Pretzel Almond Bark

This Pretzel Almond Bark is an easy and fun dessert to make this holiday season! You only need 5 simple ingredients to create a delicious and crunchy sweet treat. Make a batch to serve after dinner, add it to a Christmas cookie exchange or enjoy it all to yourself! 

Why you should make Pretzel Almond Bark

One of my favourite things about the holidays is the amount of baked goods and desserts around! I love to bake all year round but it’s particularly special when you can share it with loved ones after a festive evening or pack it up as a homemade gift!

This Pretzel Almond Bark is incredibly easy to make and super versatile! You can mix and match the type of chocolate with different nuts, seeds or other toppings to customize it to your liking!

If you’re the type of person that only remembers last minute to make the dish you signed up for for the family potluck, this is the recipe for you! There is no baking required and it only takes about 30-60 minutes for the chocolate to harden. So you can whip up a batch right before you have to head out the door!

If you have more time, I love to add this chocolate pretzel bark to a box of other cookies or desserts for a homemade gift. As long as the recipient isn’t allergic to nuts, this bark is the perfect way to show them how much you care. I can’t wait for you to try it!

 

Ingredients needed

You only need 5 ingredients to make this Pretzel Almond Bark:

• Semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • You could also use a larger semi sweet chocolate bar, since it’s going to be melted anyway.
• Almonds
  • I recommend sliced almonds for this recipe. If you don’t have these, just chop up raw, unsalted almonds.
• Pretzels
  • It doesn’t matter if you have mini or regular sized pretzels or even pretzel rods or sticks. These will be broken into smaller pieces anyway, before being sprinkled on top of the chocolate. 
• Coconut oil
  • The addition of a little bit of coconut oil adds a nice shiny finish to the chocolate when it hardens. It doesn’t impact the taste of the final product.
• Salt
  • There may be a little bit of salt coming from the pretzels but sprinkling an extra pinch of salt on top of the bark is an easy way to bring all of the flavours together.

 

Substitutions and add-ins

In case you don’t have some of the recommended ingredients for this chocolate almond bark, or you have a preference for others, here are some substitutions you can make.

• White, milk or dark chocolate
  • Feel free to use whatever type of chocolate is your favourite!
• Other nuts and seeds
  • If you don’t like almonds or you have an allergy to them, you can use another type of nut or seed instead. For example, chopped pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts or peanuts could all work here. You could also use sunflower or pumpkin seeds for a nut free version!
• Chocolate covered pretzels
  • You can use chocolate covered pretzels instead of regular pretzels for an extra layer of chocolate. They’re the ultimate sweet and salty snack!
• Sprinkles
  • Make this recipe even more exciting by adding any colour of sprinkles on top! Keep it festive with red and green or blue and white. If you’re giving this as a gift, choose the recipients favourite colour!
• Crushed candy canes
  • Candy canes scream Christmas and they add a bright, peppermint flavour that pairs so well with chocolate.

 

How to make Pretzel Almond Bark

To make this recipe, we start by melting the chocolate. You can do this in a few ways. The easiest is with the microwave. Add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to a microwave-safe dish and microwave it in 20-30 second intervals until melted. Make sure you stir the chocolate in between each interval, to make sure it doesn’t burn.

You can also melt chocolate in a double boiler. For this, place a saucepan with 1-2 inches of water in it over medium heat and bring to a low simmer. Next, place a smaller heat-safe bowl on top of the saucepan but make sure it doesn’t touch the water! (Note: not all glass bowls are heat-safe so make sure to double check this before using). Add the chocolate chips to the bowl on top and stir the chocolate consistently while it melts. Continue until the chocolate is just about fully melted and carefully remove the bowl from the heat.

Next, the goal is to get the melted chocolate spread out in an even layer. Place a piece of parchment or wax paper on a baking or cookie sheet and pour the chocolate on top. Using a spatula, spread the chocolate out evenly, about 1cm thick, making sure the thickness is consistent throughout the dessert.

Now we add the toppings! Sprinkle sliced almonds and chopped pretzels on top of the melted chocolate. Try your best to distribute the toppings as evenly across the chocolate as possible and don’t forget the corners and edges! You may have to gently press the toppings into the chocolate so they stay put when the chocolate hardens.

Add a pinch of salt over the whole bark to help bring out all of the delicious flavours.

Place the baking sheet in the fridge and allow the chocolate bark to completely harden. This should take between 30-60 minutes. The thicker the chocolate is, the longer it will take to harden in the fridge.

Once it has solidified, you can take the Pretzel Almond Bark out of the fridge and break it into pieces. The size of these pieces is up to you!

 

Storing

The storing method of this Pretzel Almond Bark depends on when you plan for it to be eaten. If you are eating or serving it right away, you can keep it at room temperature for a few minutes so that it’s not rock hard when you’re biting into it.

If you plan to save it for another day, store the bark in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5-7 days.

Try to avoid the pretzel bark from coming into contact with heat, or else it will melt!

 

Dietary considerations

As a dietitian I aim to create recipes that are enjoyable for many reasons. They have to be easy and approachable, delicious (of course), and it’s okay if they don’t pack a ton of nutrients all the time.

• This recipe is naturally gluten free and vegetarian.
• For a dairy free version, use dairy free or vegan chocolate chips. 
• To make a vegan option, use vegan chocolate chips.
• For a nut free variation, omit the almonds and use pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds instead.
• For an oil free option, omit the coconut oil altogether.

 

FAQ

• What’s the easiest way to melt chocolate?
  • There are two main ways that I recommend melting chocolate. The first is with a microwave. Add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to a microwave safe dish and microwave it in 20-30 second intervals until melted. Make sure you stir the chocolate in between each interval, to make sure it doesn’t burn. The second is with a double boiler. For this method, place a saucepan with 1-2 inches of water over medium heat and bring the water to a low simmer. Next, place a smaller heat-safe bowl on top of the saucepan but make sure it doesn’t touch the water! Add the chocolate chips to the bowl on top and stir the chocolate consistently while it melts. Continue until it’s just about fully melted and then carefully remove it from the heat.
• What’s the best way to melt chocolate without it getting clumpy?
  • Chocolate gets clumpy when it’s overcooked or burnt. To prevent this, regardless of the method you’re using, make sure to stir the chocolate frequently and take it off the heat just before it’s fully melted. There may be a few pieces of chocolate chips still intact but the rest of the melted chocolate will melt it quickly. It’s better to take it off too early than too late!
• How do you thin chocolate?
  • If you want to thin chocolate you can add a few drops of coconut oil or vegetable oil. Start with a small amount and stir well before adding more so you don’t make it too thin!
• Can I add peppermint extract to the chocolate?
  • Yes, but the peppermint extract must be oil-based instead of alcohol-based. When mixed with melted chocolate, alcohol-based extracts will cause the chocolate to solidify and become clumpy. The best way to add a peppermint flavour without using extract would be to sprinkle crushed candy canes on top!

 

More chocolate dessert recipes

• Cottage Cheese Chocolate Mousse
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Cashew Bar with Chocolate Coating
• Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Black Bean Brownies
• Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Balls

 

If you make this Pretzel Almond Bark, I would love to see your comment and rating below. It also makes my day seeing your creations of my recipes on Instagram- don’t forget to tag @allnutrition.rd!