Hershey Kiss Pretzels with M & Ms

Looking for a super simple July 4th treat that everyone will devour? These red, white, and blue Hershey Kiss pretzels with M&Ms are salty, sweet, and come together with just three ingredients. You can swap the M&Ms for almonds or pecans for a more grown-up nibble too. They're fun to make, easy on the budget, and disappear FAST. Perfect for picnics, backyard BBQs, or sharing in a mason jar as a thoughtful gift!

Make them Red White and Blue!

These Hershey Kiss pretzel treats are just as easy to customize for the 4th of July or any patriotic holiday. White can be harder to find, but, a white plate complete the look! They look fantastic on a platter at your picnic table or packed up in little mason jars as a take-home treat.

Want something slightly healthier? Try pressing an almond or pecan into the melty chocolate instead. You still get that sweet and salty combo with a little crunch!

Another crazy good snack on this site is this addictively seasoned bits and bites recipe. Or, this easy garlic ranch seasoned pretzels recipe. Both of these recipes are present-worthy when you need that quick little thoughtful homemade gift.

Why I love these

I absolutely love these little pretzel, Hershey Kiss, and M&M treats. They’re the perfect mix of sweet and salty, and come together with just three simple ingredients. What makes them extra fun is how easy it is to change the candy colors for any occasion - red, white and blue for July 4th, pastels for Easter, or your favorite team’s colors for game day.

They’re also incredibly budget-friendly. A bag of pretzels, some kisses, and a handful of M&Ms, and you’ve got a treat that looks festive and tastes amazing. I’ve been making these for years, and no matter where I bring them - summer barbecues, holiday parties, or tucked into little mason jars as gifts - they’re always the first thing to disappear. Trust me, it’s nearly impossible to eat just one!

You don't need to fuss with a bunch of ingredients. You assemble, bake for just a few minutes, and then cool. And you are done.

Change your theme by just choosing the color or kind of candy! Ohhhh, do your favorite sport's team colors!!

I've heard these chocolate pretzel bites called other names too.  You may have heard of them as an Elf's nose, a Hershey's hug, pretzel kisses, pretzels with kisses, Pretzel M&M hugs, or as my kids call them, those chocolate pretzel M & M things.

Ingredients

Small pretzels (traditional mini pretzel twists or the small waffle-shaped pretzels)
If you are having a hard time deciding, grab the waffle-shaped pretzels. They give you more of a base for the chocolate to melt on.
Hershey Kisses, milk chocolate - unwrapped. This takes longer than you think! I always had my kids help!
M&M candies or small candy treat. Scroll through the images for seasonal-themed ideas.
Optional - almonds, pecan halves or walnuts. These make you feel these treats are healthier! Get dark chocolate kisses for an even healthier nod.

Instructions

Step 1
Unwrap the Hershey Kisses. If you are making lots, this takes longer than you think : ).

Step 2
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 3
Place pretzels on a baking sheet. Parchment paper or a silicone mat will make the cleanup a little easier. I prefer using the regular small twist pretzels but other people prefer the waffle pretzel shapes.

Step 4
Place an unwrapped Hershey Kiss on the center of the pretzels.

Step 5
Bake for about 4 minutes at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Watch closely. The kiss does not lose it's shape when it's melted.

Step 6
Gently place your topping treat on the Kiss and press it down into the Kiss. Or if using almonds (or walnuts), place on the kiss and press it down.

7. Cool slightly and let the chocolate set before you devour them. Don't forget, you can put nuts on them if you want these Hershey Kiss pretzels to look healthier! Sometimes I enjoy these with either pecans or almonds, so it is a less sweet treat!

I LOVE making these. I decided to share all the different themed ones I make. I think I have most of the holidays and major themes covered here. Take a look and see if any of these easy-colored themes inspire you!

Valentines Day treats

YUMMMM! Even the M&M company makes it so easy by always selling themed colored bags of candy.

Football Treat

This is for the 2023 Superbowl. Just a super quick treat if you have people coming over or want to bring something. It doesn't take much time; you can customize it for team colors and enjoy!

Christmas pretzel treats

Make these a more adult treat by using dark chocolate and almonds. Or use a pecan. It feels healthier too!

There is a printable recipe card for these M&M pretzel kisses at the bottom of this page that lists ingredients and steps!

Perfect snack for Easter!

These fun Kisses in pastel colors with these delicious M&Ms.   These M&Ms have peanuts in them so they added another layer of flavor to these treats!

I even remember the first time I tried these. We were having dinner at a friend's house, and her husband looked forward to these as gifts from his students. The PERFECT teacher gift! Not expensive. Not difficult. But, ohhhh soooo good!

And, so appreciated by others! What a nice and simple teacher gift? Or a little thoughtful girlfriend treat! Or, treat your kids or a group of their friends.

These are great treats to share.  I like putting these into mason jars and sharing them.  They are always appreciated.

Let me share another really easy treat that is perfect for Easter.  These chocolate Easter bird nests are made with just two ingredients - chocolate and chow mein noodles.  Easy, quick and delicious!!

I've seen and heard many ways to melt the chocolate. I prefer the low and slow method so I don't burn the chocolate kisses.  The chocolate gets shiny and that's when you know it's melted.  Don't wait for them to start getting runny or become a puddle.  When chocolate gets scorched/burned, it becomes dry and hard but it still has the same shape.  Watch the kisses carefully to see when they are melted (and it's not long!).

Halloween/Fall Chocolate-pretzel-bites

Pick out and use the seasonal or appropriate festive colors for your pretzel and Hershey kisses snack.
Or, wander the grocery store like I did and find seasonal candies. My kids loved the candy corn ones and the little pumpkin ones.  The size of the treat is the key.  You obviously want the treat to be smaller than the pretzel!

I LOVE the almond ones.  I recently made ones with pecans too and they were delicious.  Chocolate, pretzels and a little salt from the pretzels are oh so delicious!!

A slightly healthier alternative. I hope!

Keep these in mind for other special times - They are perfect for Valentine's Day too! Just use red M&Ms or any red chocolate candy on top.

Storage tips and how package to give away

I recommend you store these in an airtight container in a cool location. I don't keep them in the fridge but I know some people do.

My favorite ways to give these away are in a mason jar (you choose the size). People can always reuse a mason jar with a lid! You can also put them in a cellophane bag, letting kids decorate with fun seasonal stickers or a seasonal colored bow.

Hope you enjoy these yummy treats! These pretzel and Hershey kisses treats are simple, yummy, and quick. Plus, you can get your kids involved unwrapping those kisses.

FAQs

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