Spoonful #42: HOLIDAY PRETZEL HUGS & KISSES

​As a special holiday treat, here's a sweet/salty recipe for HOLIDAY PRETZEL HUGS & KISSES. As easy as they are to make, they look lovely, taste incredible, and make excellent gifts. And best of all: children of any age can help!

THE SIMPLE LIST OF INGREDIENTS:
 -Large bag of Pretzel Snaps (square)
 -Large bags of Hershey's Kisses and Hershey's Hugs (one of each)
 -Large bag of M&Ms - red and green or multicolor
- Wax/Parchment paper to line the cookie sheets

(Photo from cookingclassy.com)

PRETZEL HUGS & KISSES RECIPE:
1) Preheat oven to 170 degrees.
2) Lay wax paper on two cookie sheets, one for HUGS and one for KISSES. Trim to fit. 
3) Place pretzels in rows on each cookie sheet.
4) Unwrap Hugs and Kisses (a great step for little fingers) and place one on the center of each pretzel. 

​5) Bake on an upper rack.
              For PRETZEL KISSES: 5-6 minutes
              For PRETZEL HUGS: 4 minutes - HUGS melt much faster!
 
6) Remove each cookie sheet from the oven. Immediately press one M&M onto the center of each HUG and KISS, until they are mostly flat.  
7) If the Kisses aren't soft enough to be pressed flat, return the cookie sheet to the oven for 1-2 minutes more. 
8) After M&Ms are pressed onto all treats, your HOLIDAY PRETZEL HUG & KISS TREATS need to cool and set. Place tray in the fridge or any cold, protected location for ~ 1 hour.  

SPECIAL NOTES: 
--- The pressing part for both Kisses and Hugs requires focus and dexterity.
--- Think about how/where you'll cool these before baking so you won't need to transfer treats to a different container to cool. Transferring the treats when soft is a delicate operation. If you're short on fridge space, you might opt for two smaller baking pans instead of one large cookie sheet for each type of treat. 

PRESENTATION:
--- WRAP in individual gift bags or containers, or place in a large bowl. Everyone gobbles these up when I make them, so give them a whirl! Feel free to experiment with different variations of Kisses, too. 

I wish you all a wondrous Holiday season filled with light, laughter, and love. And of course, sweet treats galore!

Sincerely,
Laura Fineberg Cooper

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