The Best Seasoned Snack Pretzels, Ranked

Pretzels have come a long way from their bland, break-your-teeth-on-them days. There's lots of options now, and they're coated in seasoning that gives them way more flavor than you remember. 

I recently rediscovered this category of snacks, and wanted to see what's out there. So I headed to a couple local grocery stores and rounded up as many seasoned snack pretzels as I could find. I tried to get a nice cross section of brands, styles, and flavors, and tried them all side-by-side. 

Here are the 15 pretzels I tried, ranked best to worst on variables like texture, flavor, and value.

Prices and availability are subject to change.

$6.49 for 16 ounces

The first time I tried Dot's Original pretzels, I was shocked. For one, I expected that "original" just meant plain. For another, I had never really enjoyed snack pretzels because I found them bland. These were neither of those things, and I still can't stop eating them. 

The seasoning flavor is hard to put a finger on, but buttery describes it best. It's savory, with hints of onion, sweetness, creaminess, and tang. There's plenty of crunch, and just enough of that dark bread-like pretzel flavor in these twists. Sure, Dot's are pretty pricey, but they're worth it — and you can find them at Costco and Sam's Club for less.

$3.69 for 11 ounces

Snyder's Pretzel Pieces are so fun and interesting to eat. They're made from bashed up bits of large, broken pretzels, so every piece has a different size and shape. They're also by far the crunchiest pretzels in the bunch, with the largest pieces being downright hard, but I'm into that. 

The best part, though, is that the broken, rough edges of these pieces grab onto SO much seasoning, and the buttermilk ranch is amazing. Garlic and dill are the strongest flavors, with tangy buttermilk notes. These are like the Cool Ranch Doritos of pretzels. 

$3.59 for 10 ounces

These cheddar pretzels fly under the radar, but they shouldn't. They're the best cheesy seasoned pretzels out there, and it's only partially because of the nostalgic twisted pretzel shape. The cheese flavor is deep and satisfying, with a good punch of onion backing it up. The rough, orange hued seasoning is stuck to the pretzels so well that it won't come off on your fingers, which is always a plus in my book. Don't overlook these next time you want a crunchy snack.

$6.49 for 16 ounces

I was excited to try other Dot's flavors since I'm such a fangirl, but the parmesan garlic left something to be desired. Namely: parmesan or garlic flavor. Weirdly, these are almost indistinguishable from the Original flavor, even in a side-by-side taste test like this. So they're disappointing in that sense, but considering the original flavor it so good, these are still delicious.

$5.79 for 18 ounces

If you like Dot's Original pretzels but don't really like the high price, you'll enjoy these Snyder's "Seasoned" flavored pretzels as well. They're similarly buttery, with a bit of garlic, onion, and tang. The pretzel sticks are tender and more like a crunchy breadstick than a pretzel, but that means they're also great for dipping. A perfect crowd-pleasing choice for a party.

$3.69 for 11 ounces

I'm not huge on mustard, but these Snyder's Pieces pull me in, no matter the flavor. Some people might want more heat from the mustard, but I love how balanced it is with sweetness. Plus, there's just a hint of onion, which also adds depth. Even if you normally turn your nose up at mustard, give these a shot.

$6.49 for 16 ounces

Southwest isn't a typical pretzel seasoning, so I was intrigued by these. The smell of the seasoning punched me in the face as soon as I ripped off the top of the bag (gotta love Dot's resealable bags!). It's still got that buttery background that Dot's is known for, but with a mild — almost no heat here — chili powder flavor and a kick of lime. They remind me a lot of the winner of my Pringles taste test, actually, with a bright flavor.

$4.99 for 16 ounces

Zapp's is a beloved Cajun brand of snacks, but the pretzel varieties aren't knock-outs like the potato chips are. There is a thick coating of seasoning on these pretzel twists, to the point that it's hard to eat more than a handful. The heat builds slowly, so if you think "there's no spice in these," just keep eating. Celery salt is prevalent, so it's reminiscent of Old Bay. These are OK, but the potato chips are much better.

$2.19 for 12 ounces

These pretzels from Aldi were clearly designed to be eaten with beer because they're by far the saltiest on this list. (Maybe that's why they're called Pub Style?) There's so much seasoning that they look kind of shaggy, but the only other flavors beyond salt are onion and garlic. They've got a strong aftertaste of the plain pretzel rods your dad totally ate when you were a kid. At least they're cheap.

$4.79 for 12 ounces

I love that this Utz mix reminds me of trail mix or Chex Mix with all the different shaped pretzels. What I don't love that is there's not enough flavor of any kind, despite there being a ton of powdery seasoning. It's very mellow, with just a little bit of garlic. Not bad, but also not one I'd reach for again.

$3.69 for 12 ounces

I was hoping for a lot more from these nacho cheese-flavored pretzel sticks, but they're pretty flavorless. There's a fleeting, Kraft mac and cheese-type flavor up front, but that's about it. Boring, but inoffensive. 

$3.69 for 12 ounces

Sour cream and onion chips are amazing, but as I found out, that seasoning shouldn't make the leap to pretzels. These Snyder's pretzels in particular have a very sweet onion flavor, and it really clashes with the sour cream tang and dark, baked pretzel flavor. 

$1.89 for 8 ounces

Pretzel slims are flat, crispy snacks that are like a pretzel in chip shape. This Aldi version is inexpensive, but you get what you pay for. The crispiness is kind of dull, and the onion and garlic are too bitter. They're smaller than other brands I've had, too, which makes them inferior for dipping.

$4.99 for 16 ounces

I figured that between the two Zapp's pretzels on this list, the famous Voodoo seasoned ones would be the winners, but I was way off. These are too sweet and too strong for pretzels. I guess as someone who has had a good amount of voodoo chips in her years, these just make my brain go haywire because it's supposed to be potato chips. It just feels off. 

$3.19 for 7.5 ounces

These are the only thin, single-strand pretzel sticks on this list, weirdly. But they're also the worst. There's only astringent peppercorn flavor here, with just about no ranch to speak of, so they are really one-note. The teeny sticks are a little nostalgic, but they also feel childish, like they have some growing up to do.

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