13 Terrific, Tasty Recipes With Pretzels

Celebrate National Pretzel Day on April 26th and try one of these recipes with pretzels that pack quite a crunch! Or save them for any time of year when you have extra pretzels in the pantry.

National Pretzel Day: An Excuse to Use These Recipes With Pretzels

If you watched the mockumentary-style tv show The Office, you know how important Pretzel Day is, especially to one grumpy employee named Stanley. He says, “I wake up every morning to a bed that’s too small, drive my daughter to a school that’s too expensive, and then I go to work for a job in which I get paid too little. But Pretzel Day? I like Pretzel Day.”

In that scenario, Stanley was waiting in a long line in his office park to get a soft pretzel from a single guy with a toaster oven. On National Pretzel Day, we hope you feel just as excited as Stanley, no matter where you are. Here are some of our favorite pretzel recipes so you can use up any salty, crunchy pretzels you have lying around!

No-Bake Recipes With Pretzels

1. Salted Caramel Chocolate Pretzel Bars

Salted caramel has a special place in my heart. Something about the sweet, creamy richness of caramel pairs so well with a little bit of salt. And these no-bake bars are simply perfect.

2. No-bake Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars

Anything that’s “no-bake” immediately gets my attention. With the weather getting warmer, the last thing I need is a hot oven in my kitchen. You only need five ingredients– melted butter, crushed pretzels, powdered sugar, creamy peanut butter, and milk chocolate chips. This recipe’s decadent peanut butter flavor makes these peanut butter pretzel bars one of my all-time favorites.

3. Strawberry Pretzel Salad

I’ll admit it. This recipe made me hesitate at first. They’re three words that I wouldn’t typically want together, especially in a dessert. But just because “salad” is in the name, it doesn’t mean that this classic recipe from the 1970s is anything less than a tasty treat. Similarly, strawberry pretzel pie has the same salty pretzel crust, cream cheese and whipped topping layer and strawberry Jell-O layer. Bonus points if you pick your own fresh strawberries (I’m writing this right on the cusp of strawberry season, so I’m dreaming).

4. No-bake Trail Mix Cereal Bars

If you need a quick pick-me-up when hitting the trails, these trail mix cereal bars are easy to prep and pack. While the recipe calls for cheerios and rice cereal, I’m sure you could use any cereal you have in the pantry. Feel free to experiment, but I would steer clear of the grape nuts.

Baked Goods Recipes With Pretzels

5. Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels

Do you remember the smell of Auntie Ann’s pretzels as you walked through a mall? I can remember it vividly. But you don’t have to travel to the mall to get the nostalgic flavors of their cinnamon sugar pretzels. You need milk, yeast, brown sugar, butter, salt, flour, baking soda, and cinnamon sugar. With this recipe, you can make your own mall pretzel goodness and dunk it in cream cheese icing or a sweet chocolate dip.

6. Salted Caramel Pretzel Cupcakes

I can’t wait to try these on my next birthday. This cupcake recipe from Betty Crocker uses a box cake mix, which I am certainly not above. Okay, I might think box mixes taste better than cakes made from scratch.

7. Kitchen Sink Cookies

The best thing about “Everything But the Kitchen Sink” cookies is that you can add whatever sweet or salty ingredients you have lying around in your pantry. Start with any basic cookie dough recipe for chocolate chip cookies. You can include anything from dark chocolate chips, potato chips, salty pretzels, nuts, toffee, Reese’s pieces, dried fruit, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or coconut! Although, I will say one thing: just because you can put an ingredient in, it doesn’t mean you should. Choose wisely.

8. Chocolate Pretzel Granola Bars

Granola bars are the perfect snack for busy moms, active kids, or anyone who needs a quick and easy bite to eat. And who knows all the stuff they’re putting in those granola bars from the grocery store? These can’t get much simpler with ingredients like honey, butter, sugar, vanilla, peanut butter, cocoa powder, oats, crispy rice cereal, and pretzels. Check out the recipe here!

9. Pretzel Crusted Brownies

I’m always in favor of adding a little something to regular brownies just to switch things up. Whether peanut butter, caramel, chocolate chips, or pretzel bits, just one more ingredient can make them extra indulgent. The last time I was at Trader Joe’s, I picked up one of their brownie mixes and a bag of pretzels. I decided to try this recipe for pretzel-crusted brownies. The chewy texture combined with the salty crunch was perfection. I’m saving this recipe for the next bake sale, for sure.

Easy Recipes With Pretzels

10. Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Although these might seem like a no-brainer, you can use some tricks to make these extra impressive. Dip pretzel rods halfway in dark, white, or milk chocolate. While the chocolate is still warm, sprinkle toppings like mini M&Ms, coconut, sprinkles, chopped peanuts, almonds, pecans, or toffee bits. Let them cool in the fridge on parchment paper. Once they’re completely solidified, cover each one with a cellophane bag and tie it off with a bow! Voila! You have a fancy, sweet, and salty snack!

11. Pretzel Turtles

Three ingredients? Say no more! All you need for these addictive little treats are Rolo candies, pecan halves, and mini pretzels. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay pretzels in a single layer on a baking sheet, then place one Rolo candy in the center of each pretzel. Warm in preheated oven just until chocolate and caramel have softened, about 4 minutes. Remove from the oven, then press one pecan into each Rolo candy! Chill them in the fridge! It’s that simple!

12. Homemade Chex Mix

While you can always buy this from the store, this homemade version tastes 100% better. You can also make it in large batches! You may even have lots of the ingredients for the seasoning in the pantry already: 1 stick unsalted, melted butter, 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp seasoned salt, 1-1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp onion powder.

Melt and mix it all in a saucepan on medium heat. In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups of bagel chips, 4-1/2 cups of rice Chex cereal, 4-1/2 cups of wheat Chex cereal, 3 cups of bite-sized pretzels, and 1 cup of salted peanuts. Drizzle the dry mix with the seasoning mix, then stir and toss to coat. Bake at 250F for 45-50 minutes (until toasted), stirring the Chex mix every 15 minutes. I like to make this one in October for a Halloween snack with Utz Halloween pretzels!

13. Peanut Butter Pretzel Energy Balls

These are a great way to get a boost of protein on the go. They’re no-bake and loaded with salty-sweet flavors and textures, pretzels, toasted coconut, peanut butter, oats, and chia seeds. Check out the recipe here!

Stanley-Approved Recipes With Pretzels!

Which of these delicious recipes will you try for National Pretzel Day? You don’t have to stick to the sweet recipes with pretzels! Try a pretzel crust on pizza or ham and cheese on a pretzel roll! Who knows? It may just be one of those days when you barely manage to grab a handful of pretzels for breakfast before running out the door. And that’s okay, too. No matter you celebrate, live every day like Stanley on Pretzel Day.