How do you prefer your pretzels? Do you like them warm, soft, and chewy, or crunchy and salty? Whichever way you like them best, pretzels are a favorite snack with Americans eating an average of 1.5 pounds of pretzels per year. We get to celebrate that love on April 26^th because it’s National Pretzel Day.

It is believed that pretzels were invented by monks who used leftover scraps of bread dough and formed them into a shape that has been interpreted as the Holy Trinity, Celtic knots, and even the “knot” of marriage. Of course, today pretzels are a popular snack in bars, sporting events, festivals, and street vendors. Pennsylvania is considered the center of pretzel production — it’s where National Pretzel Day was started and they even have a pretzel museum!

Besides eating pretzels as snacks, they are a great ingredient to add to recipes. They add salty flavor and crunchy texture to all kinds of treats. Pretzels and chocolate? That’s a match made in heaven. It’s also easier than you think to make your vegan pretzels right at home. So get ready to do the twist with these 20 mouthwatering recipes from the Food Monster App that are all about pretzels.

1. Caramel Apple Stuffed Pretzel Rolls 

Source: Caramel Apple Stuffed Pretzel Rolls

A super indulgent, sweet, and salty treat can never go wrong, can it? Annie McGee‘s Caramel Apple Stuffed Pretzel Rolls is the perfect ting between a sticky bun, pretzel, and a Swedish coffee cake ring. Drizzled with some caramel over the whole roll makes every piece a taste of heaven!

2. Guilt-Free Pretzel Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge Bars

Source: Guilt-Free Pretzel Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge Bars

Okay, let’s give a moment for chocolate and hazelnuts. Combined, they simply make the best. thing. ever! And Holly Jade‘s Guilt-Free Pretzel Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge Bars have exactly those two ingredients, including a crumbly coconut base, salty pretzels, and a dash of sea salt. Salt and sweet anyone?

3. Buttery Pretzels 

Source: Buttery Pretzels

This is the perfect recipe to make with your friends, or at a kid’s birthday party! Namita Tiwari‘s Buttery Pretzels are fun and easy to make, as they contain few ingredients, and most of them you can get at any convenience store! Make these, and your home will be filled with the delicious smell of baked goods. They are perfectly paired with dairy-free cream and soup if you want a full meal.

4. Chewy Doughy Pretzel Bites 

Source: Chewy Doughy Pretzel Bites

Sure, regular pretzels are yummy, but have you ever tried these Chewy Doughy Pretzel Bites by Lisa Dawn Angerame? These bites are oh-so-good fresh out of the oven, and to be honest – that’s probably how long they’ll last also! Dip them in your favorite sauce, either a savory or sweet one, and you have the perfect treat!

5. Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Poptarts 

Source: Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Poptarts

A soft pretzel on the outside, with sweet chocolate and peanut butter on the inside, makes Annie McGee‘s Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Poptarts everything you’re craving for dessert! A big chunk of sea salt makes them blend perfectly with the sweet from the chocolate, and your friends and family will thank you for these (if you don’t eat them all yourself!).

6. Sweet Potato Pretzel Knots with Curried Mustard

Source: Sweet Potato Pretzel Knots with Curried Mustard

Snacks don’t get much better than Erin Beccia‘s Sweet Potato Pretzel Knots with Curried Mustard. They are warm, yet fluffy on the inside, and salty, but chewy on the outside. They are divine little knots of goodness ready to be dipped in that fabulous mustard sauce bursting with the sweet aromas of curry.

7. Poppy Seed Pretzels

Source: Poppy Seed Pretzels

Even if you are not into baking, you’ll want to make Laura Peill‘s Poppy Seed Pretzels. The recipe is simple to follow and these pretzels are baked to chewy perfection. Play with the recipe to add your favorite flavors – the pretzel possibilities are endless.

8. Triple Layer Peanut Butter Cup Pretzel Krispies Bars

Source: Triple Layer Peanut Butter Cup Pretzel Krispies Bars

Sheri Silver‘s Triple Layer Peanut Butter Cup Pretzel Krispies Bars are a triple threat.  First, there is a layer of pretzels and crisp rice cereal, then a peanut butter cup filling, and finally, a rich chocolate glaze. They’re like decadent little bites of heaven!

9. Pretzel Rolls

Source: Pretzel Rolls

Sarah Pether‘s Pretzel Rolls are chewy on the outside and soft and buttery on the inside — just like a soft pretzel should be! These are perfect by themselves, on the side of a warm bowl of soup, or even as the bun for a slider! There is simply no end to how these can be enjoyed.

10. Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles

Source: Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles

You are just five ingredients away from popping one of Leah Moldowan‘s Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles into your mouth. Sweetened naturally with dates, these truffles are sweet, salty, soft, and crunchy. Plus, they’re covered in dark chocolate for the perfect bite of decadence.

