Spring has finally arrived and I could just eat it up. Literally. The fabulous yellow forsythia and stunning pink cherry blossoms have inspired me to create these sweet and salty treats to celebrate the season. They’re the perfect mix of crushed pretzels and melted chocolate, with bursts of colorful sunflower seeds to bring on the bloom.

I used yellow and pink seeds to make my flowery branches, but you could also use white. (I’ve seen lots of crabapple and pear trees blooming right now.) To display them, place your sweet and salty branches in a simple vase, decorative jar, or on a pretty plate. They’ll add so much color and creativity to any Easter table.

These would also be a fun, spring, kitchen craft to make with kids. Just pipe the chocolate branches and let their little fingers add the sunflower seeds.

(Makes 20-24 branches)
Approx. time: 1 hour

• 12 ounces chocolate candy melt wafers
• 2 cups pretzel sticks (approximately 1 cup crushed)
• Pink, yellow or white chocolate covered sunflower seeds
• Parchment paper
• Pastry bag

Step 1
Using a marker or pencil, draw 20-24 branches on sheets of parchment paper. Mine were about 8 to 12 inches tall. (Flip parchment paper over to pipe your chocolate on the reverse side.)

Step 2
Crush pretzels into a fine powder, using a food processor – approximately 1 cup crushed. Melt chocolate candy wafers in a microwave safe dish at 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth.

Step 3
Combine crushed pretzels and melted chocolate. Pour mixture into a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch round tip.

Step 4
Pipe chocolate branches on the parchment paper. Allow to cool and harden.

Step 5
Melt about 10 chocolate candy melts in the microwave. Dip the bottoms of the sunflower seeds (or use a toothpick to dab the chocolate), and attach the seeds to the chocolate branches.

Step 6
Gently remove the branches from the parchment paper and place them in decorative vases or on plates to create a colorful and edible spring table display.

Branches will keep at room temperature for 4-5 days and can be stored in a refrigerator for about 3 weeks.

Happy Spring!