Get ready to fall in love with the perfect combination of sweet and salty with Leprechaun Thumbprints! These little bites are not only delicious but also super easy to make, making them the perfect treat for St. Patrick’s Day helpers. With only three simple ingredients, you can whip up a batch in no time!
Leprechaun Thumbprints
With just three simple ingredients and a couple of minutes in the oven, these incredibly easy-to-make treats make the perfect last-minute addition to any celebration.
Not only that, but they’re also a fantastic project to do with kids – they’ll love helping to unwrap the chocolates, assemble the pretzels, and add the finishing touch of the green M&M’s.
So why not add some luck to your St. Patrick’s Day festivities with these delicious and easy Leprechaun Thumbprints?!
St. Patrick’s Day Pretzel Ingredients
- Pretzels: While any type will work, we recommend using “snap” pretzels to prevent the caramel from falling through. It’s best to avoid butter-flavored pretzels, as they can detract from the flavor of the chocolate. Snaps (shown in the image below) are sturdier than your typical mini pretzel twist.
- Chocolates: You have several options to choose from. We like Rolos best, but you can also use Hershey Kisses or Hugs candies. To create a visually appealing platter of treats, try combining different types of chocolate. Keep in mind that regular chocolate kisses and Rolos tend to melt better than Hugs, but all are delicious choices.
- Green M&M’s: For these Leprechaun Thumbprints, you can either pick out green M&M’s from a standard package or buy a bag of all-green M&M’s from an online or specialty store. However, if you go to a mainstream grocery store, keep in mind that the green M&M’s you’ll find there are usually mint-flavored. So if you want regular green M&M’s, it’s best to look for them at a specialty store or order them online.
Quick Tip
Hugs, Kisses, Rolos, Snap pretzels, and M&M’s are all trademarked brands. We use the brand names to help illustrate the process since these well-known products produce a mental image that just about everyone knows. We respect patents and trademarks!
Variations
Variation ideas for Leprechaun Thumbprints
- Chocolate: Experiment with different types of chocolate candies, such as dark salted caramel Rolos.
- Nuts: Add some finely chopped nuts, like almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts, on top of the chocolate before it hardens for a crunchy texture and added flavor. (Similar to Turtle Candy!)
- Sprinkles: Use some green sprinkles or sanding sugar on top of the chocolate before it hardens for a festive and colorful touch.
- White chocolate: Drizzle melted white chocolate on top of the finished pretzels for a visually appealing and delicious variation. They’ll look especially festive with a green sanding sugar topping!
- Sea salt: Sprinkle some flaky sea salt over the chocolate while it’s still warm.
Leprechaun Thumbprints Quick Tips:
- Watch the chocolate: It’s important not to over-bake the chocolates, to prevent burning. Keep a close eye on them while they’re in the oven, and take them out as soon as they’re soft.
- Allow time to cool: After taking the pretzels out of the oven, it’s important to allow them to cool completely before eating. This will give the chocolate time to harden and make the pretzels easier to handle.
- Line the pans: To make cleanup a breeze and ensure the candies stick nicely to the pretzels, use parchment paper or a silicone liner to prepare the pans before adding the pretzels.
- Work quickly: Once the chocolates melt, work quickly to press in the M&M’s before the chocolates harden too much.
Storage
Storage
- Be sure to let the chocolate set completely before storing or packaging the pretzels.
- Leprechaun Thumbprints can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Store in a cool, dry place to keep the chocolate firm and the pretzels crispy. If you live in a hot or humid area, it’s better to keep them in the refrigerator to prevent the chocolate from melting. Separate the layers of pretzels with parchment or wax paper to prevent treats from sticking together.
- Freeze for up to 2 months. Make sure to package them in an airtight container to prevent moisture and freezer burn.
More St. Patrick’s Day Fun:
- St Patrick’s Day Treats with free printable bag toppers
- Lucky Charms Bars gooey marshmallow cereal bars
- Shamrock Shake a green, minty milkshake
- St. Patrick’s Day Popcorn with Lucky Charms marshmallows
- Leprechaun Bait white chocolate coated snack mix
Leprechaun Thumbprints
Get ready to fall in love with the perfect combination of sweet and salty with these Leprechaun Thumbprints! These little bites are not only delicious but also super easy to make, and are the perfect treat for St. Patrick's Day. With only three simple ingredients, you can whip up a batch in no time!
Ingredients
- 30 pretzel snaps or other mini pretzels
- 30 Rolos or other chocolate-covered caramel, unwrapped
- 30 green M&M's or other candy-coated chocolate (Note 1)
Instructions
- PREP: Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large sheet pan or two smaller sheet pans with parchment paper or a silicone liner. This will prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- ARRANGE: Place the pretzel snaps on the prepared sheet pan(s) and top each pretzel with an unwrapped Rolo.
- BAKE: Bake the pretzels in the preheated oven for about 2 minutes, or until the Rolos are soft but not melted (See Note 2). Keep a close eye on them so they don't burn!
- ADD M&M'S: Once you take the pretzels out of the oven, press a green M&M into the center of each Rolo.
- LET SET: Let the pretzels cool and the chocolate harden completely before eating. This should take about an hour at room temperature, or you can speed things up by putting the tray in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Green M&M's: You can either pick out green M&M's from a standard package, or buy a bag of all-green M&M's from an online or specialty store. However, if you go to a grocery store, keep in mind that the green M&M's you'll find there are usually mint-flavored.
Note 2: Baking time: If the chocolate is crumbling, it means the oven was too hot or the chocolate was baked too long. If the M&M's won't press in nicely, the oven was too cool or the chocolate wasn't baked long enough. To ensure proper baking time, bake one pretzel with chocolate as a test run before baking the rest of the batch. This way, you can gauge the appropriate timing for your specific oven, since ovens can vary. Once you've tested it, you'll know the timing for the rest in your particular oven! Convection oven settings should not be used for this recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 37kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
