For Easter inspiration, try these Chocolate Pretzel Easter Bird Nests. They are simple and so delicious. A combination of salty-sweet – chocolate dipped pieces of pretzels are roughly shaped into bird nest shapes and then filled with colourful eggs.
So fun to make with the kiddos! Thank you for sharing this!
– Maddie
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- They are so easy to make and contain just three ingredients.
- This is a great recipe to make with kids – they are so fun to make!
- If you’re a novice in the kitchen, this is the recipe for you. You do not require any technical skills. If you can melt chocolate, you can make these Chocolate Pretzel Easter Nests. And if you’ve never before melted chocolate, we will give you detailed advice.
- The nests have a delicious combination of flavours; the sweet chocolate is offset by the slight savoury, saltiness of the pretzels. The pretzels add crunch to contrast with the smooth chocolate.
- You can use the chocolate of your choice; dark, milk or white. Or, for great presentation, make a selection.
Recipe Inspiration: our family loves anything salty sweet. This is a recipe my Mum has been making for as long as I can remember – they’re my “must make” Easter recipe to this day!
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Chocolate – I have used dark chocolate as I like the combination with the pretzel sticks. However, you could also use milk or white chocolate. For the best results, we recommend a good quality cooking chocolate.
- Pretzel sticks – sometimes known as rods, I have used a narrow variety.
- Coloured eggs/candy – I like colourful mini eggs but if you prefer, you can also use jelly beans, Smarties or a candy of your choice.
How To Make Chocolate Pretzel Easter Nests:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Prepare the pretzels and chocolate:
Melt the chocolate and set aside.
Break pretzel sticks into short lengths – I aim for about 2 cm (¾ inch).
2 – Combine the mixture:
Add the broken pretzel sticks to the chocolate. Stir until the pretzels are well coated.
3 – Assemble the nests:
Place about two teaspoons of the mixture into greased patty pan cups or onto your sheet of non-stick baking paper.
Use the tip of a teaspoon to shape the nests. Place the tray in the refrigerator until the chocolate has set.
4 – Decorate and enjoy:
When you are ready to serve, add the Easter eggs or candy of your choice to the nests.
Hint: if you are using a sheet pan, the nests will be flat, but delicious all the same!
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
The nests can be made two days in advance. After this time, they will start to soften.
When the chocolate has set, store them in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. If the weather is warm, store the container in the refrigerator. Separate the nests with some baking paper.
My preference is the stovetop method. A double boiler gives the best control over the heat. If you use a chocolate bar, break or chop it into pieces of a similar size so that it will melt evenly. Be careful when melting the chocolate. If using a double boiler, ie, a bowl placed over a saucepan of water which has just begun to simmer, care must be taken to ensure that not a drop of water gets into the bowl or the chocolate will seize. This means that the chocolate will become thick and grainy making it unsuitable for this recipe. The bowl and the spoon/spatula that you use must be thoroughly dry. Do not use a wooden spoon as it may contain moisture. Further, the bowl must not touch the water in the saucepan or the chocolate may burn.
You can also use a microwave. Melt the chocolate in 30 second increments and stir occasionally. Keep an eye on it to ensure that it does not overcook.
Top Tip:
Using a good quality cooking chocolate is strongly recommended – being such a simple recipe, you want to have the best flavour possible.
There are times when we all need a recipe for something that has a few simple ingredients, looks and tastes great and requires minimal effort. My Chocolate Pretzel Easter Nests are ideal. And don’t worry if your Bird Nests are “rustic”. There is no right way to make them – it’s about fun.
They are ideal to add a colourful, cheerful note to your Easter celebrations. When ready to serve, you just need to place the Nests on a pretty platter and fill them with colourful eggs of your choice.
Please let me know in the comments below if you try them.
Alex xx
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Chocolate Pretzel Easter Bird Nests
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
For the Easter Nests:
- 200 g (7 ounces) dark chocolate See Note 1
- 80 g (3 ounces) pretzel sticks
- 1 tablespoon oil or oil spray – optional See Note 2
For Decorating:
- mini eggs or candy of your choice See Note 3
Instructions
- Brush or spray 2 patty pan tins with oil. See Note 2.
- Break or chop the dark chocolate into even size pieces. Put into a bowl and place over a pan of barely simmering water, being careful to not get any water into the chocolate. Stir occasionally.When the chocolate has almost melted, remove the bowl and set it aside. The residual heat will melt any remaining chocolate.Alternatively, you may prefer to use a microwave.
- Break pretzel sticks into short lengths – about 2 cm (¾ inch).Add the broken pretzel sticks to the chocolate and stir well to combine.
