Gluten Free Butter Toffee Pretzels

If you love that sweet-and-salty combination that’s impossible to stop snacking on, these Gluten Free Butter Toffee Pretzels are for you. Mini pretzels are coated in a rich, buttery toffee that bakes into a crunchy, caramelized shell. They’re easy to make, incredibly satisfying, and perfect for everything from casual snacking to holiday gifting.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Mini Pretzels: Mini pretzels work best here since they’re easy to coat and give you the perfect sweet-salty crunch in every bite. Use a sturdy gluten free pretzel that can hold up to the warm toffee without breaking. I am a big fan of Snyders Gluten Free Pretzels.

Corn Syrup: I use light corn syrup in this recipe. It helps prevent the sugar from crystallizing, keeping the toffee smooth and glossy so it evenly coats the pretzels. It also makes the toffee more stable as it bakes and cools.

Unsalted Butter: Unsalted butter helps prevent the toffee from becoming overly salty, as the pretzels already add plenty of salt to the mix.

Baking Soda: Baking Soda reacts with the brown sugar, creating tiny air bubbles that lighten the toffee and give it a more delicate, crisp texture.

Toffee Bits: I use Heath Bits O’ Brickle in these Gluten Free Butter Toffee Pretzels. These small, buttery toffee pieces have a rich caramel flavor and melt slightly which is why I sprinkle them on at the very end, not before baking. (This way you can actually taste and see them) Heath Bits O’ Brickle Toffee Bits can be found in the baking aisle where the chocolate chips are. And yes, they are gluten free. (You can also use homemade toffee bits but let's be honest, store bought works just fine here)

How to make Butter Toffee Pretzels

For Gluten Free Butter Toffee Pretzels, a candy thermometer isn’t necessary. You can melt the butter and sugar on the stove and cook until it’s golden and bubbling - the visual cues are enough to know it’s ready.

Keep in mind that baking times can vary depending on your oven and how often you stir the pretzels. Through testing, I found that 325°F is the sweet spot, giving perfectly coated pretzels in about 20 minutes. I also tested this recipe at 200°F (like many recipes online recommend), and honestly - it was beyond frustrating.

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325F. Like a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside until needed.
2. Step 2: Add the gluten free pretzel to a heat proof bowl and set aside.

3. Step 3: To medium sized saucepan, add the light brown sugar, unsalted butter, and corn syrup.

4. Step 4: Place the sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer.

5. Step 5: Stir constantly until the butter and sugar are melted, smooth, and bubbling. Let the mixture boil for about 5 minutes, until it turns a rich golden brown and thickly coats the back of a spoon.

6. Step 6: Remove the toffee from heat and quickly whisk in baking soda and vanilla extract with a heat proof spatula. The mixture will foam - this is normal and helps give the toffee a crisp, airy texture.

7. Step 7: Pour the hot toffee mixture over the mini pretzels in a large mixing bowl. Stir gently with a heatproof spatula until every pretzel is coated. This doesn't have to be perfect.

8. Step 8: Transfer the pretzels to the prepared sheet tray and spread them out as much as possible. Please be careful since the toffee might be hot.

9. Step 9: Bake in the preheated 325°F oven for about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. This helps the toffee coat the pretzels evenly and develop a crunchy shell. Moving the sugar as it bakes also creates that classic, rustic texture.

10. Additional Image for Step 9: The toffee will initially melt and look like one large puddle. With stirring, it will deflate and evenly coat the pretzels.

11. Additional Image for Step 9: Keep stirring the pretzels every 5 minutes or so to make sure they are coated evenly. The more often you stir the pretzels, the coarser the toffee coating will be.

11. Step 11: Once the pretzels begin to look dull, remove them from the oven and sprinkle with toffee bits (if using). The residual heat will melt them into the coating.

12. Step 12: Allow the gluten free butter toffee pretzels to cool completely before serving or storing. The toffee will firm up as it cools.

Note about Salt in my Recipes

I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.

Baking in grams

I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.

Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures

All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.

If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.

Substitutions and Modifications

Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.