Pretzel Shamrocks are a sweet and salty treat decorated with chocolate candies in a shamrock shape for the perfect St. Patrick’s Day Snacks! Shamrock Pretzel Bites are loved by kids and adults alike and are simple and fun to make!
Forget the traditional cabbage and corned beef and let’s make these sweet St. Patrick’s Day treats the new normal! These would be perfect to trap leprechauns!
They are so easy to make, seriously…so easy that I made a batch, ate them all, and then made another batch in the course of about 20 minutes! No Lie! I’m sure my rear thanks me for that moment of complete and utter lack of self-control! My taste buds, on the other hand, were particularly fond of my milk chocolate inhalation escapade.
What are Shamrock Pretzels?
If you love chocolate-covered pretzels you will love shamrock pretzels. You are combining the same flavor combination of sweet and salty but the end result is easier to make and adorned with decorations for different holidays and themes, these being for St. Patrick’s Day!
There are many types of shamrock pretzel variations, but I prefer this method as it does not require any green candy melts, no microwave or microwave-safe bowl, nothing to dip, you don’t need a fork or spoon or pop sticks and you aren’t left with a bowl full of excess chocolate at the end!
What you need for Pretzel Shamrocks:
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- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper or waxed paper
- Mini Pretzels
- Hershey Kisses or dark brown candy melts
- Green M&M’s
- Green Tube Icing
In place of the Hershey Kisses, you may also substitute Rolo candies! Add some caramel in there!
These work wonderfully with gluten-free pretzels as well!
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How to Make Pretzel Shamrocks
The process to make these is very simple and a great treat to get the kids involved with helping!
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and add a layer of mini pretzel twists.
Place an unwrapped Hershey Kiss candy on top of each pretzel and place the baking sheet in the oven. You want the Kisses to melt but not lose their shape or turn runny.
Smoosh (that’s a technical term here!) three Green M&M Candies onto the kiss. You can use regular or the Mint M&M’s are delicious as well! You can see the melted chocolate is soft enough to squish but the chocolate is not running over the pretzels.
Set aside and allow the kiss chocolate to reharden a bit. If it’s still soft, it’s really hard for the next step, which is to use tube green frosting and draw on the shamrock stems.
Using a tube of green icing and a small point tip, pipe on “stems” to your shamrock. If you would like to negate the icing, you can also add an M&M candy but stand it up on its side versus placing it flat as you did for the shamrock leaves.
These are so freaking good that you will want to go ahead and just make a double batch to start. You can make 1 batch but I would be pretty confident to bet that you will need to go back and make one more soon after! {wink!}
Tips & Variations for Pretzel Shamrock Treats:
- If you would like the milk chocolate to be more uniform, press down with the back of a spoon before adding the M&M candies.
- Place the M&M’s with the m side down so that your shamrocks are just green.
- The white chocolate Kisses melt differently than the milk chocolate. You will want to test a few to get the appropriate timing down.
- For the cleanest “stem” lines, wait until the milk chocolate has been set up a bit before piping the icing onto the shamrock pretzel.
- Replace the green icing with an M&M. Instead of placing the candy down flat like you did for the leaves, place it on its side, standing up, so that it gives a long skinny appearance like a stem.
- Sprinkles can be added to the remaining exposed milk chocolate if preferred.
- Mint Chocolate M&M’s can also be used for a minty flavor!
Shamrock Pretzel Storage
Pretzel Shamrocks keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week (if they even last that long).
They can be stored at room temperature or if you live in a warmer climate you can store them in the refrigerator as well.
More St. Patrick’s Day Treats You Will Love
- Lucky Charms Treats
- Copycat Shamrock Shake – super easy with green food coloring
- Leprechaun Popcorn
- Rainbow Treats
- St. Patrick’s Day Oreo Truffles
- Bailey’s Irish Cream Fudge
- Tropical Green Smoothie
- Rainbow Green Smoothie Bowl
- The Best Guacamole
Shamrock Pretzel Bites Recipe
Pretzel Shamrocks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 24 each Mini Pretzel Twists
- 24 each Hershey Kisses, unwrapped
- 72 each Green M&M Candies
- 1 tube Green Icing
Instructions
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
- Place pretzels in a single layer and top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey Kiss.24 each Mini Pretzel Twists, 24 each Hershey Kisses
- Bake at 200 Degrees for about 7 minutes. The Hershey Kiss should be soft but not completely melted and losing it's shape.
