Pretzel Eyeballs are a spooky-sweet treat made by melting Hershey’s Hugs onto crunchy pretzels and topping them with colorful M&Ms for a fun, eyeball-like Halloween snack!

I love cute and simple Halloween desserts! If you like my Oreo witch hat cookies, you’ll also like my Oreo Witch Hat Cookies, Nutter Butter Mummies, and Pumpkin Patch Dirt Cups!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

Looking for a Halloween snack that checks all the boxes—easy, festive, and ridiculously tasty? Enter: Pretzel Eyeballs made with Hershey’s Hugs and M&Ms—the no-bake treat that’s hauntingly easy to make and scarily addictive to eat! These little bites are sweet, salty, crunchy, melty, and just the right amount of spooky.

Whether you’re planning a Halloween bash, a monster movie marathon, or just want to surprise your kids with something fun after school, pretzel eyeballs are the perfect go-to. They combine the salty crunch of pretzels with the sweet gooeyness of melted chocolate and candy for a snack that looks gross in the best possible way.

Ingredients you’ll need:

Pretzel snaps or waffles
Hershey’s Hugs
Red sanding sugar
M&Ms
Black cookie icing- I like Wilton brand

Pretzel eyeballs prove that Halloween treats don’t need to be complicated to be memorable. With just a few ingredients and a pinch of creativity, you can make a snack that’s both a conversation starter and a crowd-pleaser.

Fun to Make:
There’s something oddly satisfying about pressing M&Ms into melty chocolate and watching your “eyeballs” come to life. It’s an easy, hands-on recipe that’s perfect for kids, families, or Halloween party prep.

Tastes AMAZING:
The combo of salty pretzel, creamy white-and-milk chocolate (thanks, Hershey’s Hugs!), and the crunchy sweet M&M is a flavor bomb. It hits every craving: sweet, salty, crunchy, creamy—yes, please.

Spooky-Cute:
They look like creepy little eyeballs staring up at you from the snack table—which is exactly what makes them so perfect for Halloween. Bonus: you can color-code your M&Ms to match any party theme!

No Baking Required:
Just a few minutes in the oven or microwave to melt the chocolate slightly, and you’re done. No mixers, no dough, no cleanup nightmare. Just fun.

How to make the best Pretzel Eyeballs:

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Lay the pretzels out on your prepared baking sheet, then place one Hershey Hug on top of each pretzel and bake for 5-7 minutes.
Press an M&M in the center of each Hug with the “M” side down, then quickly sprinkle sanding sugar over the Hugs.
Squeeze a small dot of black icing onto the center of each M&M.
Transfer to the fridge or freezer for 30 minutes to set.

What makes these Eyeball Pretzels so good is the irresistible combination of textures and flavors: the crunchy, salty base of the pretzel perfectly balances the sweet, creamy swirl of the Hershey’s Hug, while the crisp M&M on top adds just the right pop of color and bite. Every little piece delivers a satisfying snap, a smooth melt, and a sweet finish.

They’re bite-sized, snackable, and dangerously easy to keep popping into your mouth—so maybe make a double batch (you’ve been warned!). Plus, they store well, travel easily, and look so good on a Halloween dessert tray that people will assume you spent way more time on them than you actually did.

Pretzel eyeballs with Hershey’s Hugs and M&Ms are the kind of treat that makes Halloween fun—no stress, no mess, just creepy-cute deliciousness. They’re perfect for kids, parties, treat bags, or even just a spooky movie night snack.

My top tips:

HERSHEYS HUGS: Make sure you’re using Hugs for this recipe. Do not use Kisses, for some reason they don’t melt as well.
BAKING: When baking the Hugs onto the pretzels, watch them closely… they should be shiny and soft, not melted!
RED SANDING SUGAR: It’s important to shake the sprinkles onto the Hugs while the chocolate is still wet. The wet chocolate acts as a glue for the sprinkles. Once the chocolate sets, the sprinkles will stay in place.
M&M’S: M&M’s work great here because of their bright, fun colors, but I don’t recommend using the brown ones because the black icing will not show up against that dark color.
ICING: I like using black cookie icing (specially from Wilton), because it dries quickly and the bottle already has the perfect squeeze top that prevents you from adding too much icing onto each M&M.
STORING: To store Pretzel Eyeballs, ensure the chocolate is fully set, then place them in an airtight container in a cool place away from direct sunlight and heat to prevent melting. For longer storage, they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Looking for more pretzel treats? Check these out!

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