With only 3 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep time, this M&M Christmas pretzel bark recipe is one of my favorite easy holiday snacks. I coat crunchy, salty pretzels with rich chocolate and top them with festive red and green M&M candies to create this holiday hero. My whole family loves this treat, and they have no idea how easy it is to make!
M&M Chocolate Pretzel Bark
For me, the holiday season means I don’t get much time outside of my kitchen. Between baking Christmas cookies for weeks then cooking Christmas dinner, I’m pretty booked up until sundown on December 25th. So I really welcome easy Christmas desserts and treats like this to balance things out.
My easy Christmas bark recipe gives me a well-deserved break since it’s so quick to make. All I need is chocolate, pretzels, and M&M’s. This recipe is so simple that my kids can make it pretty much all on their own now, which takes it completely off my plate!
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My Trick for Crisp, Crunchy Holiday Bark
When melting chocolate for bark, I always let the bowl or pan cool for a few minutes before mixing in the pretzels so they stay crunchy and don’t absorb heat or moisture. It’s such a simple trick that keeps every bite crisp and snappy, not soggy!
Christmas Pretzel Bark Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Baking Sheet
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 20-second intervals.16 ounces melting chocolate
- Stir in the pretzels.2 cups pretzels
- Spread the mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle M&M’s over top.1 cup Christmas M&M’s
- Chill for 1 hour or until chocolate is hardened. Break into pieces and serve.
Notes
- When melting chocolate, make sure your bowl and utensils are completely dry. Any moisture can cause the chocolate to seize.
- Heat the chocolate slowly and stir often so it melts smoothly and stays shiny when set.
- Let the chocolate cool slightly before adding the pretzels so they stay crisp.
- If you like thicker bark, spread the mixture over a smaller area on the baking sheet; for thinner, crisper pieces, spread it out more.
- For a prettier presentation, drizzle a little extra melted chocolate over the top before chilling. It helps “lock in” the M&Ms and adds that glossy, professional finish.
- This bark is also delicious with peppermint candies, crushed pretzels on top, or a sprinkle of sea salt for contrast.
- Don’t try to break this bark up into pieces before it’s ready. It needs the full hour in the fridge to chill and reach the perfect breakable consistency.
- Speaking of breaking, don’t worry if you have lots of mismatched, uneven pieces. That’s the fun part about this bark! However, you can also use a knife to chop it up into more even portions if you’d like.
How to Make Christmas Pretzel Bark with M&Ms Step-by-Step
Prep: Gather the short list of ingredients for this Christmas pretzel bark recipe.
Melt the Chocolate: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 16 ounces of melting chocolate in 20-second intervals. I recommend breaking up the chocolate into smaller pieces if it is in bar form, and stirring every 20-30 seconds until melted. I also recommend letting the chocolate cool slightly before adding the pretzels so they stay nice and crisp.
Add the Pretzels: Next, stir in 2 cups of pretzels. Stir gently until they are evenly coated in chocolate.
Spread it Out: Then spread the mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. This will make it easier to separate and break up the chocolate once it sets. For a thicker bark, concentrate the chocolate over a smaller area; for a thinner bark, spread it out more.
Add M&M’s: Finally, sprinkle 1 cup of Christmas M&M’s evenly over the top. For a prettier presentation, you can drizzle a little extra melted chocolate over the top. Chill for 1 hour, or until the chocolate has fully hardened. Then break into pieces and serve. Don’t try to break up the bark before it is set, or it won’t break cleanly.
How to Store
This M&M chocolate bark holds up beautifully for holiday gifting! Store it in layers between parchment in an airtight tin for up to a week, or refrigerate to extend freshness.
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