Crack Pretzels

Crack Pretzels are the perfect no-bake homemade salty snack. This crispy, buttery, ranch-flavored treat is addictive!

These Crack Pretzels are seriously one of the most addictive snacks I've ever had! So easy and SO delicious!
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The best recipes are the ones that are shared. And, if they’ve been shared a lot, you know they’re good. Such is the case with these Crack Pretzels. Heather came home from work one day with a recipe for seasoned pretzels that she “just had to make” for me. She’d been talking about these things for weeks.

Apparently her friend Aimee was pretty well known for these babies at the hospital. So, when she shared the recipe with Heather, she stopped by the store on her way home to grab the ingredients that very day. For good reason. These things are ridiculous.

There are TONS of recipes for seasoned pretzels out there – despite the fact that I hadn’t even ever heard of them. The prep methods vary too. But this one is cheap, easy, and incredibly delicious. So I just knew I had to share it with y’all… and Aimee graciously obliged.

Now, she calls them Seasoned Pretzels, but “seasoned” just doesn’t quite convey the deliciousness in my opinion. So, we started calling them Crack Pretzels because they’re so addictive. It’s seriously a case of “bet you can’t eat just one.”

These are a great snack, a delicious appetizer, and a GREAT gift to share with your neighbors.

What can I put on my pretzels?

The sky truly is the limit when it comes to what you can put on your seasoned pretzels. For these particular Crack Pretzels, I listed the ingredients below, but the main stars of the show are garlic salt, dried dill weed, and ranch dressing mix. I also recommend trying grated Parmesan cheese, cayenne pepper for a kick of heat, or cinnamon, sugar, or Everything But the Bagel seasoning for a sweet and/or savory take on these addictive snack pretzels.

How to Make Seasoned Pretzels

There is really not a specific step-by-step recipe for making seasoned pretzels, or at least not my version, Crack Pretzels. You just grab your pretzels, seasonings, and vegetable oil. Then, you mix it all up, and leave them in an airtight container overnight for marinating.

If you don’t have time to let your pretzels marinate overnight, you can simply follow the instructions on how to bake them in the section below.

Do I have to bake these pretzels?

No, you definitely do not have to bake these pretzels. As a matter of fact, I don’t bake them at all. As long as you give yourself time for the pretzels to marinate overnight, the pretzels absorb the oil without having to be baked.

If you do need to speed up the process, simply place them on a baking sheet in the oven at 250°F for about 20-30 minutes. You will want to check on your pretzels and stir them every 10 minutes or so.

How to Store Seasoned Pretzels

Storing seasoned pretzels doesn’t have to be complicated. All you need is an airtight container. This could be something as simple as a sealed Ziploc plastic bag. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you want to make sure you are storing your pretzels for optimal freshness:

  • Airtight Container – Keep your pretzels in an airtight container as soon as they are mixed up, or after they have cooled if you do bake them. You want to make sure the container is airtight so the pretzels stay crunchy.
  • Avoid Humidity – You don’t want to store your pretzels in humid areas, like near the stove or in the refrigerator. Humidity can make your pretzels lose their crunch. And, no one wants a soggy pretzel.
These Crack Pretzels are seriously one of the most addictive snacks I've ever had! So easy and SO delicious!

Crack Pretzels

4.85 from 40 votes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Resting Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 16
Calories: 235kcal
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Ingredients

  • 1 (1-pound) bag small pretzels
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon garlic salt or garlic powder if you're watching your sodium intake
  • 1 tablespoon dried dill weed
  • 1 (1-ounce) package ranch dressing mix

Instructions

  • Pour the pretzels into a gallon-size zip top bag. In a small bowl stir together the oil, garlic salt, dill, and ranch dressing mix. Pour the mixture over the pretzels and seal the top. Shake to cover the pretzels in the seasoning. Allow the pretzels to marinate overnight, turning the bag 3 to 4 times to get everything coated.

Nutrition

Calories: 235kcal · Carbohydrates: 24g · Protein: 3g · Fat: 14g · Saturated Fat: 2g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g · Monounsaturated Fat: 3g · Trans Fat: 0.1g · Sodium: 921mg · Potassium: 70mg · Fiber: 1g · Sugar: 1g · Vitamin A: 11IU · Vitamin C: 1mg · Calcium: 11mg · Iron: 1mg

* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.

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206 Comments

  1. My Mom used to make these and everyone always loved them. I hunted for the recipe and came up with this. It’s just like I remembered except that I used butter flavored popcorn oil as my Mom did. Perfect!