- Remove sheet pan from oven and immediately press 3 green M&M candies onto each pretzel/kiss in the shape of a shamrock.72 each Green M&M Candies
- When milk chocolate is cool, use icing tip on a tube of green frosting to draw on the stems of the shamrocks.1 tube Green Icing
- Enjoy!
Notes
- You want the Hershey Kisses to be soft but not completely melted on your pretzel. 7 minutes did the trick but you might have to adjust depending on your oven.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- May store at room temperature. If you live in a warmer environment, the refrigerator may be used also to store.
Nutrition Estimate
You might also like these Pretzel Bites:
- Valentine Pretzel Bites
- Eggs & Toast Pretzel Bites
- Apple Pretzel bites – 3 ways
- Green Eggs & Ham Dr. Seuss Pretzel Bites
- Baseball Pretzel Bites
- Basketball Pretzel Bites
- Grinch Pretzel Bites
A few more sweet treats you might want to try:
Holiday Puppy Chow – exchange the colors of M&M’s for the current season
PIN SHAMROCK PRETZEL BITES NOW!
Comments & Reviews
Jen @ Four Marrs & One Venus says
Stop it Shamrock rocker! This is so cute and hello- pretty dang easy . I bet I could eve do this! NICE!!
mskitty says
The big problem with this is that Hershey kisses don’t melt! They remained very hard even after 10 or 12 minutes in the oven. So they were very hard to make but still ended up delicious. Next time I will use the meltable chocolate wafers.
Lillian @ My Recipe Journey says
So very smart and easy!!! I love it! Great post! I’ll have to try these! =)
Jill wilhelm says
Shut up! These are so cute!! Love them Cheryl!! I’d love to share this on my blog, would that be ok?
Rachel says
Cuteness!
Jen says
SHOCKED that you didn’t do at least one 4 M&M one… :) Very simple easy idea! Great job!
Dona says
A.dor.a.ble. And beyond! How many bags of M&M’s did you have to buy to get that many green ones? Or do they come just green for St Patricks? Regardless, I’ll be making them!
Crystal says
Too cute!!! I love it!! You should have some that had 4 M&M’s…it could be a game to whoever gets the 4 M&M’s gets to pick out their favorite movie to watch as a family or something like that. But don’t tell them until someone has gotten it…he he.
Linda says
These would also be yummy with a softened
rolo instead of kiss.
Sarah Lynn | Sarah Lynn's Sweets says
Adorable!! Thanks for sharing!
Jenn @ The Friend Collective says
Pinning! These are so cute. Stopping by via the Think Pink Sunday Link Party. Have a great day!
Kimberli says
I Love your blog! I want to invite you to be a guest on my Invite a Guest Friday where I get one blogger every Friday to share a recipe on my blog! I would love if you shared this shamrock recipe with me. I will post it on my blog and have places where people can click and go to your blog! I would love if you would be my guest. Email me your recipe, directions and pictures if you would like to be my guest.
Questions? I am at
greatastestuesdays@gmail.com
Thanks! Kimberli
Kalyn Brooke | Creative Savings says
So cute! I’ve made M&M pretzel bites before, but the shamrock idea is great!
Jill says
These look great! I always thought these were weird until I tried them, but the salty and the sweet combination is AWESOME!
Happier Than A Pig in Mud says
Very cute! I’m sure kids would love them too:@)
Deborah says
These are too cute and so creative!!
jenny says
These are so cute and so easy! Perfect for my daughter’s class. Thanks for the idea!
TidyMom says
oh these are adorable Cheryl!!!
Thanks for linking up this week! I featured your post in my wrap up! http://tidymom.net/2013/st-patricks-day-handmade-party-ideas/
Have a fabulous rest of the weekend.
Jodi-dough says
Cost plus has a pretzel mix with card symbol shaped pretzels – heart spade club and diamond!