Pretzel Hugs and Turtle Pretzels

I was thinking about something the other day (I try to do this on a semi-regular basis). How is it that certain holiday goodies become exclusive to the holiday season?  Whether it be your favorite holiday cookie, peanut brittle, or fudge, there seem to be certain confections that people only make for the holidays.  I thought of this as I was making these wonderfully delicious chocolate and pretzel bite-sized treats right after Thanksgiving.  I was making them and thinking to myself, "This isn't right. I shouldn't be doing holiday baking when November isn't even over."  But really, this is silly.  There is nothing about chocolate and pretzels that screams holidays.  Nothing. But, I still intentionally staged them to look like Fall/Thanksgiving in the pictures to make me feel better about it.

These are so easy, yet so tasty. You're going to read the instructions and say, "Why does this justify a recipe post on your blog?" Because you need to make them. And share them with the people you love.

Pretzel Hugs

Ingredients

1 bag of Hershey's hugs

1 bag of Pretzel "Snaps" (you will not use the whole bag)

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350F. Place some parchment paper or wax paper on a cookie sheet.
2. Unwrap all of your hugs and put them in a bowl. Count them if you're slightly OCD like me.
3. Place one pretzel on your cookie sheet for each hug. Place a hug on each pretzel.

Side Note: If I were Martha Stewart crafty, I probably would have used those wrappers in the background to make some kind of holiday craft. But, I'm not. So I threw them away. Feel free to to turn yours into wreaths and ornaments.

5.  Place the cookie tray in the oven and let chocolates soften for 2 minutes.  Do not leave in any longer. The goal is not to melt the hugs, just to soften them.

6.  Remove cookie sheet from oven and let stand for another minute.  Then, sandwich another pretzel on top of the ooey gooey hug.

7.  Let set until chocolate hardens again. If you're impatient like me, stick the tray in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Turtle Pretzels

Ingredients

1 bag Rolos

Your choice of pretzels (Snaps and Twists will work best)

Your choice of Almonds or Pecan Halves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Unwrap your Rolos and place them in a bowl. Again, feel free to count them.

3. Place one pretzel on the cookie sheet for each Rolo.  Place a Rolo on each pretzel (I would recommend putting the bigger end of the Rolo on the pretzel).

4. Put your cookie sheet in the oven for 4 minutes to soften (not melt) chocolate. Remove and let sit for another minute.

5. Press an almond or pecan halve into each Rolo.

6. Let set until chocolate hardens again. Refrigerate for 30 minutes if you just can't wait.

Even though I staged these for Fall and insist that there is nothing about chocolate pretzels that should be holiday-exclusive, I intend to make these again and give them for Christmas.