Pretzel Brands To Check Out If You Love Dot's

If you've always deemed packaged pretzels to be somewhat boring, it's time to rethink your snacking routine. We know that pretzels can easily be jazzed up if they're stuffed with almond butter and coated in chocolate, but thanks to innovative brands on the market today, you don't always need to resort to a saccharine coating to enjoy crave-worthy bags of pretzels. In fact, some of the unique flavors these companies offer may turn this snack into your new favorite.

We've always been big fans of Dot's Homestyle Pretzels. Its bags feature a fun twisty shape, but where it really shines is in its plethora of creative seasonings. If you're a savory fan, we bet you'll enjoy Dot's Southwest Seasoned packages, while you'll likely love the Cinnamon Sugar twists if you have a sweet tooth. But while Dot's is a classic when it comes to inventive pretzels, it's not the only brand of its kind on store shelves. So if you enjoy these bags, we bet you'll love the following companies too.

Read more: 30 Healthy Snack Ideas That Won't Ruin Your Diet

Pop Daddy Snacks

If you thought Dot's was creative in its seasoning blends, you'll want to check out Pop Daddy Snacks. Here, you can choose from 12 different types of pretzels, with flavors ranging from savory to sweet to spicy. You'll find classics like Yellow Mustard, Hot Sauce, and Cinnamon Sugar, but also innovative blends like Peppercorn Ranch, Maple & Brown Butter, and Thai Honey Curry.

As for the bags that are making our mouths water the most? Dill Pickle, which mixes vinegar with dill seasoning; Mexican Street Corn, which combines corn, cayenne, chili pepper, and cotija cheese; and Birthday Cake, which creates the perfect balance of sweet and salty. Also, make sure to keep an eye out for the brand's delectable seasonal flavors, like Dutch Apple Pie.

Pop Daddy was born as a popcorn company in 2013 (as you can likely guess from its name), but expanded its offerings to pretzels in 2018. The idea came to its founders, Mark and Erin Sarafa, when they learned about all the chemicals included in their beloved microwave popcorn bags — and as a result, they created a company that leaves artificial flavors out of its ingredient lists. And if you love these pretzel flavors, you can find some of them (like Dill Pickle) in Pop Daddy's popcorn bags as well.

Knotty Pretzels

Knotty Pretzels calls itself "The Official Pretzel of Beer" (and at one point, golf as well) — and it's doing the work to prove it. In addition to its array of fun flavors, which earned the company the number two spot on our ranking of popular pretzel brands, Knotty will give you its ideal beer recommendations for each. For its Hot Wings bag, for instance, Knotty advises downing an amber ale, American lager, or double IPA, which all have various levels of sweetness to balance out the kick from the cayenne-infused pretzels. For its Honey Mustard flavor, however, you may want to try drinking a glass of a fruity brew like a Belgian-style saison or German hefeweizen.

But Knotty's snacks don't require beer to be tasty, as these bags can stand up all on their own. Mom Mom's Original Savory Italian delivers notes of garlic and onion, Chile Lime is laced with garlic and paprika, and Smoky Cheddar Bacon offers a pretzel reminiscent of our favorite style of breakfast bagel. But along with its tasty offerings, Knotty is also a brand with a mission (besides proclaiming its love for pretzels and beer pairings). It donates some of its proceeds throughout the year to U.S. Troops and The Warrior Alliance to support veterans and current military members.

Zapp's

If you love New Orleans, you're going to be a fan of Zapp's pretzels. If you've never heard of Zapp's, just take a trip to the South, where you'll find its snacks a staple in local gas stations. But whether you live in The Big Easy or just love its culture, Zapp's brings flavors inspired by all the exciting parts of this city. Its founder, Ron Zappe, went to college in Texas, but later relocated to Louisiana to start his potato chip manufacturing plant in Gramercy. Although it began as a chip brand (which still sells plenty of New Orleans-inspired bags), it eventually expanded to include a variety of fun mini pretzel flavors as well.

