Pretzel Christmas Trees

Name: Pretzel Christmas Trees
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 48
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ● 48 pretzel sticks; ● 7 oz container white chocolate melting wafers; ● 1 tsp olive oil; ● 3 tbsp red, green, and white nonpareils

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Last Updated on November 21, 2024 by Allison Lancaster

These Pretzel Christmas Trees are adorable holiday treats that combine sweet, creamy white chocolate with the salty crunch of mini pretzels. Decorated to look like festive Christmas trees, they’re easy to make and perfect for adding a little winter magic to your dessert table or holiday snack spread!

Closeup shot of a Pretzel Christmas Tree on a round wooden board. The holiday treat is made of a pretzel stick, then drizzled with melted white chocolate to mimic the shape of a pine tree. Then it's sprinkled with red, green and white sprinkles. There are several other Pretzel Christmas Trees surrounding the treat.

These are the perfect festive treat! Sweet, salty, and oh-so-charming, these Pretzel Christmas Trees are a delightful addition to your dessert table and a fantastic way to spend quality time with your family as you make them. With minimal ingredients and loads of room for creativity, this recipe is a holiday activity your kids will love!

Christmas is a time for gathering, laughter, and creating memories, and these Pretzel Christmas Trees check all the boxes. They’re fun to make, adorable to display, and absolutely delicious to eat. Plus, this recipe is simple enough that little hands can help out—whether they’re sprinkling the “ornaments” or taste-testing along the way. It’s the kind of project that turns the kitchen into a merry workshop of holiday cheer on Christmas Eve.

Why You’ll Love This Pretzel Christmas Tree Recipe

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: This recipe is even more fun with 2 to 3 people—you can do the piping of the melted chocolate and the little one can be in charge of adding sprinkles. Kids will love being part of the decorating team!

Easy to Find Ingredients: What I love about these holiday treats is that the ingredients are easily accessible. A quick trip to my local Aldi is what I need to find what I need to use for these.

Storage: These Pretzel Christmas Trees keep well in an airtight container to maintain their crunch and freshness.

What ingredients and substitutions do I need to make these Pretzel Christmas Trees?

Flat lay shot of ingredients for the Pretzel Christmas Trees. These include melting white chocolate wafers, pretzel sticks, olive oil and nonpareils, all in separate white bowls. The ingredients are then placed on a marble countertop.

Pretzel Sticks: These will be the tree trunks for this holiday treat. You can use any store-bought brand that you like, I personally love Clancy’s which I can easily grab at my local Aldi.

White Chocolate Melting Wafers: Also known as chocolate discs or compound chocolate, these chocolates contain vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter, so these won’t require tempering. This is going to be the body of your Pretzel Christmas Tree.

Olive Oil: Adding this will make sure the chocolate is smooth and silky.

Red, Green and White Nonpareils: These will be the “decors” in the Pretzel Christmas Trees. Let your kids have fun with these as the white chocolate harden later.

How to get your kids involved in making these treats

Kids can help line up the pretzel sticks, sprinkle the decorations, or even pipe the chocolate with supervision. This recipe is perfect for encouraging creativity and teamwork while keeping the process mess-free and fun.

How to make the Pretzel Christmas Trees

Flat lay shot of a tray lined with a sheet or parchment paper. Ten pretzel sticks are arranged in two files in the tray.

Flat lay shot of a white bowl with white chocolate wafers in it. The bowl is placed on a marble surface.

Get your work surface ready: Line your work surface with parchment paper. Arrange pretzel sticks about 3–4 inches apart to leave room for your “trees.”

Prepare the melting chocolate: Pour the white chocolate wafers in a bowl. Then, add olive oil to the melting wafers.

A piping bag drizzling melted white chocolate into a pretzel stick on a parchment paper lined tray.

Melt the chocolate: Transfer the chocolate to a piping bag. Microwave in 30-second intervals, massaging the bag between each round until the chocolate is fully melted.

