In Germany, New Year’s Pretzels are baked and eaten at midnight to ring in the new year and bring good fortune for the new year. Are they telling me that eating a delicious pretzel will bring me good fortune? I’m in! The European style pretzel is a great addition to New Year’s food spreads because it’s slightly sweeter than a regular pretzel and makes a beautiful edible centerpiece.
Pretzels are traditionally glazed with sugar, fruit, nuts, and sprinkles, but I went with a simple sugar glaze and a pistachio sesame dukkah I had on hand. Despite the lengthy prep time, most of it is hands-off and just waiting for the dough to rise.
What Is A New Year’s Pretzel?
In Germany, it is a tradition to bring good fortune and luck for the new year. It is sweeter than a traditional pretzel, and it is not boiled before baking.
Do I Have To Use The Traditional Toppings?
Traditionally, new year’s pretzels are topped with a sugar glaze, nuts, and dried fruit, but you can add whatever you like! Sprinkles, coconut flakes, raw sugar – the possibilities are endless!
How Do I Knead Dough By Hand?
Knead dough by pushing it away from you, folding it over itself with your fingers, bringing it back, and repeating. The gluten in the dough will ensure that the pretzels are perfectly chewy if you do this motion for 5-10 minutes.
New Year’s Pretzel Recipe
One pretzel is yielded
Two hours are required for preparation
A 35-40 minute bake time is recommended
The total time was 2 hours, 40 minutes
Ingredients
For the pretzel:
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1 packet of active dry yeast (2 14 teaspoons)
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A cup of warm milk (between 105 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit)
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2 12 cups all-purpose flour
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Sugar, 12 cups
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Salt 1 teaspoon
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Unsalted butter, 7 tablespoons
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Egg: 1
For the topping:
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A cup of powdered sugar is 14 cups
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Milk, one tablespoon
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Vanilla extract is added as a finishing touch
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Pistachios chopped
Instructions
Warm your milk to 105-110°F, add the yeast, and allow it to sit until frothy, about 10 minutes.
Using a standing mixer with a dough hook, or a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
In a large bowl, combine the yeast, milk, eggs, and butter.
The dough should be elastic after about five minutes of kneading.
You should allow the dough to rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about an hour.
It is optional to braid the bottom of the dough after the dough has risen. Punch down the dough and transfer it to a floured surface.
Make a long rope with the dough, about three feet in length.
A piece of parchment paper the size of your baking sheet should be placed under the middle of the rope.
In order to form a pretzel shape, twist the ends together and place over the middle of the rope.
The set aside dough should be divided into 3 equal pieces for braiding.
Make a rope out of each piece by rolling it into a foot long length.
Twist the braid tightly at one end after pinching together the edges.
On the other side, seal the edges.
The braid should be placed on the lower portion of the pretzel and lightly pressed down.
Place the pretzel on a baking sheet and cover with a cloth. Let rise anywhere between 20 minutes and 1 hour, until puffy.
The oven should be preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make sure the pretzels are shaped by placing balled up tinfoil in the holes.
Once it is golden brown, bake it for about 30 minutes.
The powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla should be whisked together to make the glaze.
20. Once the pretzel has cooled a bit, drizzle the glaze over it and top with your favorite toppings.
Make a Pinterest pin
New Year’s Pretzel Recipe
One pretzel is yielded
Preparation time: 2 hours
A 40-minute cook time is recommended
Total time: 2 hours and 40 minutes
Enjoy a delicious sweet German-style pretzel to ring in the new year!
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Ingredients
For the pretzel:
-
1 packet of active dry yeast (2 14 teaspoons)
-
A cup of warm milk (between 105 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit)
-
2 12 cups all-purpose flour
-
12 cups of granulated sugar
-
Salt 1 teaspoon
-
Unsalted butter, 7 tablespoons
-
There is one egg
For the topping:
-
Powdered sugar, 14 cups
-
Milk, 1 tablespoon
-
Add a dash of vanilla extract
-
Pistachios chopped
Instructions
-
Warm the milk to 105-110°F and add the yeast. Let it sit for about 10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
-
The flour, sugar, and salt should be combined in a standing mixer with a dough hook, or in a large mixing bowl.
-
After adding the yeast, milk, eggs, and butter, knead the dough for about five minutes until it becomes elastic.
-
Make sure the dough is doubled in size by covering the bowl and allowing it to rise in a warm place for about an hour.
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After the dough has risen, punch it down, and empty the bowl onto a floured surface. Reserve 14 pieces of dough for the braid at the bottom (optional).
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The dough should be rolled into a long rope about three feet long.
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The middle of the rope should be covered with parchment paper the size of a baking sheet.
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The ends of the rope should be twisted together and placed over the middle to form a pretzel shape.
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Cut the set aside dough into three equal pieces for the braid.
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Make a rope from each piece by rolling it into a foot long piece.
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Make a tight braid by pinching together the edges on one side.
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On the other side, seal the edges.
-
The braid should be placed on the lower part of the pretzel and lightly pressed.
-
Allow the pretzel to rise for anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour covered with a cloth.
-
The oven should be preheated to 350 degrees.
-
Put balled up tinfoil in the pretzel holes to keep them from falling apart.
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It should be baked for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
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Vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk are whisked together to make the glaze.
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You can then drizzle the glaze over the pretzels and top with your favorite toppings.