of mint extract to melted chocolate for a subtle minty flavor that pairs perfectly with St. Patrick's Day desserts.
🌟 Tips and Tricks
- Line the Baking Pan: Line a baking sheet or workspace with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This makes it easy to remove the treats once they've set.
- Prepare Your Toppings in Advance: Have your sprinkles or any additional toppings such as nuts, candy, etc. ready to go before melting the chocolate. This ensures a quick and smooth assembly process without the chocolate hardening.
- Get the Desired Chocolate Consistency: If using candy melts and the chocolate appears too thick, you can add vegetable shortening 1 tsp at a time until you get a slightly thinner dipping consistency.
- Adding Food Coloring: If using white chocolate and adding food coloring, make sure they are oil based rather than water based. Water based extracts and food coloring can cause the chocolate to seize up and get grainy.
FAQ
There are two reasons chocolate can seize up and get grainy. The first is it was over-heated. You can combat this by making sure to follow the instructions exactly when melting your chocolate. If using a microwave heat on half power and use a double broiler if heating on the stovetop. Do not ever heat any type of chocolate or candy melts directly in a pan on a stovetop. It will always overheat and seize up.
The second reason is because liquid somehow got mixed in with the chocolate. Be sure your bowl and utensils are completely dry before adding and melting the chocolate. And, if adding flavors or food coloring make sure they are oil based such as these candy colors.
Yes, regular chocolate can be used, but it needs to be tempered in order to set properly. Without tempering, chocolate stays soft, melts easily at room temperature, and has a dull finish instead of a glossy snap.
Using Candy melts or Almond Bark is often easier for shamrock pretzels because they do not require tempering and set up firm and shiny. Chocolate chips can be used, but they contain stabilizers that make them harder to melt smoothly to a dipping consistency.
If you are making these shamrock pretzels for a casual activity or home snacking, regular chocolate works just fine and tastes great. If you are coloring white chocolate green, be sure to use oil-based candy coloring, not liquid food coloring, which can cause the chocolate to seize.
Yes, you can technically freeze them, but they are very delicate, so be carefully if freezing.
Gifting
These St. Patrick's Day chocolate covered pretzels are a fun homemade gift or party favor! There are three main ways I like to package these chocolate shamrocks.
- Bags: I prefer clear plastic bags because they allow all the shamrocks to show through. But, you can also use bakery bags or holiday treat bags.
- Boxes: This is a great way to gift the pretzels. Boxes are perfect for when you are gifting more than one treat such as pairing the pretzels with chocolate covered strawberries, cookies (these Mint Chocolate Cookies are perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!) or macarons.
- Tins: Cookie tins are not just for cookies! These decorative tins are so cute and festive! Plus, they are a great option for shipping and the least likely to get damaged in transport.
Storing and Making Ahead
These shamrock pretzel treats will last up to a week in an airtight container at room temperature.
🌈 More St. Patrick’s Day Recipes
Shamrock Pretzels
Equipment
INGREDIENTS
- mini pretzels twists
- pretzel sticks or lollipop sticks
- green candy melts melted
- sprinkles or other toppings
Instructions
- Place a piece of parchment paper, wax paper, or a silicone baking mat on a baking tray or table (if letting the chocolate dry at room temperature). This will help to easily remove the treats once the chocolate dries.
- Place a piece of parchment paper, wax paper, or a silicone baking mat on a baking tray.
- If you haven't done so, melt the chocolate according to package instructions.
- Dip the mini pretzel twists in the melted chocolate and place on the prepared parchment paper in the shape of a shamrock.
- Dip half of a pretzel stick in chocolate and add to the middle of the pretzel shamrock. You can also use a lollipop stick instead of a pretzel stick to make a shamrock pretzel pop.
- While the chocolate is still melted, immediately add sprinkles or other toppings such as crushed nuts, candy, etc.
- Let the pretzel treats dry completely and carefully remove from the parchment or wax paper. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Line the Baking Pan: Line a baking sheet or workspace with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This makes it easy to remove the treats once they've set.
- Prepare Your Toppings in Advance: Have your sprinkles or any additional toppings such as nuts, candy, etc. ready to go before melting the chocolate. This ensures a quick and smooth assembly process without the chocolate hardening.
- Get the Desired Consistency: If using candy melts and the chocolate appears too thick, you can add vegetable shortening 1 tsp at a time until you get a slightly thinner dipping consistency.
- Adding Food Coloring: If using white chocolate and adding food coloring, make sure they are oil based rather than water based. Water based extracts and food coloring can cause the chocolate to seize up and get grainy.
Sophia Assunta says
This is such a fun recipe to make for St. Patrick’s day! I hope you give it a try!!