Dark Chocolate & Caramel Pretzels

Does anyone else enjoy the casual stroll through Costco with their spouse? My husband and I live for the days we’re able to walk around Costco together checking out their furniture and unbelievable cheese section (cheese in bulk, yes please!), and of course racing down the aisles to try every sample in the store. We’re so cool. Sometimes if we’re there around lunch time and our toddler hasn’t eaten yet, we’ll hand her a few samples and call it a day. Easiest lunch ever.

Costco can be pretty addicting, which is why we limit our trips and the amount of things we buy. You can only consume so much artichoke and spinach dip and finding room in the pantry for some of their snacks is sometimes impossible. We never fail to leave without one snack item though and most of the time it’s a big old bag of Snappers.

If you have yet to try Snappers, they are little bites of dark chocolate, caramel and pretzel twists topped with sea salt. They are so rich and addicting that it’s a problem, but I still end up snagging a bag every chance I get.

Lately, I haven’t had to wait for trips to Costco because they are super easy to make at home. Three quick steps and they can be made and ready in about 30 minutes. Incredible, right? All I do is melt dark chocolate, lay it down on parchment paper and top it with pretzel, melted caramel and sea salt. It’s pretty brutal having to wait the 20-30 minutes for them to harden, but it is SO worth it.

Don’t forget to tag your photos with #marinamakeseats!

Dark Chocolate & Caramel Pretzel Bites

Makes about 12 pretzel bites

Ingredients

• 5oz of dark chocolate
• Bag of thin pretzel twists (you’ll need 36 total)
• 1/2 cup of caramel
• Splash or two of heavy cream or milk
• Coarse sea salt

Directions

Place a large sheet of parchment paper on a hard surface.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate for 30 seconds at a time, stirring thoroughly in between each interval. When the chocolate is melted, place tablespoon portions on the parchment paper and create flat circles with the chocolate (big enough to hold three layered pretzels). Immediately after, place three pretzels on each chocolate round, making sure they overlap.

Next, place caramel squares and heavy cream or milk in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring between each one. Try not to overcook the caramel (you’ll know you overcooked it if it’s very bubbly and a thicker consistency). Once melted, top each round with a teaspoon of melted caramel. Immediately after, sprinkle each round with sea salt. Let the pretzel bites cool and harden before eating. Depending on the type of chocolate you buy, you may want to stick them in the fridge to harden a bit.