Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites
These peanut butter pretzel bites are one of my favorite no-bake treats to make for any occasion. If you love that classic sweet-and-salty combo, plus creamy and crunchy textures all in one bite, you’re going to want to save this one.
They’re made with a soft, sweetened peanut butter filling, sandwiched between two crunchy pretzels, and dipped in melted chocolate. I like to finish them with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, but they’re also super fun to decorate with sprinkles for holidays, birthdays, or themed parties.
That said, I make these just as often for everyday snacking. If you’re like me and always want a little something sweet after lunch or dinner, these hit the spot. They’re small, satisfying, and seriously addictive in the best way.
They also hold up well, store beautifully, and taste like a mini Reese’s with a pretzel crunch, which pretty much makes them irresistible in my book.
Love bite-sized treats? Check out my Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies! These soft and chewy tiny cookies are packed with chocolate chips and perfect for snacking, gifting, or lunchboxes.
Why You’ll Love These Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites
- Crowd-pleasing and totally giftable.
- No oven required.
- Sweet, salty, creamy, and crunchy.
- Perfect no-bake snack to decorate for any occasion.
- Perfect for cookie trays or party platters.
- Great make-ahead treat.
- Fridge- and freezer-friendly.
Fun to Make with Kids
This recipe is one of my favorite kitchen projects to do with my grandsons. There’s a lot of hands-on fun, from rolling the filling, to sandwiching the pretzels, and dipping them in chocolate. And since there’s no baking involved, it’s safe and stress-free.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Creamy peanut butter
- Peanut butter powder
- Softened butter
- Powdered sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Mini pretzel twists
- Chocolate chips (dark, semi-sweet, or milk)
- Optional: flaky sea salt or sprinkles
Ingredients Notes
Creamy peanut butter – I recommend using regular creamy peanut butter, like Jif or Skippy. Avoid natural peanut butter or the kind that needs to be stirred, since the oil separation makes the filling too soft and greasy. You want something thick and smooth so the peanut butter balls hold their shape.
Peanut butter powder – I like the peanut butter flavor to really shine through all the sweetness, and peanut butter powder is a great way to boost that flavor without adding more sugar. It’s totally optional, though. If you don’t have any on hand, you can just use the same amount of extra powdered sugar instead.
Butter – I prefer using salted butter in this recipe. It adds the perfect touch of salt to balance the sweetness. But if you only have unsalted, no problem! Just give the peanut butter mixture a little taste and add a pinch of salt if you think it needs it. (Keep in mind the pretzels are salted!)
Powdered sugar & brown sugar – This duo gives the filling just the right texture and sweetness. The powdered sugar keeps it smooth and easy to roll, while the light brown sugar adds a little bit of that caramel-y richness I love.
Pretzel twists – I use mini pretzel twists, but the square-shaped Snap pretzels work just as well and give you a nice flat surface for pressing the filling. Use whichever you like best—they both taste great and look cute once dipped.
Chocolate chips – Use whatever kind of chocolate you love: semi-sweet, milk, or dark all work here. I usually go with semi-sweet because it balances the sweetness of the filling nicely, but feel free to get creative. White chocolate is a fun option too, especially if you’re planning to add sprinkles for holidays or baby showers.
Toppings – Flaky sea salt is my go-to for finishing these off, but sprinkles are a fun way to match the bites to a party or seasonal theme. Add them right after dipping so they stick before the chocolate sets.
Tip for Smoother Chocolate: Chocolate chips work just fine for dipping, but if you want a smoother, shinier finish (especially for gifting or parties), you can use chocolate melting wafers or chocolate bark instead. They’re designed to melt easily and set up with a nice snap (no tempering required).
How to Make Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites
Detailed recipe and instructions are in recipe card at bottom of post.
- Make the filling. In a mixing bowl, beat the creamy peanut butter, peanut butter powder, softened butter and light brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the powdered sugar. (The filling will be like a cookie dough consistency.)
- Roll the filling into balls. Scoop out 1 teaspoon of the mixture and roll into balls.
