Christmas Pretzel Hugs are the simplest candy to make—really! They’re addictive, kid-friendly, and perfect for holiday trays.
These treats are so easy they hardly feel like a recipe, but they’re worth sharing if you haven’t tried them yet.
Every year when I assemble cookie trays for neighbors and friends, I always include a batch of these pretzel hugs. They’re quick to make, and a standard batch yields roughly 60–80 pieces depending on how many you prepare. One bag of Hershey’s Hugs usually makes about one full tray, so I often make two batches to be sure I have extras.
The great thing about this recipe is its flexibility—you can scale it to make just a few or a huge batch. I like scattering a handful across my cookie platters because guests always go for them first.
What makes them so irresistible is the balance of sweet and salty: the crunchy, salted pretzel paired with the creamy white chocolate Hugs, topped with a festive red or green M&M for extra chocolate and crunch.
This treat is easy to adapt for other holidays—use pastel M&M’s for Easter or orange and black candies for Halloween. You can also swap the Hershey’s Hugs for seasonal Kisses or flavored varieties like cookies & cream or caramel-filled for a different twist.
To make them, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking. Arrange your snap pretzel grids in a single layer, discarding any broken pieces. Unwrap the Hugs and place one on each pretzel.
Bake briefly at 200°F—about 3–4 minutes—just until the Hugs look shiny and soft but haven’t fully melted. Take the tray out of the oven and immediately press a holiday M&M onto each Hug to flatten it slightly and secure the topping.
Allow the pretzels to cool until the chocolate re-hardens, about 30 minutes, then package or store them. The result is perfectly balanced sweet and salty bites that are crunchy and creamy in every mouthful.
Christmas Pretzel Hugs—the easy star of your holiday cookie tray.
Christmas Pretzel Hugs
Ingredients
- 50–70 snap pretzel grids (square pretzels)
- 50–70 Hershey’s Hugs candies, unwrapped
- 50–70 Christmas M&M’s
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 200°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil. Arrange 50–70 pretzels in a single layer, discarding any chipped pieces.
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Place a Hershey’s Hug in the center of each pretzel. Bake 3–4 minutes, until the Hugs look shiny and softened but not melted.
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Remove from the oven and immediately press a holiday M&M into each Hug to slightly spread it over the pretzel. Let cool until the chocolate hardens, about 30 minutes, before storing or packaging.
Notes
If you can’t find Hugs, substitute Hershey’s Kisses or seasonal flavors like cookies & cream, sugar cookie, or caramel-filled for a delicious variation.
Addictively sweet and salty, crunchy and creamy—these Pretzel Hugs are sure to become a favorite.
Have a super sweet day!
xo, Hayley