  2. 5 stars
    Oh, my!!! How do we stop eating these!?!
    They are wonderful and so easy to make.
    My son asked me yesterday if I had any more of those addictive pretzels leftover.
    No, they are gone but I will make more tomorrow. Thanks Stacey for another great recipe.

  3. This sounds interesting but don’t you have to bake them after you marinate them? I see no instructions for the next step.

  4. 5 stars
    I made 5 bags of these last year for family members to take on a long flight. This year I made 4 more….and after trying to trim down my Christmas treat list, I ask for the 3 favorites to revisit for next year..yep, THESE PRETZELS!! My jar just ran out so last night I made more but I used the square shape……..wonderful but they hold a little more salt.

    1. That’s the kind of “problem” I fully support. If these made the Top 3 after a Christmas treat cut, they’re basically family legends now.

  5. Stacey
    I just tried your icebox fruitcake. Just like what my mom used to make. I couldn’t ever find her recipe. Thank you for this great memory. I look forward to trying the crack pretzel recipe. I love all your recipes that I’ve tried. Thank you for sharing recipes and stories ofthe south with us and others. I’m from SC and you’re the best

    1. Thank you so much, Kathy! I’m thrilled the icebox fruitcake brought back that memory and tasted like your mom’s, especially since her recipe was hard to track down. I hope you love the crack pretzels, too. And from one Southerner to another, thank you for cooking along with me and for your sweet words!

      1. Youre right crack pretzels were spot on taste and recipe wise. Family loved it. Thank you again for your time in keeping southern traditions going. You are a great friend to your email friends. Also great family photo. Hope you joy all year round

  6. 5 stars
    I made these pretzels for Christmas gifts for my 2 great nephews. They were a big hit! Both immediately opened the container and started eating. They may not last long at their house! Another great Southern Bite recipe!

    1. That’s the best kind of review, the “opened the container and immediately started eating” kind! I’m so glad they were a hit with your nephews, and I love that you made them as gifts. Thank you so much for cooking along with me!

  7. I just remembered a similar recipe using saltines and it’s pretty much the same. It at a site that I personally love ,if you type in the pastors wife crack saltines I think you’ll find it. There’s a nice story how they use these cracker

    I don’t mean to take away from this post at all but this. Recipe can be used other ways.

  8. I was doing a recipe for these and she didn’t say how much is the oil to use she just dumped the bottle in it 😞 and after over night of waiting I still think it’s to much oil ,any advice on how to make this better?

    1. Hi Rhonda! I’m not quite sure what you’re referring to. I’m not sure who she is. My recipe, with the oil measurement, is in the recipe card here on the page.

  9. 5 stars
    Love these pretzels. Tried them at the club and have been making them ever since. Everyone wants the recipe. However lately a lot of the seasonings are filling up the holes in the pretzel. I mix them several times. Any solution?

    1. I’m glad to hear you love the pretzels! For the seasoning issue, I recommend mixing them really well right after you add the oil mixture. Turning them a lot during that process should help distribute the seasoning better and keep the holes clear.

  10. Merry Christmas!!! 🎄
    Thanks for yet another great recipe! And thanks for the greeting today, looks like y’all might be in WDW! So are we! Have a fantastic time and God Bless.

  11. 5 stars
    A friend sent me this recipe a few years ago and now it is a MUST DO for our holiday snacking! So easy & delicious.

  12. 5 stars
    Any idea on how long they will stay fresh? I’m thinking of making a big batch in a 60oz pretzel jug and hoping it’ll last for a month or 2 🙂

    1. Theoretically they should stay fresh for as long as the oil you use is good, but I’ve never been able to keep the more than a week or so.

  13. 5 stars
    I accidentally made this the first time with a full 12oz bag of pretzels. They were pretty salty and spicy but they were still a good treat. When I made a second batch using a 16oz bag of pretzels the flavors mellowed considerably and I can’t seem to keep them in stock with our snack loving family.

  14. 5 stars
    I have been making these since i found this recipe years ago looking for an easy snack to bring camping. We are now addicted and I have to bring a batch of these on every camping trip. I didn’t realize how popular they were until I didn’t have time to make them. Our friends husband immediately upon parking their camper ran up and exclaimed “pretzels!?” He was devastated and I had to quickly remedy the situation by finding a grocery store nearby! Now I make at least three batches prior to every camping trip, between the 6 of us they are gone in a weekend. Thank you for sharing the recipe for what is now a camping tradition!

  15. 5 stars
    My family and I are “addicted!” The pretzels are amazing. I added a tablespoon of Everything Bagel and used spicy ranch dressing mix. Perfection!!

