Chocolate Pretzels
Christmas cookie season is alive and well. Speaking of, have you seen the holiday cookie spread in the new Foodie Crush Magazine? While you’re at it, you should start from the top and read it cover to cover. Pages filled with beautiful stories matched with jaw dropping images, not to mention the impeccably set type. (I’m a typography geek at heart.) Some of my favorite food bloggers like Two Peas & Their Pod, Bev Cooks, Turntable Kitchen, and With Style and Grace make the headlines. You can find my (world peace) cookie contribution on page 51. Take my word, this debut magazine is a beauty. Go. Read it now.
At Christmastime, my sister and I usually make sugar cookies with royal icing. We make my brother and husband decorate at least one cookie. Last year my husband’s cookie resembled the likes of Jackson Pollock. As a painter, I was proud. As a baker, I was horrified. There will be no royal icing this year. I’ve decided to go the non-traditional route. And these Chocolate Pretzels are kicking us off. Everyone one can get involved. Roll the dough into a snake and curl it into a pretzel. Sprinkle with some coarse sugar, and voilà! Their texture falls somewhere between a cracker and a cookie as does their taste. They’re only slightly sweet which I welcome this time of year. Bring on the Chocolate Pretzels.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pour the boiling water in a small bowl. Stir in cocoa and espresso powder until dissolved. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until creamy. Add in vanilla and salt. Reduce speed to medium-low. Add in the egg followed by the cocoa mixture. Gradually add in flour, and mix until dough becomes smooth. Place dough on a piece of plastic wrap and form into a square. Wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325°. Divide dough into 24 equal pieces. Roll each piece into 12-inch-long ropes. Twist each rope into a pretzel shape. With either end of the rope suspsended in the air, drop the curve of the dough on the pan, twist the ends once, and overlap with the bottom curve. Place 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or Silpat.
- Whisk together egg yolk and 1 teaspoon water. Lightly brush pretzels with egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar (or Turbinado). Bake cookies until dry, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
I will take a baker’s dozen.
Thanking you in advance,
movita beaucoup
What fun cookies!! I am obsessed with the new Foodie Crush magazine! Loved your cookies!
Thanks Maria! Loved yours too! You look so beautiful in your spread!
Your pretzels look completely adorable! How cute and yummy! I’ll have to give these a try soon. I have a question: What kind of Dutched cocoa powder do you generally use for baking?
Good question! I typically use Hershey’s (gasp!) unsweetened special dark cocoa. It’s a blend of dutched and natural cocoa, or so the packaging says.
On another note, what kind of instant espresso powder should I look for?
I typically pick-up whatever I can find in the instant coffee section of the grocery store. Although I hear King Arthur Flour sells a good espresso powder.
I loooved your cookies in the mag! And thank you for the mention.
I can’t stop looking at the entire thing!
these are so cute! and i love that they’re not too sweet
These look completely amazing. Nom nom nom.
Aww yeah. These sound delicious!
my favorite desserts combine sweet and salty. Yum!
okay wow. So at first I thought you dipped pretzels in chocolate, but then I read the recipe and realized that, no, you made the pretzels, amazing! I’m all about the homemade gift this year so I’m definitely going to add these to the cookie list. Also I was thinking that if you used a little red ribbon they would make a cute ornament too. Beautiful photos!
An edible tree is such a fun idea! Centerpiece??
This is such a cute idea – I love it!
Wow, another fantastic recipe! Loving this and your prop styling is so so purdy. Thank you so much for the mag love, so happy to have you in there. XOXO
Thanks lady! That means alot coming from you. I heart your style big time. PS—thanks for including me in the mag!
Hi! I had seen these on Martha’s site but was discouraged from making it due to the reviews…your post just renewed my interest though!
If you don’t mind me asking, did the additional sugar help with the overall taste? You say it falls between a cracker and a cookie, but is the chocolate flavor distinct? I’m trying to see if I could get a gage for what these would compare to flavor-wise. Thanks
Have you ever had an Annie’s Chocolate Bunnies? They taste very similar. Not 100% cookie. Not 100% cracker. I think the additional sugar will help, although a friend that ate it with less sugar liked it too. You’ll have to let me know what you think if you decide to make them!
I actually have tried Annie’s bunny grahams and quite like them!
I’ll definitely give these a go then!
Thanks so much for the shoutout, lovely! Made my day. Your cookies looked delicious (OF COURSE!) Happy holidays to you!
xo
[...] Chocolate Pretzels from The Faux Martha. [...]
Those look too good!
[...] Photo Above: Chocolate Pretzels from The Faux Martha [...]
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These looks great! I’ve made them before, but yours are skinnier and look a lot better. Bookmarked!
THANKS!