If your recipe calls for large pieces of pretzel, such as a salad topping or an addition to chocolate brownies in place of nuts, hand crushing is all you need. You can accomplish this method in one of two ways. The first option is to place the pretzels in a plastic bag with a zip closure. Remove the air from the bag and seal. Use a mallet or rolling pin to crush the pretzels to the desired size. Unfortunately, because of sharp pretzel edges, this method can become messy if the bag is not strong enough for the task. The other method uses a bowl and a flat-bottomed glass. Place the pretzels in the bowl and crush with the bottom of the glass and a little bit of pressure.

For recipes where finer crushed pretzels are necessary, such as pretzel-coated chicken, a food processor is the best tool. Put pretzels into the food processor and pulse until they are a powder consistency.