My kitchen counter's covered in red and green M&Ms right now. Making these pretzel hugs for tomorrow's school party - they're those sweet-salty treats that disappear in minutes. Started making them last Christmas when I needed something quick, and now they're our holiday favorite. Three ingredients, one baking sheet, and about 20 minutes is all it takes. The hardest part? Keeping little hands away while they cool!
Why Make These
Making these pretzel treats saved me last week when I forgot about the neighborhood cookie exchange. They take minutes to put together, and everyone thinks you spent way more time on them than you did. The kids love helping press the M&Ms on top - made about four batches last weekend for teacher gifts. Plus, they're way cheaper than buying holiday candy at the store, and you can make them in small batches whenever you need them.
What You Need
- Hershey's Hugs: The striped white and milk chocolate ones. Regular kisses work too if that's what's in your pantry
- Square pretzels: Get the waffle-looking ones - they hold the chocolate better
- Holiday M&Ms: Red and green for Christmas, but any colors work for other holidays
Making Your Treats
- Get the oven ready
- Turn it to 200° - just warm enough to soften the chocolate
- Line your pan
- Cover a baking sheet with parchment so nothing sticks
- Set up the pretzels
- Lay them out on your pan - leave a little space between each one
- Add the hugs
- Put one chocolate on each pretzel, right in the middle
- Warm them up
- Pop them in for about 4 minutes - watch carefully, they soften fast
- Quick M&M press
- Push an M&M into each soft chocolate - work fast before they cool
- Cooling time
- Let them sit until firm, or stick them in the fridge if you're in a hurry
Making Them Extra Special
Started using different colored M&Ms depending on what we're celebrating. Blue and white for Hanukkah last month turned out super cute. The trick is getting that chocolate just soft enough - learned that after my first batch melted completely. Mixing regular kisses with the hugs gives you different flavors in the same batch.
Getting Set Up
Clear off your counter before starting - you'll want space to work fast once those chocolates are warm. Keep extra M&Ms nearby because some always seem to disappear while working (usually into little mouths). Made these during summer once - had to crank up the AC or they wouldn't set right. A cookie sheet with sides works best to prevent runaway pretzels.
Timing Is Everything
Four minutes usually does it, but keep watching - ovens can be tricky. You want the chocolates just soft enough to squish down, not totally melted. Made that mistake at first and ended up with chocolate everywhere. Now I set a timer and start checking at 3 minutes just to be safe.
Fresh And Ready
These stay good for about a week in a container, if they last that long. Made three batches for the cookie exchange yesterday - stored them between wax paper layers to keep them pretty. They travel well in a hard container, just don't let them get too warm or the chocolate gets messy.
Making Them Your Own
Each batch turns out a bit different depending on how fast you work. Sometimes I add extra pretzels to account for the ones that break (or get eaten along the way). Found out mini kisses work too - just need to adjust the warming time. My neighbor made them with dark chocolate kisses last week - they were amazing with the salty pretzel.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How long do these take to make?
10 minutes to set up, 4 minutes in the oven, 15 minutes to cool in the fridge.
- Can I use different chocolate?
Sure - Hershey's Kisses work too, or any chocolate that fits on the pretzel.
- Are these gluten-free?
No - regular pretzels contain gluten.
- How do I store them?
Room temperature in a container works fine. Put them in the fridge if keeping longer than a few days.
- Can I make them ahead?
Yes - make them 1-2 days before your party. They hold up well.
Some More Ideas
For another quick treat, try 3-ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies. Mix peanut butter, sugar, and an egg - that's it. Both recipes save time during busy holiday seasons and need almost no prep work.