Countdown to 2011: Sweet 2011 Pretzels
by Dec 23rd, 2010 // Giveaway, Holiday, Kid-tastic
Countdown to 2011: Sweet 2011 Pretzels
Lately my kid has been begging to remake the Soft Pretzel Recipe we posted a while back. We’ve been talking about all the shapes we could try. After writing down lots of possibilities, we decided it would make for a really fun New Years recipe.
Doing this together sparked a discussion about the calendar and how it changes on January 1st. It’s amazing how the tactile nature of the project solidified the concept in my kid’s mind. He’s been talking about the change from 2010 to 2011 ever since.
We made these out of traditional pretzel dough but decided to skip the salt and instead dip them in butter and cover them with cinnamon and sugar. They tasted sort of like a pretzel version of a beignet. What a great way to bring in the new year! Now for the recipe…
New Years Eve Pretzel Recipe
Prep Time: 1 1/2 hours (mostly unattended) Cooking time: 20 mins
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 package active dry yeast
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/3 cup of granulated sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.
Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan. In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into ropes and form the numbers 2 0 1 1. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.
Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Dip each pretzel in melted butter and then in cinnamon sugar. Eat and enjoy. Serves a crowd!
We made these prezels for halloween (bones and brooms). I like the new year #s….maybe we'll try it next week while the kids are home from school.
anything that tastes like a beignet has got to be good for the new year!!! I can't wait to try this recipe~
So inventive and adorable! Oh, and delicious
This might be fun to try in my classroom after the break!
Fun! I love sweet pretzels.
These would be cute to make for a birthday party…as favors maybe. I love pretzels and it's hard to find baked pretzels like these in Knoxville!
I can't wait to make these with my son…I think we will make words…he is learning how to spell. Great idea!!
Yum pretzels! Cinnamon sugar have always been my favorite too
These look so delicious!
I just made regular soft pretzels last night – sweet sound like a great option to try next!
Great idea for a winter break project for the kids – and as you said, will get them excited for the new year! Merry Christmas, really enjoy your blog!
These look great. I never considered making my own soft pretzles until I saw them on your blog a little while ago
What a fun idea to make New Year's pretzels! I think we may have to try it too.
That's a great idea to do with the kiddos and have them understand where were headed
I have totally wanting to do pretzel with my boys…I think that I am afraid of yeast which is why I have not done it yet. I may need to make this a new years goal to make soft pretzels! Thanks for the inspiration! Happy 2011!
Yum! Sounds delicious!
Fun. I love soft pretzels and holidays, what a great combination.
never tried pretzels before. i like the letters idea from a previous commenter…
So cute! I have to get over my fear if using yeast.
Yum! I'm a sucker for a cinnamon sugar soft pretzel!
I hang out w/ my sister and her kids every new years eve. thanks for a great idea! i think we may add this or a variation of this to our festivities!!!!
I want to push a love button.
My family is doing a pretzel making night for Christmas Eve. Think I'll bring this recipe!!!! Happy Holiday's!
I just found your blog yesterday, and so far I love it. There are so many recipes I want to try. the funny thing is my world is "Cooking with my husband" and not with my kid. The husband needs to learn to cook.
These pretzles sound so yummy this could be a nice recipe to try with his new kitchenAid we are getting for Christmas.
Yum! Soft pretzels are my favorite. I'm going to have to try this out!
Yummy! This would be a great non-traditional breakfast!
YUM! I've got to try these!
this looks fun!
I just recently found your site and I love it! I cook with my toddler all the time and I can't wait to try your recipes. These pretzels look delish and so much fun!!
Sounds wonderful and reminds me of NYC pretzels which I am missing right now!
What a great idea. I would spread nutella on them.
This may just become a new New Years tradition for us =) Clever!
I am new to commenting on a blog, but these sound great. I have done bagels in the same manner, but never thought to do it to pretzels. It is a must try for this week end. Both versions.
Yummy! What a good idea. It's a perfect New Years Day treat!
My guys are going to love this. My oldest is so about 2011!
Oooh, I've been wanting to try pretzels with my kids. Love the idea of dipping them in sugar instead of salt. Thanks!
What a great idea! I think I'll make double the dough and make both salty and sweet ones for new year's eve.
Aaaaah, soft pretzels! I am originally from the Philly area so you know that I love those pretzels. Have always been going to try to make these myself. Thanks for the recipe.
i made these yesterday! super yummy!
My daughter will love making these. Warm with cinnamon sugar sounds soooooo yummy!
Wow- I can't wait to try this with my 3-yr old…looks so good!
What a wonderful way to ring in the New Year. Thank you for sharing!
I love baking bread, great pretzel idea. My 7 and 5 yr olds will love it. thanks
Thanks for the recipe!
sounds good!
Love it! My kids are going to love it too!
these look great. i'm always looking for egg-free baking recipes, and ones without an 'egg wash' (our youngest is allergic)… rebecca, do you have an 'eggless' egg wash suggestion? thanks!
You could get yourself a can of Bake-Sheen and keep it in the house for all your egg wash needs. http://www.parwaytryson.com/index.php?option=com_…
Yumm… very cute pretzels.
Made the salted version today as a Thank You to a neighbor for helping to snow blow us out. They were awesome! The sweet version would be yummy too!
Holy cow, these look like real pretzels (I say this after a few unfortunate run-ins with bad, frozen pretzels)!
I can't wait to try the recipe! Not to mention with cinnamon sugar instead of salt. Good choice there.
Oh my goodness well there goes my resolution to lose weight in the new year! these look so yummy!
These look awesome!
I have no idea what a beignet is, but anything dipped in butter and sprinkled in cinnamon & sugar can't be bad.
Luv Pretzels! Do you have a cheese dip recipe as well???
When I first saw these pretzels I had to try them….so I prompltly made a batch of the worst soft pretzels ever. Turns out you can't mix up yeast and baking powder! Who knew!? Anyway, I tried it again and was so happy I did!
Great idea! It would be cool with colored sugars for the holidays, too.
These look so tasty!
[...] Pretzels in the shape of a 2, a 0, and a 1, so you can spell out 2011. I’m going to make this for a New Year’s Eve party we are having, and I’ll mix up the numbers so they kids can sort them into rows of “2011″ pretzels, unless they are conspiracy theorists, in which case “2012″ might interest them more. Rebecca and her son make these sweet by dipping them in cinnamon sugar (melted butter keeps the flavored sugar in place–yum!). Instead of doing them that way, however, I’m going to dip them into coarse salt instead of sugar, and then serve them with whatever savory dips I make for the appetizer course. [...]
[...] for some fun New Year’s Eve recipes for tonight there’s just enough time for your 2011 pretzel dough to [...]
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