- Sandwich with pretzels. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Lay out half the pretzels, place a peanut butter ball on each, and press another pretzel on top to sandwich. Repeat until all the filling is used.
- Chill. Refrigerate the tray for at least 1 hour, or until firm. This helps them hold up when dipped in warm chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate. Add your chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30-second, followed by 15 second bursts, stirring between each. Stop when a few chips are still intact, and stir to melt them with residual heat. Don’t overheat or the chocolate may not temper (be glossy and harden after melting).
- Dip and decorate. Dip each pretzel bite halfway into the melted chocolate. Let any excess drip off, then return to the parchment-lined tray. Sprinkle with sea salt or sprinkles right away while the chocolate is still wet.
- Let set. Place tray in refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until the chocolate is set.
Making the peanut butter filling.
The peanut butter filling in these bites is rich, smooth, and sweet, and in my opinion, tastes a lot like the inside of a Reese’s peanut butter cup. It’s seriously good!
Assembling the pretzel bites.
Line up your pretzels, add a scoop of filling to each one, then press another pretzel on top to make little sandwiches.
Dipping the pretzel bites in chocolate.
Once your chocolate is melted, dip each pretzel sandwich halfway.
Recipe Notes
- Storage: Store the pretzel bites in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. Because the chocolate isn’t fully tempered, it may soften at room temperature, so it’s best to keep them cold. They’ll stay fresh in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer-friendly: These freeze beautifully. Just freeze them in a single layer first, then transfer to a container or zip-top bag. Let them thaw in the fridge before serving. They’ll keep for up to 2 months.
- White chocolate variation: White chocolate is a fun twist, especially for decorating around holidays like Easter or for baby or bridal showers. You can melt a white chocolate bar, white chocolate chips or white chocolate melting chips for the glossiest result.
- Chocolate dipping tip: Chocolate chips work just fine, but if you want a smoother finish or easier dipping, add a small spoonful of coconut oil or shortening to the melted chocolate. It’s optional, but helpful if you want a glossier look.
Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites
These no-bake peanut butter pretzel bites sandwich a sweet peanut butter filling between crunchy pretzels and dip them in chocolate. They’re perfect for after-school snacks, a little treat after lunch or dinner, or dressing up with sprinkles for parties, holidays, and other fun occasions.
Ingredients
- 72 mini pretzels
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons powdered peanut butter
- 6 ounces chocolate chips (about 1 cup)
- sea salt, optional
Instructions
- Make the filling. In a mixing bowl, beat the creamy peanut butter, peanut butter powder, softened butter and light brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the powdered sugar. (The filling will be like a cookie dough consistency.)
- Roll the filling into balls. Scoop out 1 teaspoon of the mixture and roll into balls.
- Sandwich with pretzels. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Lay out half the pretzels, place a peanut butter ball on each, and press another pretzel on top to sandwich. Repeat until all the filling is used.
- Chill. Refrigerate the tray for at least 1 hour, or until firm. This helps them hold up when dipped in warm chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate. Add your chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30-second, followed by 15 second bursts, stirring between each. Stop when a few chips are still intact, and stir to melt them with residual heat. Don’t overheat or the chocolate may not temper (be glossy and harden after melting).
- Dip and decorate. Dip each pretzel bite halfway into the melted chocolate. Let any excess drip off, then return to the parchment-lined tray. Sprinkle with sea salt or sprinkles right away while the chocolate is still wet.
- Let set. Place tray in refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until the chocolate is set.
Notes
- Storage: Store the pretzel bites in an airtight container in the fridge (up to 2 weeks) or freezer (up to 2 months).
- Freezer-friendly: These freeze beautifully. Just freeze them in a single layer first, then transfer to a container or zip-top bag. Let them thaw in the fridge before serving.
- White chocolate variation: White chocolate is a fun twist, especially for decorating around holidays like Easter or for baby or bridal showers
- Chocolate dipping tip: Chocolate chips work just fine, but if you want a smoother finish or easier dipping, add a small spoonful of coconut oil or shortening to the melted chocolate. It’s optional, but helpful if you want a glossier look.