I started making these for Halloween – I was going to put eyes on them and use them for the Halloween food contest at work, but we ended up not having one this year (probably a good thing, considering how much time I put into my cubicle castle).

I brought first drafts of the treats to a party and they were a huge hit. (And part of the reason my name is now apparently “Snack Lady”)

chocolate chips
coconut oil
mini pretzel sticks (broken)
mini marshmallows

Break up the pretzels.

Break each one into two or three pieces. I grab handfuls and break them with my hands. I then pick them up gently and put them in a different container. I don’t want to get all the powdery crumbs and loose salt.

Melt the chocolate chips and the coconut oil in the microwave.

I use a 2c glass measure cup, set the microwave for 3 minutes on power level 3, stir after 30 seconds, then every 5 to 10 seconds after that. I stir it with a butter knife. Make sure to heat it the minimum amount  possible.

Put the pretzels and marshmallows in a medium size bowl.

I use a Pampered Chef 8c glass measure cup – aka Large Batter Bowl.

Pour the melted chocolate-and-coconut oil onto the pretzels-and-marshmallows. Stir until completely coated.

I use a Pampered Chef Super Scraper. Just keep stirring, kind of a scooping and folding motion works best.

Use a spoon to drop small piles of goodness onto parchment paper. Wait for the chocolate to harden, then store in an airtight container.

(There’s no need for the cooling racks, I just use them because they stack and I have limited counter space.)

Modifications

If you replace the pretzels with crunchy lo mein noodles it looks cooler, but it doesn’t taste as good. You’ll want to add salt, but I haven’t experimented with it enough to know how much salt.

Halloween: Attach eyes onto a cluster with almond bark. Buy candy eyes or make them out of almond bark. Call it a bug or a monster.

Easter/Spring: Attach three jelly beans or chocolate eggs in the spring and call it a nest.

Ingredient Notes: I more or less made up all of the proportions. Honestly, I don’t measure this. The coconut oil helps the chocolate melt more smoothly helps it harden. I haven’t noticed any taste from it. You can add a bit of vegetable or olive oil instead to help it melt smoothly, or stick with just chocolate, but it won’t set up quite as nicely. Use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, not milk chocolate. I like Costco semi-sweet chips, because they are 51% cocoa. (There actually isn’t any difference between semi-sweet chocolate and dark chocolate.)

Recipe

1 c chocolate chips
1 T coconut oil
4 c mini pretzel rods (broken)
2 c mini marshmallows

Break up the pretzels.
Melt the chocolate chips and the coconut oil in the microwave.
Put the pretzels and marshmallows in a medium size bowl.
Pour the melted chocolate-and-coconut oil onto the pretzels-and-marshmallows. Stir until completely coated.
Use a spoon to drop small piles of goodness onto parchment paper. Wait for the chocolate to harden, then store in an airtight container.