Sweet, salty, and spooky cute – these Frankenstein pretzels have it all! They’re one of my favorite treats to make for Halloween since they’re no bake and easy to make, super customizable, keep well, and both the kids and adults love them.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Frankenstein pretzels are an easy Halloween treat that’s a perfect mix of playful and delicious, making them great festive treats for any Halloween or monster-themed party!
They’re incredibly easy to make with just a few simple ingredients and a microwave, but they still draw in your party-goers thanks to their bright green candy coating and cute monster faces.
Serve these chocolate covered pretzels for parties – they’re mess-free, handheld, and kid-friendly, plus they add an instant festive touch to any dessert table.
Whether you’re making these pretzel Frankenstein treats with little ones, passing them out as spooky snacks, or pairing them with cocktails for adults, they bring a fun, creative spooky twist to classic treats that everyone loves!
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Ingredients List
- 24 square pretzels (pretzel snaps)
- 11 ounce bag white chocolate chips (or 10 ounces green candy melts) – see notes
- Neon green food coloring (only if using white chocolate chips)
- 48 candy eyeballs
- 8 pretzel sticks, broken into 6 pieces each (or use some extra square pretzels)
- Black cookie icing (or melted semisweet chocolate chips) for the hair and mouth
Ingredient Tips and Substitutions
- This recipe works great with gluten-free pretzels too!
- The easiest way to get monster green chocolate is by using already-tinted candy melts. You want vibrant green or light green candy melts. However, if your local grocery stores and craft stores don’t have them and you don’t want to order online, you can also use white chocolate chips and add neon green food coloring instead (gel works better than liquid based ones to keep the chocolate from seizing)
- No candy eyes? Use white chocolate or white candy melts and then a dot of dark chocolate or black candy melts in the center
- Instead of black cookie icing, you can use melted semisweet or dark chocolate (in a piping bag or Ziploc), black candy melts, or even chocolate jimmies (brown sprinkles) to create the hair. You can also use jimmies for the mouth, and add decorate elements like a scar with black or red icing or chocolate too – customize them as you like!
Step By Step Instructions
- Line a cookie sheet (or similar) with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
- Add your chocolate to a microwave safe bowl. If using white chocolate chips, microwave on high for 1 minute, stir, and cook in additional 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Add the food coloring (if using) until desired shade is reached (I use 10 drops McCormick brand, but other brands will vary). For candy melts, follow the package directions as they can vary, but usually require cooking at 50% power for 2 minutes or so in total
- Use a fork or kitchen tweezers to dip your pretzels into the melted green chocolate until fully coated. Shake off excess chocolate, then place the dipped pretzel onto the parchment or baking mat lined sheet (leave enough space to fit the pretzel bits on the sides in the next step). Repeat until all are coated
- While the chocolate is still wet, place two candy eyeballs between ½ and ⅔ up the pretzel (you want enough space to add hair later). Add a piece of pretzel rod to the sides of the pretzel near the bottom to form Frankenstein’s bolts
- Allow the chocolate to set (pop them in the fridge for 15 minutes or so to make this easier, as room temp is affected by humidity and actual temperature and can take a while)
- Pipe on the hair (using the cookie icing or melted chocolate) and a mouth, plus any other facial features you want (like a scar) – use a toothpick as needed for fine detailing
- Let the icing or chocolate set (pop them back in the fridge if you like) and enjoy!
Pairing Suggestions
Other Desserts
- Monster cookies – Keeps the spooky theme going while adding a soft, chewy contrast to the crunchy pretzels
- Halloween brownies or brookies – Rich chocolate pairs perfectly with the salty-sweet pretzel coating
- Candy corn cupcakes – Colorful and festive, helping round out a Halloween dessert display
Savory Party Snacks
- Popcorn mixes – Light and salty bites that balance out the sweetness of the pretzels
- Mini pigs in a blanket – Crowd-friendly finger food that keeps the snack table varied. Try my Air Fryer Mummy Dogs for a themed favorite!
- Cheese dip with crackers – Adds creamy, savory options to prevent sugar overload
Drinks
- Green Halloween punch – Matches the Frankenstein theme with a bright, spooky look. Try my Frankenstein Floats for a kid friendly option!
- Chocolate milk or hot cocoa – Enhances the chocolatey elements in the pretzel coating
- Fruity party cocktails and mocktails – Adds refreshing tartness to complement sweet treats! For the adults, try a Ghostbusters Cocktail to match the color theme!
Recipe FAQs
What Kind of Pretzels Should I Use?
Square pretzels (known as snaps) are the best option for Frankenstein pretzels because their shape mimics the squared look of Frankenstein’s head. Another great option is pretzel rods (just dip the top half). They offer slightly less decorating space, but are easy to hold and display!
What Chocolate Do I Need?
Melting wafers or high-quality candy melts are ideal because they melt smoothly, set firmly, and come in vibrant colors like Halloween green. If you can’t find them, then you can also use white chocolate chips and tint them with oil-based food coloring (avoid water-based dyes, as they can cause the chocolate to seize).
Dark chocolate or black candy melts work great for Frankenstein’s hair and facial details, or cookie icing works great too in lieu of more chocolate.
