How to decorate simple Graduation Pretzel Rods

After a great half term we are looking forward to the end of term and our summer holiday adventures. There’s no doubt this will be a long term with 7 weeks until the start of the summer holidays but it will be a good term. We’ve already started to think about our end of year teacher gifts as well as graduation gifts for my daughter who will be finishing at Infant School. We’ve been playing around with our Graduation Pretzel Rods and can’t wait to show you how to make them and celebrate graduation!

Graduation Pretzel Rods basic ingredients:
Pretzel rods
White candy melts, white chocolate morsels, or vanilla almond bark
Black candy melts, milk chocolate morsels, or chocolate-flavoured almond bark

For the cap and gown
Twizzler Pull N Peel candy, pulled into sets of 3 strands
Hershey’s candy bar, cut into squares
Black candy melts
Red M&M Minis

For the diploma/degree
White candy melts
Red candy melts or Twizzler Pull N Peel candy

Other ingredients:
Additional candy melts in school colours
Additional sprinkles in school colours
Letter icing decorations (to spell “congrats”)

How to decorate simple Graduation Pretzel Rods:

Melt the candy coating according to the package directions taking special care not to overheat the candy. If the candy coating is overheated, it will be too thick. You can add 2 teaspoons of vegetable shortening or coconut oil to help thin the candy but don’t add any other type of liquid as the candy will seize and harden.

Pour the melted candy coating over two-thirds of the pretzel rod and shake gently to remove any excess. If applying sprinkles, do so immediately, rotating the pretzel rods to make sure all sides are coated. Larger sprinkles work best if placed on the pretzel rods individually.

Place the decorated pretzel rod on waxed paper or cooling rack. (Cook’s notes: Waxed paper makes for much easier release.)

These are so simple to make and can be decorated in lots of different ways.

If drizzling with additional coloured candy melts, allow the initial candy coating to set completely. Then, use a spoon or fork to drizzle candy coating over the pretzel rods. Before the pretzel sets, gently pick it up and move to clean wax paper.