  16. 5 stars
    These are awesome. My mom made them same thing but with oyster crackers. I used 2 bags of the itty bitty pretzels because they are 12oz bags, 1 cup of avocado oil and 1 pack of hidden valley ranch mix, 1 heaping tablespoon of garlic powder and 1 heaping tablespoon of dill weed and they turned out perfect, not at all oilly. Thank you so much for this recipe, it brought back a wonderful childhood memory.

    1. So glad they turned out great for you! And thanks for the tip about the oyster crackers! I’m going to try those, too!

  17. Hello, again. Just a thought, since I’m trying to get rid of a ” few ” pounds, could I put the pretzels on wax paper and spray them with Pam, flip em over, repeat, then follow up with the rest of it?

    1. I honestly don’t know since we’re talking a weight measurement versus a volume measurement. I tried to look at the packaging online, but even the serving size is based on weight. I do think it’s certainly more than 4 cups, however.

  18. 4 stars
    I make this twice a year. Only changes I do are:
    Orville Reddenbacher popping corn oil instead of vegetable oil
    I cook in my nesco (4 lbs of pretzels at a time) at 300 for an hour stirring really well every 10 min.
    Pretzels are crispy and I think the mix sticks better.
    This is an Excellant recipe.

  19. 4 stars
    I love these so much The name says it all! Addictive and a great party snack. Using broken sourdough pretzels helps the seasoning stick and marinate. I have to agree with some other folks and cut out the garlic salt and just use plain garlic powder. The ranch seasoning already has a good amount of salt and you can always add more to your liking.

    1. I know it’s weird, but it just works. I actually tested baking these and MUCH prefer the flavor of them unbaked. Glad you enjoyed them, too!!

    1. Nope – no baking. And not soggy at all – not even a little. I would imagine you could certainly use olive oil, just keep in mind the taste will be a little different.

  20. 2 stars
    Although I am not watching my sodium content, the pretzels were extremely salty. I tried adding a cereal to them but ended up not serving them. Please adjust your recipe.

    1. The recipe is fine. We just made 8 batches to give as gifts. You could have ended up with a particularly salty batch of pretzels to start. Different brands of pretzels have varying amounts of salt. Next time, you could also use garlic powder rather than garlic salt.

  21. I want to ensure that I’m not missing something.

    You simply put the ingredients in a Ziploc bag and let them marinate overnight? No baking is required?

    Thank you!!

  22. 5 stars
    These are seriously addictive! They are a Christmas staple at our house. This year I’m making a few batches as gifts for my coworkers. I’m so glad my friend suggested this recipe❤️

    1. I love hearing that, Sharon! We sure love them at our house. In fact, I did the food for my cousin’s wedding a few weeks back and she insisted that we have these pretzels. And they’re GREAT for gift-giving!

  23. 4 stars
    These are very good and the fact I don’t have to bake, is excellent.
    I followed the recipe, but with garlic powder and then added, a 1/2 tsp of Cayenne pepper and finished everything off with about 1/2 tsp of Everything but the bagel, seasoning!
    For us, it is a delightful, delish pretzel!
    Thanks so much!

  24. 5 stars
    Stacey I made this exactly per your recipe and they were delicious! Reminded me of Dot’s pretzels.
    Thank you for your wonderful recipes!

  25. 5 stars
    I made these for a large gathering a couple weeks ago. So many people were asking me how I made them. My friend even asked if I’d make them for a party today. I’m taking something else, but I’ll be making some just for her.

  26. 5 stars
    Hey guys, I made these at six in the morning yesterday on a whim because I came across this recipe and happened to have everything in stock and couldn’t sleep. I just now tasted them, they are pretty good just heavily salty, & I used plain garlic powder. Maybe my Aldi ranch packet was saltier than HV, or I had less pretzels than the recipe calls for (I didn’t measure) so I will try it again next time with HV and the right amount of pretzels. It’s important to note that I only used about a third a cup of oil, it was more than enough, and it did fully absorb into the pretzels. I can’t see a real reason to use a full cup of oil, TBH. This is more than enough! Otherwise recipe was delicious. Thanks for this!

  27. 5 stars
    These are wonderful!! I did add a little over a tsp of Lemon pepper for a variation ….. Yummy!!! I’m thinking next time a little bit of smoked Paprika!!

  28. I do a similar thing with pretzels which includes the vegetable oil with dry powder cheddar cheese (Hoosier Hill Farm Premium Cheddar Cheese Powder off Amazon) , ranch mix and kosher salt. I mix everything and put in 200 degree oven for 40 minutes, tossing them occasionally (I set my timer to toss them every 10 minutes). Also like to add cayenne for a little kick. When I take out of oven, I sprinkle with extra kosher salt so that it sticks. These come out non-greasy.

