Butter Toffee Pretzels are sweet, salty, and coated in a buttery brown sugar glaze with crunchy toffee bits. This easy Christmas pretzel recipe is perfect for filling holiday gift bags, adding to candy tins, or setting out for everyone to snack on.
Butter Toffee Pretzels
As a mom, I think about which recipes my kids will remember me making every Christmas, the way we always looked forward to my Grandma's Christmas cookies. That's why I started "Made Every Christmas" on Instagram, a series of homemade treats worth gifting, passing down, and making every year.
These Butter Toffee Pretzels are my first contender! Salty mini pretzels get tossed in a warm brown sugar coating, sprinkled with toffee bits, and baked until crisp. Once they cool, you can break them into little clusters and package them for someone you love. (I love these treat bags from Amazon) Save a few for yourself, too because they are too good to give away the whole batch.
If you love a sweet and salty Christmas snack like my Christmas Puppy Chow (Reindeer Munch), add these to your holiday treat list!
Butter Toffee Pretzels Ingredients
You'll need seven ingredients for these homemade toffee pretzels.
- Mini pretzels: Salted mini twists give you plenty of little curves for the coating to cling to.
- Unsalted butter: Gives the brown sugar coating its buttery flavor.
- Light brown sugar: Sweetens the coating and adds a little molasses flavor.
- Light corn syrup: Helps keep the cooked sugar coating smooth.
- Vanilla extract: Stirred in after cooking for a warm vanilla flavor.
- Baking soda: Makes the hot coating foam so it's easier to spread over the pretzels.
- Toffee bits: I recommend Heath English Toffee Bits for a golden toffee finish with just a touch of chocolate that melts on the pretzels but doesn't overshadow the toffee flavor.
How to Make Butter Toffee Pretzels
1. Prepare the pretzels. Heat the oven to 250°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the pretzels in a large heatproof bowl.
2. Cook the coating. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then stir in the brown sugar and corn syrup. Once the entire surface is bubbling, boil for 3 minutes, stirring gently. I recommend a heat-resistant silicone spatula for this.
3. Toss to coat. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and baking soda. The mixture will foam! Immediately pour it over the pretzels and gently fold to coat. Add half the toffee bits.
4. Bake. Spread the pretzels in a single layer and bake for 45 minutes, gently turning them every 15 minutes. The coating will firm up as it cools and become crisp! Don't skip this step. The coating is not crisp until baked.
5. Finish and cool. After the final stir, sprinkle the remaining toffee bits over the hot pretzels. Let them cool completely, then break into small clusters.
Tips for Crunchy Toffee Pretzels
- Have everything ready. Measure the vanilla, baking soda, and toffee bits before cooking. Once the coating is ready, you'll want to work quickly.
- Use a roomy saucepan. The mixture expands when you add the baking soda.
- Give them room on the pan. A single layer makes it easier to turn the pretzels and redistribute the coating.
- Test a cooled pretzel. Let one cool on a plate for 2-3 minutes before checking the crunch. If the coating is still sticky or chewy, bake the batch another 5-10 minutes and check again.
- Cool before packaging. Packing warm pretzels traps moisture and can soften that crunchy coating.
Homemade Christmas Pretzel Gifts
I packaged mine in kraft window treat bags with red velvet ribbon. The little window shows off the pretzels, and the ribbon makes a simple bag feel like a special gift.
You can also tuck them into food-safe holiday tins or jars. Let the pretzels cool completely before filling the containers, and seal them well to keep out moisture.
How to Store Butter Toffee Pretzels
Keep the cooled pretzels in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool, dry place. For gifting, make them a day or two ahead so there's one less thing to do before delivering them.
Can I double the recipe? Absolutely! Use a larger saucepan and divide the coated pretzels between two baking sheets. Keep them in a single layer and check each pan for crispness before removing it from the oven. Do not crowd the cookie sheet with a doubled recipe or the pretzels will not crisp up properly.
More Christmas Treat Recipes to Try:
Butter Toffee Pretzels
Sweet and salty Butter Toffee Pretzels coated in a buttery brown sugar glaze and crunchy toffee bits. An easy homemade Christmas treat for holiday gifting!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces salted mini pretzel twists
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup Heath English Toffee Bits, divided in half
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the pretzels in a large heatproof mixing bowl.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and corn syrup. Once bubbles cover the entire surface, boil for 3 minutes, stirring gently and adjusting the heat to maintain a steady boil.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla and baking soda; the mixture will foam.
- Immediately pour the coating over the pretzels and fold gently with a silicone spatula. Toss in ¼ cup of the toffee bits.
- Spread the pretzels in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, gently turning every 15 minutes.
- Cool one pretzel on a plate for 2-3 minutes. If the coating is still sticky or chewy when cooled, continue baking in 5-10-minute increments, checking again until crisp.
- Give the hot pretzels a final gentle stir, then immediately sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup toffee bits. Leave a few twists touching to form small clusters.
- Cool completely on the pan, about 30 minutes. Break into clusters and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
- Toffee bits: Chocolate-covered Heath bits match the photographed batch. Plain Bits O'Brickle can also be used for a golden toffee finish.
- Doubling: Divide a double batch between two large baking sheets. Baking time may vary; check the cooled coating on each tray.
- Gifting: Package only when completely cool, using airtight food-safe bags, jars, or tins.
- Allergens: Heath toffee bits contain almonds. Check your ingredient packaging when preparing gifts.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 267Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 283mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 1gSugar: 24gProtein: 2g
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!