These spicy ranch pretzels turn a bag of mini twists into a crunchy, savory snack with ranch seasoning, cayenne, lemon pepper, garlic salt, and dill. Stir the seasonings into vegetable oil, shake everything together in a zip-top bag, and give the pretzels about two hours to absorb the flavor. There's no oven to preheat.
I got this recipe from my friend Brooke over 15 years ago, and I've been hooked ever since. It takes about five minutes to throw together, with a little waiting time before serving. My kids love grabbing a bowl with a tall glass of lemonade or sweet tea.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Mini pretzels: I use Rold Gold Mini Twists.
- Vegetable oil: carries the seasoning mixture over the pretzels.
- Dry ranch dressing mix: use the packet mix called for in the recipe.
- Ground cayenne pepper: start with the smaller amount in the recipe card when you want less heat.
- Lemon pepper: the prepared seasoning blend.
- Garlic salt: the prepared seasoning blend.
- Dill weed.
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Ingredient Notes
The cayenne is the heat adjustment in this recipe. Start with ¼ teaspoon and increase to taste, up to the tested teaspoon amount. Lemon pepper and garlic salt are seasoning blends; fresh lemon and raw garlic are not ingredients in this recipe. Dry ranch mix is different from bottled ranch dressing.
Tools That Make It Easier
I use these tools when I make spicy pretzels: a small mixing bowl, a wooden spoon, a liquid measuring cup, measuring spoons, and a large gallon zip-top bag.
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Buy Now → How to Make Spicy Ranch Pretzels
1. Mix the seasoning oil
In a small bowl, mix the cayenne pepper, lemon pepper, garlic salt, ranch mix, 1 tablespoon dried dill weed, and vegetable oil. Stir to combine the seasonings with the oil.
2. Fill the bag
Place the pretzels in a large zip-top bag. Keep the opening clear so you can pour in the seasoning mixture.
3. Coat the pretzels
Pour the ranch mixture over the pretzels. Seal the bag and shake well to coat them.
4. Let the flavor soak in
Allow the pretzels to marinate in the mixture for about two hours before serving. This waiting time is part of the recipe even though there's no baking involved.
5. Shake and turn occasionally
During the resting time, shake and turn the bag occasionally so the seasoning coats the pretzels evenly.
Tips for Even Coating
Seal the bag before shaking it, and turn it occasionally during the two-hour rest. The recipe is designed to distribute the oil and seasonings over the pretzels rather than leave them concentrated in one part of the bag.
What to Serve With Spicy Pretzels
For a snack spread, serve these alongside Buffalo Chicken Dip with Ranch or choose another favorite from Easy Game Day Dips. My family's lemonade-and-sweet-tea tradition also works with Strawberry Lemonade and Southern Citrus Almond Sweet Tea.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use bottled ranch dressing?
The tested recipe calls for a packet of dry ranch dressing mix. Bottled ranch dressing is not a tested replacement.
Can I bake these pretzels?
This is a no-bake recipe. Follow the two-hour resting method here; an oven or air-fryer version has not been tested for this recipe.
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Recipe
PrintSpicy Pretzels
These spicy pretzels are coated with Ranch, cayenne, garlic, dill, and lemon pepper for an easy, crunchy party snack with plenty of zesty flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Resting Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 16 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz bag mini pretzels (used: Rold Gold Mini Twists)
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 packet Ranch dressing mix
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (start with ¼ teaspoon and increase to taste)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon pepper
- 1 Tablespoon garlic salt
- 1 Tablespoon dill weed
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together cayenne pepper, lemon pepper, garlic salt, ranch mix and vegetable oil.
- Place pretzels in a large zip top bag.
- Pour in Ranch mixture over pretzels; seal and shake well.
- Allow pretzels to marinate in the mixture for about 2 hours before serving.
- Shake and turn occasionally for even coating.
Carissa Merrifield says
When I saw "Spicy Pretzels", I thought, "Oh, I love Brooke's pretzels, I wonder if Jennifer has another recipe that is as good?" Why mess with delightful, seasoned perfection! These pretzels are so tasty, and they take me back to fun card games with you and Brooke and the gang! Hugs to you! Love your blog. xo
Jennifer says
I know...I love this recipe too! I miss you too and think of you often...I miss those get togethers!
chrisina says
What can I sub for lemon pepper? I'm out...
Jennifer says
“Hey Christina! No lemon pepper? No worries! You can whip up a quick substitute with equal parts black pepper and dried lemon zest if you’ve got them. If not, a little black pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice can work—just don’t overdo it so the pretzels stay crispy. And honestly, if you don’t have any of that, you can skip it altogether! The pretzels will still be plenty flavorful. Let me know how it goes!”
JMad says
We love these! My preferred recipe is 1/2 T garlic powder, 1/2 T garlic salt (otherwise, it’s way too salty and I love salt), increasing cayenne to 1 T, as my family loves them hot and spicy! I made it with and without dill, and we preger no dill. Bake at 200 degrees for 10-15 mins in an air fryer or oven.
Jennifer says
I love hearing how you made them your own! And a full tablespoon of cayenne—y’all definitely like some heat! Thanks so much for sharing your changes!