Pretzel m&m hugs are the easy and festive treat recipe you need! These 3-ingredient Christmas pretzels are great for parties, treat exchanges, and gifting. And they’re ready in less than 30 minutes!
Is there anything better than a sweet and salty treat? Pretzel hug m&m treats are the ultimate sweet and salty treat that are so darn cute and festive.
I remember friends’ families making these when I was growing up and I always loved them. But they weren’t a part of my family’s holiday tradition…until now! As an adult, I’ve decided that I just love these and enjoy making them.
This Christmas pretzels recipe is easy to make, is always a hit, and makes yummy treats that are just so easy to eat.
If you love pretzel hug m&m treats, you need to try this easy dark chocolate fruit and nut bark recipe and Oreo truffles too!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
So cute! Pretzel m&m hugs are just darn cute and festive. Their eye-catching stripes and brightly colored holiday m&ms make them easy to reach for.
Easy treat recipe. Pretzel hug m&m treats are an easy treat recipe to make. This would be a great recipe to do with older kiddos interested in helping! My husband and I always joke that the “hardest” part of this recipe is unwrapping all of the hugs (ha!)..
Ready in less than 30 minutes. This holiday treat can be made quickly, making it a great option for last-minute baking.
Sweet and salty. Is there anything better than a sweet and salty treat? These Christmas pretzels are the perfect balance of sweet and salty… they’ll have you reaching for another. And another.
Ingredients Needed
Square shaped pretzels: This shape makes a great base for your chocolate. The Snyder’s Pretzel Snaps are my go-to for these!
Hershey’s Hugs: These white chocolate and milk chocolate candies are so delicious and the perfect choice for these Christmas pretzels! The white and brown stripes add visual interest and make this treat really cute. I usually grab a bag of holiday Hershey’s Hugs, but you can use the regular ones too (the only difference is the festive wrappers).
Holiday m&ms: get that festive flair with red and green holiday m&ms! Or use regular m&m milk chocolate candies for an any time of year treat.
RECIPE NOTE: You just need equal amounts of the pretzels, hugs, and m&ms. The amount of hugs in a single package will dictate how many of these treats you make. A single bag of hugs usually has 70-80 candies. If you’d like to make a double (or triple) batch, make sure to pick up multiple bags of the hugs before baking.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Pretzel Hershey kiss m&m treats. Swap the Hershey Hugs for Hershey Kisses for a different look. Great for those who don’t like white chocolate.
- Note: If you wanted to make these treats with half kisses and half hugs, I’d recommend cooking them separately as the different types of chocolate may melt at different rates.
- Christmas Rolo pretzels. Swap the hugs for Rolos. I mean…who doesn’t love some added caramel? I’ve seen Christmas Rolo pretzels made with m&ms and pecans on top… feel free to try a little of both!
- Add a sprinkle of holiday nonpareils sprinkles. These are the little ball-shaped sprinkles. This adds another layer of fun to these festive holiday treats!
- Make these for a variety of holidays by using different seasonal m&ms. These treats are adorable with the red and pink Valentine m&ms. They’re also super cute with the pastel Easter m&ms.
- Use regular m&ms for an anytime of year treat! Any excuse to make and enjoy these is good with me!
- Use a different shape of pretzel. I’ve always made these with snaps (the square / checkerboard shaped pretzels. However, you could definitely make these with mini twists (classic shape) or circular (wheel style) pretzels too!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: Place a single layer of pretzels on the baking sheet.
Step 3: Top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey’s hug chocolate.
Step 4: Bake for 4-5 minutes, until the hugs are shiny and soft (but still holding their shape).
Step 5: Remove from the oven and carefully place an m&m in the center of each chocolate, gently pressing them down to spread the chocolate to the edge of the pretzels. This needs to be done quickly, while the hugs are still warm and soft.
Step 6: Place the tray into the refrigerator or freezer to cool and set (about 5-10 minutes). When ready, remove from the lined baking sheet and enjoy!
PRO TIP: Unwrapping your hugs before you get started makes the assembly of these a breeze! This is also a great step for getting the kiddos involved!
Possible Dietary Restrictions?
These Christmas pretzels are vegetarian as written. You can make your pretzel hug m&m treats gluten free by selecting gluten free pretzels! You may not find square gf pretzels, but mini twists will work as a base too if needed. According to the Hershey’s website, hugs are gluten free. Milk chocolate m&ms are also considered gluten free.