Create the Trees: Snip the tip of the piping bag. Pipe the chocolate over the pretzel sticks in a zigzag pattern, starting thin at the top and widening toward the bottom to mimic a tree shape. Leave some pretzel exposed at the base for the “trunk.”

A finished Pretzel Christmas Tree on a sheet tray.

Add Some Sparkle: Sprinkle the chocolate trees with festive nonpareils or sprinkles of your choice. Let the kids go wild decorating their edible masterpieces!

How to serve your Pretzel Christmas Trees

Six Pretzel Christmas Trees on a round wooden board.

Set and Enjoy: Let the chocolate trees set for about 20 minutes until firm. Then carefully peel them off the parchment paper and serve!

These Pretzel Christmas Trees are perfect little sweet treats after dinner for your little ones. They also make great little stocking stuffers. When serving at parties, get creative with your presentation! Arrange the trees on a festive platter, stand them upright in a foam base, or package them individually in clear treat bags as party favors.

How to store these Pretzel Christmas Trees

Once your finished Pretzel Christmas Trees are set, serve them right away or place them in air tight containers. These sweet and salty holiday treats can be kept for up to 5 days when refrigerated.

Can I use different types of chocolate?

Absolutely! While white chocolate creates a classic snowy look, you can use milk or dark chocolate for a richer flavor. You could even try green candy melts for a true Christmas tree effect!

What if I don’t have a piping bag?

No worries! You can use a resealable plastic bag instead. Just fill the bag with melted chocolate, snip off a small corner, and pipe away.

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes! These Pretzel Christmas Trees can be made up to a week in advance. Just store them in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them fresh.

My chocolate isn’t melting smoothly. What can I do?

Adding olive oil or a small amount of coconut oil helps the chocolate melt evenly and gives it a glossy finish. Also, be sure to melt it in short intervals and stir between each round to avoid overheating.

Can I use other toppings instead of sprinkles?

Of course! Mini M&M’s, edible glitter, or crushed candy canes make great alternatives. Let your creativity (and your kids’) run wild!

Are these gluten-free?

Most pretzel sticks contain gluten, but you can easily swap them for a gluten-free version if needed. Be sure to double-check all ingredients to ensure they meet your dietary requirements.

Can I freeze these for later?

It’s not recommended to freeze chocolate-covered pretzels, as the chocolate may develop a white coating (called bloom) when defrosted. However, they store well at room temperature for several days.

Can I make this recipe dairy-free?

Yes! Substitute the white chocolate with a dairy-free alternative, such as vegan white chocolate or dark chocolate chips.

Other Easy Holiday Dessert Recipes You’ll Love:

There’s something magical about creating treats that double as art. These Pretzel Christmas Trees aren’t just delicious—they’re a festive craft that can bring your family together in the kitchen this season. Whether you’re making memories in the kitchen or snacking by the tree, this recipe is sure to become a cherished holiday tradition.

I hope you enjoy making these easy Pretzel Christmas Trees! Leave a comment below to share how your experience is in making these. Happy Holidays!

Pretzel Christmas Trees

Yield: 48

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

● 48 pretzel sticks
● 7 oz container white chocolate melting wafers
● 1 tsp olive oil
● 3 tbsp red, green, and white nonpareils

Instructions

1. Line baking sheets (or the counter/table) with parchment paper.
2. Arrange pretzel sticks on the parchment paper, about 3-4 inches apart.
3. Add olive oil to the melting wafers, then dump into a piping bag. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and massage with your hands. Repeat this process until the chocolate is fully melted.
4. Use scissors to snip off the very end of the piping bag.
5. In a back and forth motion, pipe chocolate over the pretzel sticks, starting out thin on top, then gradually increasing the wideness as you go down, stopping before you hit the other end of the pretzel so that you have the “tree trunk”.
6. Immediately add sprinkles.
7. Allow chocolate to set for about 20 minutes.