Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Texture: Crunchy, creamy combo.
Taste: Sweet and salty treat.
Ease: Super simple, kid-friendly recipe.
Top Tips: Don’t want to turn on the oven? You can make these treats using the microwave!
Would I make these again? Yes! I love an easy recipe during the busy holidays. I can quickly whip up a batch of these Rolo pretzel bites for parties, cookie exchanges, or small gifts. And they can easily be made gluten-free!
xoxo erin
This post was originally published in November 2022. It was updated with new photos and instructions in October 2024.
The holidays can be busy! Sometimes you just need a simple, but satisfying treat, that doesn’t involve a ton of effort or mess, to take to a party or family gathering That’s where these Rolo pretzel bites come in!
Trust me — the hardest part of this recipe is unwrapping the Rolos. Otherwise, they come together in minutes. You can even make them in the microwave. I love getting my kids involved and making it a fun family activity!
Featured Comment
From Kristyn: “We made these last week!! They are always a hit! The sweet & salty together is my favorite!!”
Table of contents
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Rolo Pretzel Bites
- Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instructions
- Can I make these Rolo Pretzel Bites dairy-free?
- How do I know when the Rolos have softened enough?
- How can I decorate them to be more festive for the holidays?
- Rolo Pretzel Recipe Tips
- More Favorite Christmas Treats
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make these Rolo pretzel bites. Jump to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Pretzels: Pretzels are the essential base for this salty & sweet treat! You can use the traditional pretzel shape or butter snaps square pretzels. To make the recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free pretzels (I like Synder’s). Check out this article on are pretzels gluten-free.
- Rolos: It will take some time to unwrap all of the Rolos, but it’s worth it! I like to enlist some helpers to make the job easier. Turn on the holiday music and have fun!
- M&Ms: I like to use the holiday M&Ms when I make these. The red and green M&Ms make the treats look so festive ! You might also like these gluten-free m&m cookies for the holidays.
Gluten-Free?
To make the recipe gluten-free, make sure to buy gluten-free pretzels. My favorite brand of gluten-free pretzels is Synder’s.
How to Make Rolo Pretzel Bites
Here’s an overview of how to make these treats. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
- Prep for baking: Preheat the oven to 250°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Lay out the pretzels in a single layer on the baking sheet. Place one Rolo on each pretzel.
- Bake and finish: Bake for 3-5 minutes. You want the Rolo to be softened, but not melted. Remove from the oven and gently press one M&M (or nut) into each softened Rolo. Let them cool completely, then enjoy!
You also might like our favorite marshmallow cream fudge!
Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instructions
- To Make-Ahead: These treats last long enough to make them a great make-ahead option!
- To Store: Let them cool, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can also refrigerate them for up to 3 weeks.
- To Freeze: These freeze well! After they cool, store them in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Can I make these Rolo Pretzel Bites dairy-free?
Yes! Plain pretzels, whether regular or gluten-free, are usually dairy-free. Double-check the ingredients to be safe. Instead of Rolos, use dairy-free chocolate (or candies of your choosing), then top with dairy-free coated chocolate candies or nuts.
How do I know when the Rolos have softened enough?
They should look shiny and slightly softened, but still hold their shape. At that consistency, they’ll squish down a little when you gently press the M&Ms into them. Be careful to not overbake the Rolos or they’ll lose their shape as they melt!
How can I decorate them to be more festive for the holidays?
There’s tons of ways to make them festive and fun! Use red/green M&Ms (or other colors for different holidays), drizzle melted white chocolate on top (or even add food dye to make the drizzle colorful), sprinkle on crushed peppermint or sprinkles, etc.
Rolo Pretzel Recipe Tips
- Feel free to get creative with these Rolo pretzel bites! There are lots of different variations: You could top them with peanut M&M’s, white chocolate M&M’s, a pecan half, almonds, etc.
- This is already the easiest holiday treat, but you can make it even easier by softening the Rolos in the microwave. Just follow the same steps, but instead of the oven, put them in the microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds until Rolos are softened.
- This is an easy Christmas baking project for kids! Create an assembly line and have fun with this sweet and salty holiday treat.
Rolo Pretzel Bites (EASY!)
Ingredients
- 25 small pretzels gluten-free if needed
- 25 Rolo’s
- 25 M&M’s or pecans/walnuts!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Place a single layer of pretzels on the baking sheet.
- Place one Rolo on top of each pretzel.
- Bake for 3-5 minutes until the Rolo has softened. (You don’t want the Rolos too melted.)
- Remove from the oven and press the M&M or nut halfway down into the melted Rolo.
- Let cool on the baking sheet completely. Enjoy!
I want to make these for a wedding. I would love to make them as far in advance as I can. My concern is- If I freeze them will the chocolate be cloudy once thawed?
Hi Susan, these rolo pretzel bites do freeze well, but freezing often leads to some cloudiness with the chocolate. Letting them cool completely, wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap and placing in an airtight container, then thawing them in the fridge before unwrapping and serving may help. You can also store them at room temperature for 1 week or in the fridge for 3 weeks. These two options should reduce the cloudiness risk. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
Made these tonight for a quick holiday work dessert and I’m certain they will be a hit as I can’t stop eating them myself! Definitely put parchment so if you melt them a bit too much once you add the nuts or m&ms they might burst and the caramel will stick to your pan way worse then parchment 🙂
Thank you for the positive feedback, Susan! We’re so glad you loved them. Good tip about the parchment paper too! Happy baking!
I like to top mine with a pecan!!! So good!!!
Totally agree! They are so good with pecans!
These turned out so cute!!! we made ours look like little reindeer. The girls absolutely loved making them together! Thank you for posting.
We made these last week!! They are always a hit! The sweet & salty together is my favorite!!
Thanks, we didn’t know Rolos were gluten free. My daughter enjoyed these pretzel marvels before her Celiac diagnosis almost two years ago. Looks we can have them again! We like the Synder brand gluten free pretzels the best.