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  30. I have made these amazing snacks for years!! I didn’t make them for a while and lost my recipe, thank you so much for posting!! A couple things I have done to make it a tad easier and take it up a notch… I use a 2 gallon zip lock bag, (I double bag just in case of a break. save the outer bag for next time) to give the pretzels a little more room to toss and turn. Then transfer to a gallon bag after they are ready. Another great addition, if you have friends or family in or visiting Hawaii, have them grab you a bag or two of Maui Onion and Garlic Macadamia nuts toss them in after the pretzels are ready, it just adds another level of amazingness to this awesome snack! You can get the Mac nuts on Amazon as well, just twice the price… I find it worth it on occasion! 😉 Thanks again for the great post!!!!

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  32. *Update: They were AWESOME! I used slightly less oil (3/4 cup) than your recipe calls for, after reading some comments, but feel as though a whole cup would have been fine. My guy loved loved loved them, & keeps asking for more! So I’m making them as a surprise for Super Bowl Sunday. I REALLY want to add some Parmigiano Reggiano to it, but I’m worried that the oil & cheese might become enemies during the marinating process, haha? Maybe add it at the very end, or try a small batch as an experiment? Anyway, thank you so much for offering this easy recipe that tastes like a million bucks!

    1. So glad to hear you enjoyed them! I think the addition of parm sounds amazing, but I’ve not tried it myself so I can’t say for sure.

  33. 5 stars
    Hi Stacy!!! These are absolutely delicious! I just have one question. I used sourdough pretzels and smashed them up. It seems like there is a lot of excess oil after marinading over night. Can you suggest how to get the excess oil off !? Should I try baking for a little. Like I said they taste amazing; just very oily!

  34. Hi, Stacey! I came across your recipe whilst looking for a pretzel/Hershey Kiss/M&M recipe also named Crack Pretzels, but this sounds better! I need a quick snack for Chrissy Day football at our bubble bud’s & this fits the bill. Just got home with the ingredients & can’t wait to try it out. Bright blessings to you & yours this holiday season, & please stay safe. Thank you.

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  36. 5 stars
    These were great! I see a lot of comments about the salt content so I’ll share what worked for me. I was actually out of garlic salt, so I substituted garlic powder instead and threw in a pinch of salt. It worked great for me! I also added one pinch of cayenne pepper. This is a such a great and easy recipe.

  37. 5 stars
    Oh my goodness these are delicious! I was a bit intimidated by pouring a whole cup of oil on pretzels lol. But it soaks in along with the flavor! I didn’t have regular oil so I used olive oil. Wow! They remind me of the flavor of the olive oil Triscuits.

    I’ll be making another batch exactly as written now that I bought oil and I know they’ll be just as amazing. Thanks for this fantastic recipe!

    1. I know it seems a little crazy, but thanks so much for trusting the recipe! I’m so, so glad they turned out great for you!

  38. 5 stars
    These are awesome. Every time I make them, they are devoured. I have also used French onion powder & blue cheese powder that I get from Amish market. Every batch is delicious. Thanks for the recipe, it’s so easy to make.

  39. Great for Vacation Bible School, when you use the little square “net” pretzels with various goldfish crackers.

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    1. No. The pretzels absorb the oil just like they would if there were baked. You can bake them. I have once when I was in a hurry, but I much prefer them not being baked.

  41. My recipe of these crack pretzels have been sitting for 72 hours and still liquid in the gallon plastic bag! I followed all directions correctly, used canola oil, have made them in the past with no trouble! What could be wrong, should I trash them?

  42. 5 stars
    So good! We used Orville Redenbaucher’s (spelling?) popcorn butter oil blend in place of vegetable oil. Making these for Christmas treats for the neighbors … if I can get my family to stay out of them! ???? Thank you , Stacey!

  43. I also have made the same blend of seasonings but used oyster crackers instead. They are addictive. Been making them for at least 20 years. Recently I started using 1/2 the oil (to make healthier) and it DID NOT make a difference – just less oily. Might be the same with the pretzels.

    1. Oh good to know! I will try that next time! Thank you! Ps…I tried this with the Chex Cereal and it was really good!

  44. Pretzels – thin pretzel sticks – have just come out of the marinating bag. Sat for ten hours. They are all noticeably greasy and there’s still a few teaspoons left in the bag. Going to try baking them like Chex mix to degrease them.