Zapp's brings the essence of Mardi Gras into each bag — just take a look at its Spicy Cajun Pretzel Stix. Each stick  packs in the heat, along with garlic and smoky flavors. But you can also try its Sinfully-Seasoned Voodoo Pretzel Stix, which were honored at People's Food Awards in 2023, for a blend of sweetness, heat, Cajun flavors, and a smoky barbecue taste. And for even more Crescent City-inspired bags, try its Spicy Cajun Crawtators, Cajun Dill Gator-Tators, or Evil Eye (inspired by New Orleans Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau) kettle-style potato chips.

Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps

Picky eaters, look no further — if you want a wide variety of flavors to satisfy your pretzel craving, Snack Factory's Pretzel Crisps are the ones to go for. You'll find all the classic types, such as Garlic Parmesan, Honey Mustard & Onion, and Cheddar Cheese. But you can also get your hands on Everything Pretzel Crisps, inspired by the seasoning on everything bagels, along with Buffalo Wing and Cinnamon Sugar. Plus, a few of Snack Factory's flavors (like Spicy Ranch) come in miniature form.

If you're a sweet lover, you can find Pretzel Crisps in this arena beyond cinnamon sugar-flavored snacks. Tasty seasonal varieties include White Crème & Peppermint with white chocolate and crushed peppermint candy, but year-round options include dark and milk chocolate crunch coatings, and pretzels drizzled with milk chocolate and caramel. Snack Factory even offers bags for those who are gluten-free, in regular and mini form. The only catch? These snacks are flatter than your typical pretzel — but that only means they're crunchier than average, which is never a bad thing. This brand is so popular, you've likely seen it in stores before, but it's generally available at major retailers like Vons and Walgreens.

Bricktown Goods

Perhaps the least known brand of this bunch is Bricktown Goods, which makes its pretzels in small batches. You can primarily find it on Jerky.com, where you can purchase bags by themselves or as part of larger variety snack packs — but if you're lucky, you may also be able to nab these packages at Walmart.

This undercover but beloved brand features savory flavors like Bacon Cheddar, Barbecue, and Chili Ranch. But perhaps the fan favorite is Dill Pickle, which keeps customers coming back again and again, even if they aren't necessarily pickle lovers. Another hit is the Cinnamon Toast bag, which has just a touch of cinnamon that's enough to enjoy without overpowering your taste buds. And if you really are craving a salty-sweet combo, try Bricktown's Sugar Cookie flavor, which manages to pack in plenty of sweet goodness while including only four grams of sugar per serving. If you want to branch out with this brand even more, Bricktown Goods also sells sunflower seeds in tasty flavors like Smoked Jalapeño, Bloody Mary, Salt and Balsamic Vinegar, and Jamaican Jerk.

OMG! Pretzels

OMG! Pretzels has plenty of fun flavors like the rest of the brands on this list, and these ones come in nugget form. But dare we say, this company nails the sweet category better than any other. It doesn't currently have any straightforwardly sugary flavors reminiscent of dessert, but instead, it combines sweetness with other complementary ingredients. You'll find Sweet & Salty Pretzels with cinnamon and raw cane sugar, Salty Butterscotch, and Sweet & Spicy bags with a dash of cayenne — the latter of which OMG! Pretzels recommends breaking up to sprinkle over a bowl of yogurt. And if you want even more swicy (sweet and spicy) goodness, try a bag of the Sweet Chili Pretzels, which the brand advises pairing with hot chocolate, Manchego cheese, or mango guacamole.

Of course, this snack line offers plenty of strictly savory flavors too, as you can choose from Lemon Pepper, Cheddar Jalapeño, or Buffalo. But unique to OMG! Pretzels is the Chesapeake flavor made with paprika, celery seed, and mustard, reminiscent of the founding family's trips to the seaside town of Pompano Beach, Florida. Plus, OMG! Pretzels emphasizes a sourdough-based recipe, calling its pretzels "miniature sourdough loaves." You'll have to try one to experience the difference for yourself.

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