Pretzel-Almond Bark
Nothing says special occasions and holidays more than Pretzel-Almond Bark, and I’ve been making this recipe for a long time. Ever since my kids were young, we’d make batches of this around the holidays. These days, instead of saltines, I use pretzels, which hold their crunch much better! Easy to make and fun to give as a gift, delicious chocolate almond bark is a must-have any holiday season!
The key to this recipe is toasting the almonds. A quick toast gives them more flavor, the almonds get even crunchier, and the combination is irresistible! You can make this easy bark recipe with the kids, and there’s no candy thermometer required.
Pretzel-Almond Bark
Pretzels add another flavor and crunch element. And the bit of salt in the pretzels is a bonus! Together, these simple ingredients are fabulous, and with a layer of caramel sandwiched between the chocolate, it’s a candy lover’s dream come true!
Make this decadent treat ahead of the holidays and package it in a cute bag with a festive ribbon, and you’ve got a delicious gift that can be given as hostess gifts, to friends, or to anyone who deserves a treat during the holidays.
Why I love this recipe
- There’s no fussing with temperatures to get it to set up properly. It’s a no-fail almond bark recipe and process.
- It’s so easy to make, and the kids can even help!
- It makes a great gift but looks great in a candy bowl on the table. It’s perfect for snapping off a small piece for a bite of something sweet!
Gather these ingredients
- Mini pretzels – Broken into small pieces.
- Butter
- Dark brown sugar – Packed.
- Almond extract
- Vanilla extract
- Semisweet chocolate chips – You’ll need about 2 cups.
- Roasted almonds – Chopped.
- Sea salt
How to make Pretzel-Almond Bark
- Preheat your oven to 375-F and line an 9×13-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cover the bottom with broken mini pretzel pieces and set the pan aside.
- Combine the butter, dark brown sugar, almond and vanilla extract in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When it starts to bubble, let it cook for 3 minutes without stirring.
- Pour the hot caramel mixture immediately over the pretzels, drizzling it from side to side to cover most of the pretzels.
- Bake the caramel and pretzels in the 375-F oven for 5 minutes, then remove it from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack.
- Immediately sprinkle the semisweet chocolate chips evenly over the top and let them sit 2-3 minutes to melt.
- Spread the melted chocolate chips evenly over the toffee with a spatula, then sprinkle the gooey chocolate with finely chopped almonds and a sprinkle of sea salt.
- Let it cool at room temperature, then break the bark into pieces and enjoy!
Tips & substitutions
- You can buy roasted almonds and then chop them yourself, or roast them at home! Simply place a layer of almonds on a cookie sheet and pop them into a 325-F oven for about 10 minutes. Watch that they don’t burn! Then cool them and chop them.
- You can use any kind of pretzel, but I like the twists of the mini pretzels in this almond bark recipe.
- Need your bark to set up faster? Pop the dish into the fridge, and the chocolate will set more quickly.
- Use gluten-free pretzels to make this gluten-free bark.
Serving suggestions
I love wrapping up chunks of this bark into clear bags and tying them with a holiday ribbon – they look so cute! They make a great edible gift, and everyone always loves it! Of course, you can serve this bark as a snack or dessert with any meal, but I especially love it after a meal of meatloaf or chicken or any other rustic meal. I also add this Pretzel-Almond Bark to holiday boards; it’s so versatile!
Storage
Store any leftover bark in an airtight container on the counter for 4-5 days.
Check out these awesome chocolate recipes while you’re here
- Rolled Chocolate Angel Food Cake
- Chocolate Buttermilk Waffles
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
- Toffee-Chocolate Bundt Cake
Get the Recipe:
Pretzel Almond Bark
Ingredients
- 8 ounces mini pretzels, broken into smaller pieces
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped roasted almonds
- Sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9x13-inch baking sheet with parchment paper (make sure it’s rimmed). Cover the bottom of the pan in a layer of broken mini pretzel pieces. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, dark brown sugar, almond and vanilla extract. When the mixture starts to bubble, let it cook for 3 minutes without stirring.
- Right away pour the hot caramel mixture over the pretzels, drizzling from side to side, to cover most of the pretzels.
- Bake for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack. Immediately, while hot, sprinkle chocolate chips evenly on top of the caramel pretzels. Let the chocolate chips sit for 2-3 minutes until they melt. Next, use a spatula or rubber spatula to gently spread the melted chocolate evenly over the toffee. Lightly sprinkle roasted, finely chopped almonds. Sprinkle it with sea salt.
- Let the toffee completely cool at room temperature. Break the toffee into pieces and enjoy!
- TIP to cooling quicker: Refrigerate if needed to help the chocolate set up.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
