I didn't have a lot of time to play in the kitchen today, but I still wanted to make something a little different for us to snack on. Jeff has been asking for some homemade pretzels lately, but we've been fairly busy and haven't had the extra time it takes for them. So, while these
Honey Whole-Wheat Pretzel Sticks are not those classic twisted pretzels, they fit within my schedule today as there was no waiting for dough to rise or having to deal with shaping.
The dough is made with an almost equal combination of regular all-purpose and whole-wheat flour - this way you still get a lighter texture while getting the more nutty flavor and nutrition from the whole-wheat flour. You can mix this recipe entirely in a mixer with a dough hook if you prefer, but I just like the feeling of kneading the dough myself. After a brief rest for the dough to relax a bit, it is easily rolled out into logs to form the pretzel sticks - if you want to play around with the appearance a bit, you can twist the dough a few times before moving it to the baking sheet. Instead of the smooth look that these have, twisting it will give it more texture on the outside with cracks swirling around.
Since there is no rising time, these can go right into the oven after shaping - right before you bake them, they are given a quick egg wash so a mixture of coarse salt and nutty sesame seeds can adhere to the dough. The egg wash also brings a lovely golden brown color as the sticks bake. Between a few tablespoons of honey in the dough and the salty coating on the outside, there is a delicious sweet and salty blend that happens to these chewy sticks. If I had more time, I might let them do a cycle of rising to develop more flavor to the dough, but it was still quite tasty for a somewhat speedy snack.
The dough is made with an almost equal combination of regular all-purpose and whole-wheat flour - this way you still get a lighter texture while getting the more nutty flavor and nutrition from the whole-wheat flour. You can mix this recipe entirely in a mixer with a dough hook if you prefer, but I just like the feeling of kneading the dough myself. After a brief rest for the dough to relax a bit, it is easily rolled out into logs to form the pretzel sticks - if you want to play around with the appearance a bit, you can twist the dough a few times before moving it to the baking sheet. Instead of the smooth look that these have, twisting it will give it more texture on the outside with cracks swirling around.
Since there is no rising time, these can go right into the oven after shaping - right before you bake them, they are given a quick egg wash so a mixture of coarse salt and nutty sesame seeds can adhere to the dough. The egg wash also brings a lovely golden brown color as the sticks bake. Between a few tablespoons of honey in the dough and the salty coating on the outside, there is a delicious sweet and salty blend that happens to these chewy sticks. If I had more time, I might let them do a cycle of rising to develop more flavor to the dough, but it was still quite tasty for a somewhat speedy snack.
Thank you Joe! I was looking for just a little something to add to our weekly company dinner tomorrow. This is just the thing! I love that it's quick and easy- I'll be whipping them up tomorrow afternoon.
ReplyDeleteErika - I hope you guys enjoy them! We stashed the extras in the freezer and will be snacking on them throughout the week!
ReplyDeleteThey sounds great and no hassle of trying to shape them. They look like mini baguettes.
ReplyDeleteMm, they're so cute! I've only had pretzels once (on a school trip to America - they don't really exist in Britain!) so I'd love to have a go at making them and trying them again ^__^
ReplyDeleteKatie - Yes, the no shaping was nice!
ReplyDeleteIndigo - Thanks!
Joe,
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of salt did you use for yours? I can't seem to find pretzel salt in my local stores.
Meredith
Hi Meredith - I always use coarse Kosher salt unless otherwise stated.
ReplyDeleteThese turned out wonderful the very first time I made them! I followed your recipe exactly except for using Real Sea Salt for the teaspoons and Kosher salt for the topping. I also brushed melted butter over the top while they cooled. I made them for my son's 2nd grade class and they all loved them. The sesame seeds added a different flavor which was enjoyable. Thank you for the recipe. Great job on the blog!
ReplyDeleteAnon - Fantastic! Thanks for the feedback.
ReplyDeleteWow , these are wonderful, I almost ate the entire recipe! Made different sizes and shapes, anxious to see how they last a few days. Absolutely delicious and I am so glad to have found this recipe. Thanks
ReplyDelete