- Place about 2 teaspoons of the mixture into the patty pan cups or onto a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Use the tip of the teaspoons to shape the nests.
- Place the tray in the refrigerator until the chocolate has set.
- When the chocolate has set, store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. If the weather is warm, store the container in the refrigerator. For serving, place the nests on a pretty platter and add the Easter eggs or candy of your choice.
Notes
- Chocolate: I have used dark chocolate that contains 70% cocoa solids. However, you could also use milk or white. We recommend a good quality cooking chocolate.
- Patty pan trays: are ideal for shaping the nests. The trays have rounded bottoms and I prepare them by brushing or spraying with a little oil. This amount of mixture makes about 18 nests so you will not need to oil all the cups. However, the patty pans are not essential. You can make the nests on non-stick baking paper. Shape them using 2 teaspoons and you will get excellent results, although they will be flatter.
- Mini eggs: I have chosen to use chocolate eggs with a crisp, candy coating (Cadbury Mini Eggs). However, foil covered eggs are also pretty. As well, you can use jelly-beans or Smarties.
- Storage: the nests can be stored in an air tight container for two days. After this time they will soften. They can be stored in a cool location or in the fridge if your kitchen is warm.
- Nutritional information: please note, the nutritional information is based on one chocolate nest. It does not include what candy the nest is filled with. The nutritional information is an estimate only.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
This post was originally published in April 2019. It has been updated with new photos and more information. The recipe remains the same.
Liz
Can you make ahead ? How long do they last in a sealed container in fridge?
Alexandra Cook
Hi Liz,
The nests can be made 2 days in advance, after this time, they will soften.
Alex xo
Valerie Bolton
I made these today and whilst they are delicious plus an awesome idea for Easter, I struggled to shape them on parchment paper. They sort of lay flattish, is this correct? Do you think if the pretzels are a bit shorter they would shape better. Thank you.
Alexandra Cook
Hi Valerie, they are fairly flat, with an indentation in the centre for the eggs. We used patty pans to give them a rounder shape. If you look at the photos in the step-by-step instructions in the blog post, you will see how we did it. But there’s no problem with making them directly on parchment paper – they will be a little flatter as a result though. If you make them again on parchment paper, it may be easier if the mixture has started to cool, but before it starts to set – it will be a little thicker that way, and you may find it easier to shape. You could also try shorter pretzel lengths. I hope you enjoy them and Happy Easter. 🙂
Heidi
My daughter wanted to make something “Easter-ish” – thank you for such an easy yet foolproof recipe! We actually used Chang’s fried noodles (as had these in pantry) instead of pretzels and they worked a treat. On the effort-for-results scale this is a big winner!
Alexandra
Hello Heidi, I am so pleased that you enjoyed making the Chocolate Easter Nests. What a great idea to use fried noodles in the nests! 🙂
sherry M
how very cute. i do always use the microwave to melt chocolate. once in a blue moon i have stuffed it up tho. i burnt some white chocolate not realising that it melts at a much lower temp. than dark or milk. and once i licked a knife and stirred the chocolate … yep disaster as it seized! Happy easter.
Alexandra
Hi Sherry, thank you for your comments on the Chocolate Pretzel Easter Nests. There certainly can be some pitfalls when melting chocolate! But I am so pleased that you like the recipe and hope you had a Happy Easter. 🙂
Maddie
So fun to make with the kiddos! Thank you for sharing this!
Alexandra
Thank you, Maddie!
Pamela Marks
Like the chow mein nests easy the kids an even help out how cute and delicious
Alexandra
It’s a great one to make with the family, there’s fun for everyone. 🙂
Mary Ann
How cute are these Alex? So perfect for Easter. Bet the adults love them as mush as the kids!
Alexandra
I can assure you, the adults love them also. 🙂 Happy Easter Mary Ann. 🙂
Lisa
This is definitely not what I needed to see after coming home from the gym lol! These are easy to make and great for Easter too, perfect!
Alexandra
Hi Lisa, I think that if you’ve been to the gym you definitely qualify for a small treat. 🙂 They are so easy to make and a lot of fun. Please let me know if you try them. Happy Easter Lisa. 🙂
Krista Lynn
Wow those look absolutely delicious! What a cute idea to use as a nest for Easter Eggs! I just simply adore chocolate covered anything, especially pretzels! Happy Easter to you!
Alexandra
Hi Krista, chocolate and pretzels are such a delicious combination and it was a lot of fun making the little nests. I’m so pleased that you like the recipe. Happy Easter to you Krista. 🙂