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  46. These are delicious but using 1 cup of vegetable oil made them SUPER greasy. I’ll definitely make these again. Trying with half that amount.

  47. Hello, I hope u see this. I noticed this was listed in 2016. My question: when the mixture has sat overnight. Will the oil be absorbed in the pretzels? Or do you put on paper towels to drain the oil ?

  48. I can’t believe this recipe! I have made a party mix for literally decades that uses the ranch dressing seasoning, dried dill weed (a LOT of it), oil, 3 varieties of chex cereals, cheese crackers, pretzels and peanuts….and you are correct…it is CRACK! So glad to see others enjoying the wonderful flavors of this combo!

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    1. There are recipes that call for that, but this one eliminates that step and makes it so much easier without altering the end flavor.

  51. I made these exactly as your recipe called for and they were way too salty. Next time I make them I’ll either use garlic powder instead of garlic salt or I’ll buy unsalted pretzels and use garlic salt. Otherwise they were good and so easy to make.

  52. These are a favourite around our place. But the recipe we use calls for a teaspoon of garlic powder that keeps it from getting to salty. But definately make these.

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  54. Taste tested them three times so far and you’re right, they’re just fine! Very tasty. I’m glad I didn’t trash them. Thank you!

  55. I messed up and used HV Dip not Dressing. Are they ruined? Should I just toss them in garbage now or will they be edible in 24 hours? Thanks.

  56. I made these for a snack over Christmas… EXTREMELY TOO SALTY!! We couldn’t even eat them. I had to brush off most of the seasoning which I will NOT take time to do again. If I made them again I would substitute the garlic salt with maybe a teaspoon of garlic powder?? I don’t know. Blah!!!! Disappointing… Should have stuck with my Fire Cracker recipe those are da bomb 🙂

    1. I’ve not had this complaint before. I wonder if maybe the brand of pretzels that you used had an abnormally high amount of salt on them?

    2. I took out the salt and they were perfect!! I also tried a Fiesta Ranch Seasoning and they were so good! Has anyone ever add Chex Cereal to this, I want to try that! Also whenever my daughter or I make these, everyone devours them!

      1. I used 1/2 butter 1/2 olive oil. The key is that you ha e to put them on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 200 degrees.

      2. We’ve actually never had to to baked them and like the flavor of the garlic before it’s been baked. That said, there are a bunch of recipes out there that call for you to bake them and this recipe will work that way as well.

    1. Nope. They shouldn’t be greasy at all. The bag will look greasy, but the pretzels shouldn’t be. I’d recommend just transferring them to another container or bag.

  57. *Oops! Sorry to bother – I also forgot to ask about Canola Oil which I have on hand. But I think you already answered that it may change the flavor just like Olive Oil would.

    Thanks again!
    *Karen

  58. Stacey,
    I was just thinking about making some kind of snacks to give as gifts! I don’t have a big budget but I wanted to make something I could put into cute cellophane bags and maybe tie with a ribbon. I can get overwhelmed with so many things going on this busy time of year and this looks easy and delicious! It’s also a great option to balance all those sweets everyone else may be making;D
    Thank you for everything you do!
    Merry Christmas!

  59. Stacey I totally agree with how addicting these are! I’ve made these before, but we also like to use Old Bay Seasoning in them. Oh my gosh, so good! Another thing that you can use in place of the vegetable oil is Orville Redenbacher’s Buttery Flavored Oil (Popping & Topping). There are so many seasonings out there to experiment with. Good luck and I’d like to try some of the variations from your followers. 🙂

  60. St
    Stacey,
    Your email arrived in the nick of time! I’m having a part tomorrow night and wanted to make one more thing, and this sounds perfect! Merry Christmas!

  61. You don’t need to bake them or anything else?…. That is literally all there is to the recipe?
    I will have to try them as soon as I can gather the ingredients!!

    1. I cook them in the oven at 200* for 30 minutes, stir turn around and cook for another 30 minutes. Allow them to cool and they are ready to eat

  62. I am going to give these a try with pretzels. I have made the same recipe but it called for oyster crackers which are very good as well.

      1. I had written above about making these with oyster crackers but made Stacy’s version and they beat crackers seven ways from Sunday!

  63. they are like swamp crackers

    1 1/2 c canola oil
    1 T crushed red pepper
    1 t ground red pepper
    1 envelope ranch dressing
    saltine crackers

    mix all together in a gallon (glass preferably) jug. Let sit for about 30 minutes then turn, flip, etc every 6 to 8 hours.

    1. What is the next step w the pretzels after you marinate overnight?? Do they dry..do u put in another bag??