Rolo Pretzels Recipe (easy dessert)

A super easy treat with only three ingredients: pretzels, Rolo caramels, and pecan halves or M&Ms. Sweet and salty Rolo pretzels are irresistible!

Rolo pretzels are beyond easy to make and taste oh-so-delicious.

This isn’t an original idea. I’m sure you’ve probably had one of these delicious little bites already but it’s one of those treats that maybe you think, huh! I wonder how those are made.

They are easy, easy, easy! If you buy the unwrapped Rolos (yes, they are available!), these treats are even easier to make. Really, the most time-consuming part is unwrapping those individually wrapped chocolate covered caramels.

If you have kids in the kitchen, they’d be glad to perform this task for you. (Beware, you may lose a few of the candies in the process!) The kids love to help out and it’s an easy project that they can participate in. It’s fun to whip up a batch or two of these goodies and make special deliveries to the neighbors.

So let me tell you, Rolo pretzels are a crowd-pleaser. Who doesn’t love caramel, chocolate and a little salty crunch? If you’re a turtle fan, you’re going to love these! They look just right on a Christmas cookie platter with sand tart cookies, Brigadeiros (Brazilian fudge balls), gingersnaps with white chocolate, and chocolate peppermint kiss cookies.

About These Rolo Pretzels

As you can probably guess from the photos, you only need three ingredients: Rolos, pretzels, and pecan halves. You can mix it up and substitute colorful M&M’s for the pecans, or even another pretzel to make sandwiches. Some people are really creative and make little red-nosed reindeer.

This recipe makes as many or as little as you want. It depends on how many Rolo candies you have.

I’ll give you a quick overview of how to make Rolo pretzels, along with some extra tips. As always, you’ll find the printable recipe card near the end of the post with complete instructions and nutrition information.

What You’ll Need

• Rolos: a chocolate covered caramel candy. You can buy a bag of them, individually wrapped in foil or unwrapped. A 7.6 oz. bag contains about 35 unwrapped candies.
• Pretzels: Bite-sized mini pretzels form the base of the treat. Waffle pretzels are perfect for this job.
• Pecan Halves: Pecans are found in traditional turtles ( caramel and pecans, covered in chocolate). Toast the pecans first for the best flavor. You could also use M&M’s, or some of each, like we did for the pictures!

How To Make This Recipe

Here’s how these delicious candy bites come together:

Get your oven preheating to 350°F.  Toast the pecans if you want. I always do because they taste so much better when they’re toasted.

Unwrap the Rolos if you bought the wrapped variety.

Arrange the pretzels on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper if you like).

Top each pretzel with a Rolo and pop them into the oven for just four minutes.

Immediately, while the Rolos are still soft and warm, press a pecan half or M&M in the center. Cool and enjoy!

FAQs

Make It Your Own

• M&M Rolo Pretzels: Substitute colorful M&Ms for the pecan halves. Red and green M&Ms are very festive for Christmas. Use red, pink, and white M&Ms for Valentine’s Day or team colors for the big game day.
• Rolo Pretzel Sandwiches: Omit the pecan half and use another pretzel on top.
• Rolo Pretzel Reindeer: Use mini pretzels (tiny twists) that are heart-shaped knots for the base. Add a red M & M for a nose and googly eye candies for the eyes. Break a pretzel in half and poke the halves into each side for the antlers.
• Walnut Rolo Pretzels: Substitute a toasted walnut half for the pecan.

Storage Tips

Store Rolo pretzels, once they’ve completely cooled, in an airtight container for up to a week. There’s no need to refrigerate unless your kitchen is very warm. For longer storage, keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Looking for more easy treats?

Life can be complicated around the holidays so stock up on some easy-to-make treats. Try:

• Best Rice Krispie Treats — this is a classic recipe that I’ve improved on.
• Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats — look impressive, but are super easy.
• Snowman Oreo Pops
• Christmas Tree Brownie Bites
• Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bars
• Perfect M&M Cookies — use festive green and red M&Ms
• Blondies — So easy to stir up, and you can be creative with add-ins.
• Cool Whip Cookies (only 4 ingredients)
• Biscoff No-Bake Cookies