“Crack” Pretzels are aptly named for their addictive quality. You can’t have just one! They have a ton of ranch flavor but also have a little spice, a little garlic, and a subtly warm cinnamon undertone.
Simply put, crack pretzels are a party for your taste buds. They are one of those snacks that you keep reaching for more of – you can’t eat just one. They are a perfect treat for the holiday season because there are more people to share them with – and they make a great gift.
We make our pretzels with a little heat – the pretzels are salty and spicy ranch pretzels – and they pack a punch of flavor. You can even leave out the spice if you don’t like heat.
Table of Contents
🥘 Ingredients Needed
- Pretzels – I like to use regular mini-twists or pretzel snaps. I’ve heard that pretzel sticks are really good as crack pretzels as well!
- Ranch Dressing Mix – Use Hidden Valley Original Ranch Seasoning, you want to be sure to use use the dry ranch mix or ranch dip mix.
- Dill Weed
- Cayenne Pepper
- Ground Cinnamon
- Garlic Powder
- Oil – I like to use Light Tasting Olive Oil, but you can use any kind of mild oil, like vegetable oil or canola oil. You can even make Crack Pretzels with Popcorn Oil!
(This recipe is different than those made with oyster crackers, Ritz Crackers, or Saltine Crackers – it does not need to be baked with melted butter – but it does need to sit so that the pretzels can absorb all the delicious flavor.)
🍽 Equipment Needed
- 1 – Jumbo Sized (2.5 Gallon) Heft Slider Bags or 1 – 2 Gallon Ziploc Bags or 2 – Gallon Sized Ziploc Bags
- Measuring Spoons or Measuring Cups
🥣 How to Make Them
As far as snacks for a party go, crack pretzels are one of the easiest to prepare.
All you have to do is combine the pretzels, oil, and seasoning in a large bowl. (Pictures 1 – 4) You’ll need a really big bowl. (I use the biggest one of this set in a different color.)
Toss gently to mix it all around. (Picture 5) Then transfer the pretzels to a giant Ziploc bag (or two gallon-sized bags), and shake to really coat the pretzels.
Then, let the pretzels sit in the bags for 24 – 28 hours, shaking them a few times throughout the day to make sure they get evenly coated. (Tip: A bag is better than a plastic container for this step because you want to gently mash the oil into the pretzels – if you use a plastic container and shake it around, you can break the pretzels.)
Then, open the bag and enjoy some yummy, spicy pretzels!
The whole process of making these pretzels takes two days, but it really only takes 4-5 minutes of hands-on time to make the pretzels.
🍱 Recipe Yield
This recipe yields about 40 servings of pretzels, with 15 pretzels in each serving. (Most likely, people will eat more than that – but that is what the bag of pretzels calls an average serving of pretzels.)
🎉 Party Planning
These pretzels make a great appetizer or snack for a Christmas party, Thanksgiving, or even a great snack for Football Sunday.
We like to call them “party pretzels” because they are a party in your mouth, but they are also great for a party.
They are a pretty light snack, which is great for eating while you are distracted during Football viewing weekends, and they are easy to transport as well if you need to bring something to a party. Just pour them out of the bag and into a large bowl.
For planning purposes – if you are making these for:
- Football Sunday – Make them on Friday morning or Thursday night.
- Thanksgiving Thursday – Make them Tuesday morning or Monday night.
The longer they can sit, the more flavorful they will be!
🙋♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely – you can multiply this recipe and make a ton at a time for an event or party! This is a really easy snack to bring to a church party or a potluck where you need to bring a large amount of something. Just be sure to multiply all of the ingredients evenly and remember your audience – if there are going to be kids and adults, you can make a spicy batch and a mild batch or one huge mild batch by leaving out the cayenne.
You sure can! Just use your favorite gluten-free pretzels, and the rest of the ingredients will be the same. Hidden Valley Original Ranch is not dairy-free, but it is gluten-free!
It’s really an unfortunate name – but they are called crack pretzels because they are addicting, like… well, crack.
🥫 How to Store Crack Pretzels
Crack pretzels last a surprisingly long time – the oil kind of acts like a preservative to keep the pretzels from getting stale. (Though they will likely get eaten up pretty quickly!)
Store them in an air-tight container, or just keep them in the bags that you made them in for 1 – 2 weeks.
✏️ Helpful Tips
- Try different shapes of pretzels, like seasonal shapes, pretzels snaps, or pretzel sticks. When making snacks for a party, the cuter they look, the better right?
- Make sure to let these sit longer than you think you need to – I know after 24 hours, you will want to try them – my husband always does. But the full 48 hours will give you the most flavor.
- Try this with Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch – it adds a little cheesy flavor that is really good. (The cheesy pretzels just won’t last as long, so do be aware of that.)
- These pretzels make great party favors or holiday gifts as well – you can put them in little gift bags with a festive ribbon to give to family, friends, and guests.
More Easy Party Recipes
- Candy Corn Snack Mix – This is a sweet and salty snack mix with chocolate chips and candy corn that leans more toward the sweeter side of snack mixes. You can serve this alongside some of these salty pretzels to satisfy everyone. (If you make both, be sure to store them in a separate airtight container, though!)
- Sweet and Spicy Candied Bourbon Pecans
- Super Addicting Slow Cooker Chex Mix
- Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders
- Crispy Fried Okra
- Caramelized Onion & Bacon Jam
Have You Tried This Recipe?
Please rate it and leave a comment below. I would love to hear what you think!
Crack Pretzels – The Most Addicting Snack
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds mini pretzel twists
- 16 ounces light tasting oil I use Light Tasting Olive Oil but you can use another mild oil like Popcorn Oil, Canola Oil, or Vegetable Oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 – 2 teaspoons dried dill weed I go all in and add 2 teaspoons – if your family doesn't love ranch/pickle-y flavors, you can use less.
- 1 – 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper We like the full two teaspoons – if you don't like heat, use one or less.
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 package dry ranch seasoning
Instructions
- Combine pretzels, oil, and seasoning in a large bowl and toss gently to combine.2 pounds mini pretzel twists, 16 ounces light tasting oil, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 – 2 teaspoons dried dill weed, 1 – 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 package dry ranch seasoning
- Put it all in a large Ziploc bag (or two gallon-sized bags,) then shake to fully coat the pretzels.
- Let the pretzels sit in the bags for 24 – 28 hours, shaking them a few times throughout the day to make sure they get evenly coated.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Crack pretzels last a surprisingly long time – the oil kind of acts like a preservative to keep the pretzels from getting stale. (Though they will likely get eaten up pretty quickly!) Store them in an airtight container, or just keep them in the bags that you made them in for 1 – 2 weeks.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.
Can i use butter or part butter for the crack pretels?
I haven’t tried that, but it sure sounds delicious. I would be a little concerned about them being shelf stable if you used butter, but if they are going to be eaten quickly, I think it would be okay.
This sounds absolutely amazing, with one big problem, a teaspoon of ground cinnamon? I do not like sweets, and I would think this would give it a bit of a sweet taste? Would it be too much of a problem if I left that out, I just don’t know. L O L
I know it seems strange, but it gives the pretzels a little bit of warmth, if that makes sense? Definitely not sweet. If you don’t like cinnamon, it isn’t necessary to add, but it is really good. I’ve made it with 1/2 teaspoon as well and it was still good – I just actually prefer the full teaspoon!