11. Kraut Stuffed Pretzel Cannoli

Source: Kraut Stuffed Pretzel Cannoli

Cannoli are amazing, but Aileen Metcalf‘s Kraut Stuffed Pretzel Cannoli puts a savory spin on the traditional dessert. These are stuffed with traditional sauerkraut, but you can also use kimchi or any type of homemade fermented or pickled vegetable. Flavored with chai tea and peppercorns, these cannoli are made in the slow cooker so it’s super-easy to whip up a batch. Pass the mustard, please!

12. Frozen Pretzel Peanut Butter Bites

Source: Frozen Pretzel Peanut Butter Bites

Abby Thompson‘s Frozen Pretzel Peanut Butter Bites are the perfect no-fuss treat. There are three layers of delicious pretzels, peanut butter, and creamy chocolate. Although they melt quickly, the eating-to-melting time won’t be a problem because these will disappear long before that happens.

13. Sourdough Pretzels

Source: Sourdough Pretzels

Vaishali Honawar‘s baked Sourdough Pretzels are soft, fluffy, and chewy deliciousness. Pretzels may or may not make you thirsty, but the idea of a twisted, chubby, salty cloud of dough baked to golden perfection is enough to make just about anyone hungry.

14. Pretzel Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Source: Pretzel Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

This Pretzel Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie from The Surznick Common Room is a dream dessert for any peanut butter lover. It has a smooth, creamy peanut butter filling that rests atop a crunchy pretzel crust. The filling is light and airy blended with silken tofu — the perfect contrast to the crumbly, chocolatey, slightly sweet crust. Top this pie with additional pretzels and a handful of chocolate chips for the ultimate presentation.

15. Sweet and Salty Cupcakes With Caramel and Pretzel Frosting 

Source: Sweet and Salty Cupcakes with Caramel and Pretzel Frosting

We don’t know what it is about sweet meeting salt that makes it such a perfect pairing. These Sweet and Salty Cupcakes with Caramel and Pretzel Frosting by Sophia DeSantis take care of that combo as well as provide a nice crunch from the pretzels alongside the cakey perfection that are these dark chocolate cupcakes. This dessert proves that opposites not only attract, but they make the best of friends!

16. Black Sesame Crusted Cheddar Cheeseball

Source: Black Sesame Crusted Cheddar Cheeseball

Cheeseballs are always a hit at parties, and who wouldn’t want this gorgeous Black Sesame Crusted Cheddar Cheeseball at the center of the table? The black sesame seeds contrast so beautifully with the sharp orange cheddar, and the taste is just as tangy, creamy, and cheesy as any dairy cheese you’ll find. Break up some pretzels for a crunchy coating to top off the deliciousness!

17. Salty Raw Chocolate Treats

Source: Salty Raw Chocolate Treats

Maria Loghin‘s Salty Raw Chocolate Treats are a combination of pretzels, coconut, chocolate, and maple syrup. Crunchy pretzels are ground up and then stirred into dark, rich melted chocolate. These homemade chocolate treats are the perfect gift to give to any chocolate lovers in your life and that should include yourself.

18. Hot Pretzel Challah Bread

Source: Hot Pretzel Challah Bread

Challah is known for its crusty exterior and soft and slightly sweet inside. This Hot Pretzel Challah Bread recipe from Mayim Bialik adds the salty taste of pretzels to the bread. Dip in pretzel salt and add sesame seeds or poppy seeds. Serve with mustard for a delicious treat.

19. Pretzel Roll Bagels

Source: Pretzel Roll Bagels

Two classic New York foods come together in Annie Oliverio‘s Pretzel Roll Bagels. These are a hybrid between the chewy-soft pretzel rolls you get from a street vendor and the crusty bagels you can only find in New York. Why choose between two classics when you can have both? Pass the non-dairy cream cheese!

20. No-Bake Super Creamy Peanut Butter Pie

Source: No-Bake Super Creamy Peanut Butter Pie

This No-Bake Super Creamy Peanut Butter Pie by Rhea Parsons is a delicious combination of flavors and textures. The creamy chocolate peanut butter mousse sits on top of a gluten-free pretzel crust. This is an easy-to-make, vegan dessert that will really wow the crowd and you don’t even have to turn the oven on.

Pretzels have long been a favorite snack, but they have so many uses. Whether you love them as a warm, chewy treat or a crunchy snack, pretzels are perfect on their own or as part of these delicious recipes.

Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home!

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects.

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some great resources to get you started:

• Weekly Vegan Meal Plans
• Plant-Based Health Resources
• Plant-Based Food & Recipes
• Plant-Based Nutrition Resources
• The Ultimate Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition
• Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Recipes
• High Protein Plant-Based Recipes
• Plant-Based Meal Prep

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!