Lenten Pretzels

Making Lenten Pretzels with Mommy and Daddy!

The Sunday School at my church makes Lenten Pretzels every year at some point during lent.

This year since Emily is old enough to enjoy watching and helping with some baking and she loves playing with play-doh, I decided that each week during Lent we will try a different pretzel recipe. Today, because of the snow Daddy was able to help us with these!

Emily watching the mixer knead the pretzel dough

Emily working on her first pretzel

Emily and Mommy

Daddy working on the perfect pretzel


The story behind the Lenten Pretzel

Many years ago, an Italian monk made a simple bread as a reminder that Lent was a time of prayer. He rolled the bread dough in strips and shaped them in the form of arms crossed over the heart in a prayerful gesture.

The recipe we used for today's pretzels:

SOFT LENTEN PRETZELS

Serves: 8-12

• 1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1/2 tsp. brown sugar
• 1 dash of salt
• 1 1/2 cups 110 degree water
• 1 Tbsp. baking soda
• 1/4 cup warm water
• melted butter and toppings

1. Combine the yeast, sugar, salt and 1 1/2 cups 110 degree water. Allow to rest for 5 minutes
2. Stir flour into mixture and knead for 5 minutes (I used the dough hook and my stand mixer)
3. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour ( I turned the oven on the lowest it could go about 170 degrees)
4. Divide dough into 8-12 equal pieces, roll each piece into a rope and shape each rope into a pretzel.
5. In a shallow dish, stir baking soda into 1/4 warm water; dip pretzels into mixture; lay coated pretzel on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake in a 550 degree oven for 5-8 minutes, or until golden brown.
7. Brush with melted butter

**For toppings we sprinkled some with Kosher salt and the others with cinnamon sugar**