Chocolate Covered Caramel and Coconut Pretzel Rods

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I made this variation of my Chocolate Covered Caramel Pretzel Rods over the holidays. They were so good I thought I'd share! Maybe you could think about making some of these for your Valentine!
Here is how I made them:

Chocolate Covered Caramel and Coconut Pretzel Rods

Things to get:
Pretzel rods
Sweetened coconut
Chocolate Chips (whatever kind you like. I used 60% cocoa.)
White Chocolate Chips (optional)
Caramel ingredients (You can make your own using the recipe below or melt pre-wrapped caramels for convenience.)

1. Make a batch of caramel or melt your pre-wrapped caramels over low heat.

Homemade Caramel
1c. Karo syrup
1c. Brown sugar
1c. White sugar
1 stick of butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk


Put first 5 ingredients in a large sauce pan over medium heat and stir until melted and combined. Bring to a boil and stir for five minutes. Be careful to keep stirring so that it doesn't start to burn on the bottom of the pan. Take caramel off the burner after 5 minutes.

2. Put the hot caramel in a deep container. I used my Pyrex 4 cup measuring cup.

3. Prepare a couple cookie sheets lined with buttered wax paper.

4. Dip pretzel rod in caramel, about 3/4 of the way and let it drip off any excess caramel. Then lay the rod on the cookie sheet.

5. Repeat with remaining pretzels.

6. Put cookie sheets in the fridge to help set up caramel.

7. Once caramel is set, lift up each pretzel rod off the wax paper and mold caramel around the rod since it will puddle on the sides as it cools.

8. Roll caramel covered pretzel roll in shredded coconut and gently press coconut into the caramel.
9. Prepare the cookie sheets again with new pieces of wax paper. No butter required for this step.

10. Melt chocolate in the microwave or double boiler and place melted chocolate in a deep container like a tall cup. Dip caramel and coconut covered pretzel rods in melted chocolate. At this point, you can also roll the rods in chopped and toasted almonds or pecans.

11. Place chocolate covered pretzel rods on cookie sheets and place in fridge to set up for at least 15 minutes.

12. In a zip lock baggie, melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave 20 seconds at a time. When completely melted, cut a tiny hole in the corner and drizzle the chocolate on the rods.

13. Place back into the fridge to set up.


Aren't they pretty?