What’s the Best Way to Melt Chocolate?
The easiest method is the microwave: heat in short (30 second) bursts (at half power for candy melts), stirring between each round until silky. If you prefer more control, a double boiler keeps the chocolate warm and smooth while you decorate multiple pretzels.
Tips For the Best Frankenstein Pretzels
- If your chocolate seizes from too much coloring (or just to make dipping smoother), you can add 1-2 tsp coconut oil or vegetable shortening to smooth it out
- This recipe scales easily up or down, so feel free to adjust for your preferences or size of your crowd!
- Make sure to work quickly when dipping the chocolate and adding the eyes and bolts (you don’t want it to set too much or you can’t attach them). Work in batches if that’s easier – you can always re-warm the chocolate in the bowl
- The smoothness of the chocolate depends a lot on how much you tap off and what you use to dip the pretzels. Since they’re monsters, though, I think imperfections are part of the charm here!
- Kitchen helpers (aka the kiddos) can help with adding eyeballs and pretzels while you dip!
Storage and Serving
Storage Tips
- Store coated pretzels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks; no refrigeration needed (cold can cause chocolate to sweat)!
- Layer with parchment or wax paper to prevent decorations from sticking or smudging
- If prepping ahead, wait until the coating is fully hardened before packing them up to avoid smudges or fingerprints
Serving & Presentation Tips
- Mix and match Frankenstein faces, like surprised, grumpy, goofy, to make a playful variety platter!
- Pair them with other spooky snacks (like mummy brownies or ghost strawberries) for a themed dessert board. Go full Frankenstein theme with Frankenstein Wafer Cookies and Frankenstein RIce Krispie Treats!
- Wrap individually in treat bags with Halloween ribbon for classroom parties or trick-or-treat handouts
More Halloween Pretzels
- Halloween Pretzel Rods
- Pretzel Pumpkins
- Caramel Apple Pretzel Bites
Final Thoughts
These Frankenstein Halloween pretzels are such a fun no bake treat! They’re the perfect spooky treat with a combination of crunchy, salty, sweet, and delicious – great for Halloween parties. Customize them with different faces and watch them light up the dessert table!
Try them for your next Halloween party or anytime during the spooky season. They’re kid friendly, adult approved, and sure to please the ghosts and ghouls alike, creating a real monster of a bash!
For more fun Halloween treats to complete your spread, check out all of my No Bake Halloween Treats for inspiration!
Halloween Frankenstein Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Equipment
- Spatula (or spoon; for stirring)
- Fork (or tweezers; for dipping)
- Silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)
- Baking sheet (or similar)
Ingredients
- 24 square pretzels (aka pretzel snaps)
- 11 ounce bag white chocolate chips (or 10 ounces light green candy melts)
- 10 drops neon green food coloring (only if using white chocolate chips)
- 48 candy eyeballs
- 8 pretzel sticks, broken into 6 pieces each (or use some extra square pretzels)
- Black cookie icing or melted semisweet chocolate chips (for decorating)
Instructions
- Line a cookie sheet (or similar) with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
- Add your chocolate to a microwave safe bowl. If using white chocolate chips, microwave on high for 1 minute, stir, and cook in additional 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Add the food coloring (if using) until desired shade is reached (I use 10 drops McCormick brand, but other brands will vary). For candy melts, follow the package directions as they can vary, but usually require cooking at 50% power for 2 minutes or so in total11 ounce bag white chocolate chips, 10 drops neon green food coloring
- Use a fork or kitchen tweezers to dip your pretzels into the melted green chocolate until fully coated. Shake off excess chocolate, then place the dipped pretzel onto the parchment or baking mat lined sheet (leave enough space to fit the pretzel bits on the sides in the next step)24 square pretzels
- While the chocolate is still wet, place two candy eyeballs between ½ and ⅔ up the pretzel (you want enough space to add hair later). Add a piece of pretzel rod to the sides of the pretzel near the bottom to form Frankenstein’s bolts. Work in batches if needed48 candy eyeballs, 8 pretzel sticks, broken into 6 pieces each
- Allow the chocolate to set (pop them in the fridge for 15 minutes or so to make this easier, as room temp is affected by humidity and actual temperature and can take a while)
- Pipe on the hair (using the cookie icing or melted chocolate) and a mouth, plus any other facial features you want (like a scar) – use a toothpick as needed for fine detailingBlack cookie icing or melted semisweet chocolate chips
- Let the icing or chocolate set (pop them back in the fridge if you like) and enjoy!
Notes
- You can substitute gluten-free pretzels
- The easiest way to get monster green chocolate is by using colored candy melts (vibrant green or light green). However, if your local grocery stores and craft stores don’t have them, you can use white chocolate chips and add neon green food coloring instead (gel works better than liquid based ones to keep the chocolate from seizing)
- Instead of black cookie icing, you can use melted semisweet or dark chocolate (in a piping bag or Ziploc), black candy melts, or even chocolate jimmies to create the hair. You can also use jimmies for the mouth, and add decorate elements like a scar with black or red icing or chocolate too – customize them as you like!
- Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand and flavor of ingredients, decorations used, assumes the use of all chocolate (which won’t be the case), and actual quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
Nutrition