*If you are serving these treats to someone with celiac, it never hurts to check the nutrition label to confirm though.
How to Store
Store pretzel m&m hug treats in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to two weeks (if they last that long!).
PRO TIP: Be sure the chocolate is completely cooled and set before packaging or storing these. If they’re not, they may smudge or stick together.
Serving Suggestions
Pretzel hug m&m treats are colorful and delicious treat for the holidays! Here are a few ideas of ways you can share and enjoy these treats:
- Add to a cookie tray or share at your next cookie exchange.
- Send them as a part of a holiday cookie box to loved ones.
- Place these in cellophane bags tied with a cute ribbon, or place in festive holiday tins, and gift them to neighbors, co-workers, or your kiddo’s teachers.
Expert Tips
Do NOT skip using the silicone mat (or parchment paper). I’ve made this mistake… the chocolate sticks to the pan, they’re tough to get off, and it makes a big a mess. Make your life easier and line your pan with a silicon baking mat or a sheet of parchment paper.
NOTE: A silicone mat does make this recipe easier because the pretzels do not slide around. However, I know this isn’t necessarily a common household item. Using parchment paper works great too, but the pretzels do tend to move as you’re getting your tray in and out of the oven.
Keep an eye on your chocolates while they’re in the oven. You want to make sure you don’t melt your hugs. Keep the oven light on, and peek at them as needed to ensure they’re still holding their shape (a little droopy is ok). Take them out when they are shiny and soft (not totally melted). You can always put them back in for another minute if needed.
Do a test m&m to confirm your chocolates are ready. When your hugs look shiny and are still holding their shape, pull the baking sheet out of the oven and do a test m&m. If it’s not easy to press into the chocolate, put the tray back in to warm the chocolate for another minute.
Recipe FAQs
Square shaped pretzels (often called snaps) are the best base for pretzel m&m hugs. You can also use mini twists or circle shaped pretzels will also work well.
Yes. You can replace the Hershey Hugs with Hershey Kisses or Rolos. You could also try using a similarly shaped candy of your choice.
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Pretzel Hug M&M Treats
Ingredients
- 75 square-shaped pretzels (aka snaps)
- 75 Hershey's Hugs (amount from 1 package)
- 75 Holiday m&ms
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place a single layer of pretzels on the baking sheet.
- Top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey’s hug chocolate.
- Bake for 4-5 minutes, until the hugs are shiny and soft (but still holding their shape).
- Remove from the oven and carefully place an m&m in the center of each chocolate, gently pressing them down to spread the chocolate to the edge of the pretzels. This needs to be done quickly, while the hugs are still warm and soft.
- Place the tray into the refrigerator or freezer to cool and set (about 5-10 minutes). When ready, remove from the lined baking sheet and enjoy!
- Store pretzel m&m hug treats in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to two weeks (if that last that long!).
Notes
- Pretzel Hershey kiss m&m treats. Swap the Hershey Hugs for Hershey Kisses for a different look. Great for those who don’t like white chocolate.
- Note: If you wanted to make these treats with half kisses and half hugs, I’d recommend cooking them separately as the different types of chocolate may melt at different rates.
- Christmas Rolo pretzels. Swap the hugs for Rolos. I mean…who doesn’t love some added caramel? I’ve seen Christmas Rolo pretzels made with m&ms and pecans on top… feel free to try a little of both!
- Add a sprinkle of holiday nonpareils sprinkles. These are the little ball-shaped sprinkles. This adds another layer of fun to these festive holiday treats!
- Make these for a variety of holidays by using different seasonal m&ms. These treats are adorable with the red and pink Valentine m&ms. They’re also super cute with the pastel Easter m&ms.
- Use regular m&ms for an anytime of year treat! Any excuse to make and enjoy these is good with me!
- Use a different shape of pretzel. I’ve always made these with snaps (the square / checkerboard shaped pretzels. However, you could definitely make these with mini twists (classic shape) or circular (wheel style) pretzels too!
Falyn says
So easy to make, especially with kids! Delicious too! Thanks for the recipe
Meredith says
I’m so happy you and the kiddos could make these together Falyn! Thanks for making my recipe!
M. says
These are my favorite holiday treat, thanks for sharing how to make them!
Meredith says
You are welcome! I love these too.
Cheryl M says
Perfect timing! I’m a little holiday baked out, but still wanted something fun to bring to a holiday party. These were festive and EASY!
Meredith says
I’m so happy to hear this came just at the right time! Glad everyone enjoyed them too 🙂