New Year's Pretzels

Recently, my friend posted information about a German tradition of making New Year's Pretzels.  These aren't just any pretzels - they are a sweet dough topped with frosting then sprinkles or nuts.  The dough reminds me a lot of a cinnamon bun, but denser because of not being rolled thin.  I made them, and shared them, this year and can see this becoming a New Year's tradition - pretzels for breakfast and Pork and Sauerkraut for lunch/dinner.

  2 Cups 1% Milk                                                                       Topping

  1/2 Cup Salted Butter                                                               1 1/2 Cups Confectioners Sugar

  4 1/2 Tsp Yeast                                                                        1 Tsp Vanilla

  2 Tsp Salt                                                                                 1/2 Cup Salted Butter

  1/2 Cup Sugar                                                                          1/2 Cup Crisco, NOT Butter Flavored

  8 Cups Bread Flour                                                                  Rainbow Sprinkles

  2 Large Eggs                                                                           

Grease a large bowl and set it aside.  Melt the butter.  Warm the milk and add the butter.  Test it on your forearm to make sure it is not too hot - you want it to feel warm and not burn you (about 110 degrees).  Stir in the yeast then add the salt, sugar and 1 cup of flour.  Mix for three minutes.  Add 1 cup of flour and eggs, mix for another two minutes.  Add remaining flour, about a cup at a time, until it forms a soft dough.  Knead for a few minutes until smooth.  Put the dough into the greased bowl, turn it over, cover the bowl with a bowl and raise for 1 hour - at least double in size.  Punch down the dough and rise again for about an hour until once again doubled in size.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Divide dough into 4 pieces.  Roll each piece into a 25 inch rope about 1 inch thick.  

Make a circle, crossing the ends over each other then pull the top over the ends to make the pretzel shape.  Put on a baking sheet that has been lined with non stick foil or a silicone baking mat.   

Once all 4 pretzels are formed, allow to raise another 10 minutes.   

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.   

Remove from pan to  a cooling rack.

When cool, mix Confectioners sugar, vanilla, butter and Crisco.  Beat until smooth and spread on pretzels.  Top with Rainbow Sprinkles.

My friend took a picture of a pretzel next to a computer mouse so you have a reference of how large they are.