Kids and adults alike will have a blast making these easy shamrock pretzel pops to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
This Is How to Make Shamrock Pretzels
Published on Mar. 04, 2025
Want a fun and tasty way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Look no further than these festive shamrock pretzel pops. Made with four simple ingredients, shamrock pretzels are a St. Patrick’s Day recipe that’s easy and fun enough for the kids in your life to help with. They’ll love dipping the pretzels into the melted candy coating and arranging them into adorable shamrock shapes.
Like some of our other favorite foods on a stick, these lucky little shamrock pretzels sit atop a lollipop stick, which leads to a whole host of serving possibilities. Make a shamrock pretzel bouquet to bring to a St. Patrick’s Day gathering (don’t forget the chocolate Guinness cake), or arrange the shamrock pretzel lollipops in a piece of florist foam for a centerpiece that will adorn your office with some edible Irish flair.
Forget about the pot of gold. This St. Paddy’s Day, everyone will be wishing to find shamrock pretzels at the end of the rainbow (and perhaps a bottle of homemade Irish cream to go with them).
Ingredients for Shamrock Pretzels
- Green melting wafers: Candy melts are one of our favorite ingredients for festive holiday candy making (like these cake pops). For shamrock pretzels, choose green candy melts in any shade that makes you feel lucky. You can also opt for white candy melts and dye them to your preferred hue with green gel food coloring.
- Pretzels: To make shamrock pretzels, you’ll need a bag of the best classic mini twists. Each shamrock is made with three pretzels arranged in a shamrock shape.
- Lollipop sticks: Affordable lollipop sticks can be purchased online, in the baking aisle of most major grocery stores and in the baking section of craft stores. You could also use pretzel sticks to make the entire shamrock edible.
- Green M&M candies: A single green M&M is the perfect decoration to adorn the center of each shamrock pretzel.
- Green sprinkles: Whether it’s jimmies, sparkling sugar or pearls, or even shamrock sprinkles, choose your favorite green-hued sprinkles to decorate your dipped shamrock pretzels before they set.
How to Make Shamrock Pretzels
Step 1: Melt the green wafers
Line two sheet pans with parchment and set them aside. In a small bowl, melt the green melting wafers in the microwave at 50% power for 30-second intervals, stirring after each until smooth. (Alternatively, you can try these other methods for melting chocolate.)
Editor’s Tip: To keep the chocolate at the perfect consistency for dipping, nest the bowl of melted green wafers in a larger bowl of hot water.
Step 2: Dip the pretzels
Working quickly, use a fork to submerge a pretzel into the green candy melts, making sure it is coated on all sides. Lift the pretzel from the coating and tap the fork gently against the side of the bowl to allow as much excess candy coating to drip off the pretzel. Carefully place the pretzel onto the lined sheet pan. Repeat with two more pretzels, arranging them in a shamrock pattern on the sheet pan.
Step 3: Add a lollipop stick and decoration
Next, dip a lollipop stick about 3/4 inch into the candy melts and lay it in between the bottom pretzels. Place a green M&M candy in the center of the shamrock and then add sprinkles. Repeat with the remaining pretzels.
Step 4: Let the candy coating set
Allow the pretzel shamrocks to set until the candy coating fully hardens, at least an hour. Serve and enjoy.
Tips for Making Shamrock Pretzels
Can you make shamrock pretzels ahead of time?
Yes. These festive shamrock pretzels are the perfect make-ahead treat for your St. Paddy’s Day celebration. Prepare them as directed and then store them in an airtight food storage container, separating layers of shamrock pretzels with parchment.
How long will shamrock pretzels last?
Store shamrock pretzels in an airtight food storage container at room temperature for two to three weeks.
What’s the best way to dip pretzels in chocolate or candy melts?
Our favorite way to dip pretzels is with a fork. A fork gives the pretzels a flat, stable surface for dipping, and allows any excess chocolate or candy coating to drip through the fork’s tines. Tap the fork gently on the rim of the bowl to help expedite the dripping of excess coating.
What can you serve with shamrock pretzels?
These shamrock pretzels are the perfect way to end a St. Paddy’s Day feast. Get your festivities started with some classic braised corned beef and cabbage or a hearty Irish stew pie. Then round things out with some roasted potatoes, carrots and leeks or bubbles and squeak.
