Chocolate Kix Pretzel Hearts

Sweet and salty together is a classic combination. But sweet and salty with a touch of crunchy Kix makes a classic even better. These chocolate pretzel hearts topped with crushed Kix and a drizzle of even more chocolate may look as fancy as they are delicious, but using disposable decorating bags makes this treat both easy to make, easy to clean up, and fun to make with kids.

To make chocolate Kix pretzel hearts:

You will need:*

Disposable decorating bags
Scissors
White chocolate chips
Semisweet or milk chocolate chips
Mini pretzels
Kix cereal
Zip top bags
Mallet or hammer
Baking tray
Wax paper
Heart sprinkles (optional)

*Find 12-inch disposable decorating bags in the craft store. You’ll also find heart sprinkles in the craft store. Instead of chocolate chips, you may also use vanilla and chocolate candy melts, available in the craft store, which melt more quickly. As a result, the decorating bag stays a bit cooler should littler hands wish to help.

To crush the Kix, place a handful of cereal in a zip top bag. Place the bag on a cutting board or on a towel over the counter to protect the surface beneath, and crush the cereal with a mallet or a hammer. Set aside. Line a baking tray with a sheet of wax paper and arrange pretzels on the tray. Set aside.

To melt the chocolate, place ½ cup of white chocolate chips in a disposable decorating bag. Microwave at 50 percent power for 90 seconds. Massage the bag, and continue to microwave for 30 second, then 15 second intervals until the chocolate is completely melted.

Snip ½ inch from the tip of the decorating bag of the melted chocolate. Pipe to fill a pretzel and immediately sprinkle crushed Kix on top. Complete the tray.

Melt the semisweet or milk chocolate chips in another disposable decorating bag. Snip ¼-inch from the tip and pipe back and forth to drizzle chocolate on the pretzels.

If desired, add a dot of chocolate on the pretzel and attach a heart sprinkle.

Let the pretzels rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator, or for at least an hour at room temperature to fully set.

TIP: Keep things even simpler and only pipe chocolate in the pretzel to make a heart, then immediately sprinkle with crushed Kix and press a heart sprinkle into the top.

Meaghan Mountford, author of Sugarlicious: 50 Cute and Clever Treats for Every Occasion, has been creating crafty sweets for 15 years. She is especially fond of decorating cookies, marshmallows and putting sweets on sticks. See more on her blog, the decorated cookie.