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[1] Bake big, soft pretzels and invite friends to bring the beer. The simplest garnish: melted butter (both photos © King Arthur Baking).
[2] How about an “everything bagel” topping for your soft pretzels, here served with both mustard and softened cream cheese dip?
[3] Parmesan-topped soft pretzels with a beer-cheese dip. Here’s the recipe (photo © Wisconsin Dairy).
[4] Stuffed with mozzarella, topped with pepperoni. Here’s the recipe (photo © Pampered Chef).
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Whether or not it’s actually National Champagne Day (see previous post), we know that April 26th is National Soft Pretzel Day.
Hard pretzels are ubiquitous, but soft pretzels have become so popular that they’re no longer a ballpark or theme park snack. You can now find them in your grocer’s freezer case (look for SuperPretzel and other brands).
Or, bake this soft pretzel recipe from scratch.
> Check out the history of pretzels.
SOFT PRETZEL TOPPINGS & GARNISHES
Here are some garnishing tips from SuperPretzel. Be sure the pretzels are cool enough to eat; then garnish:
Mustard. Dip them in your favorite mustard (we use a knife to spread the mustard, rather than double-dipping).
Other dips. Before baking or reheating, lightly apply butter and garlic powder to the top. Serve with ranch dressing, salsa, or queso dip.
Bagel style. Top with a light spread of butter, jam, peanut butter, cream cheese, or a combination (photo #2).
Cheese. Before baking or microwaving, cover the pretzel with shredded cheese and a dash of oregano or chili flakes (photo #3). Let cool an extra couple of seconds.
Gourmet. Brush with garlic butter or other compound butter(recipes) and sprinkle with sesame seeds or dill (or both).
Pizza style. Sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella, then bake or reheat. When sufficiently cooled, top with warm marinara sauce and oregano (photo #4).
Sandwich style: Monte Cristo. Make a Monte Cristo sandwich using the pretzel as bread. Carefully slice the pretzel horizontally. Beat an egg with 3 tablespoons of milk. Over medium heat, melt some butter in a sauté pan until foaming stops.
> Dunk the bottom half (outside only) of the pretzel into the batter and place it in the pan. Place layers of ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese on top of the pretzel half.
> Dunk the top half (outside only) of the pretzel into the egg mixture, and place it on top of the sandwich. When the bottom is golden brown, flip the sandwich and brown the top.
> Remove from pan when cheese is melted and sandwich is golden brown and heated through.
Sandwich style: Open Face Crab. Place a slice of pepper jack cheese onto a room-temperature pretzel. Top with a scoop of crabmeat. Sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning and add more pepper jack cheese. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven until the cheese is melted. (You might need a knife and fork.)
Southern fried. Make a dip by mixing ¼ cup of mustard with 2 tablespoons of dried onion soup mix. Let sit a few minutes to blend.
> Deep fry room temperature pretzels in 350°F oil, top side down, for 1-2 minutes. Drain on paper towels, let cool a bit, and enjoy with the onion mustard dip.
> For an optional twist, sprinkle with garlic powder right out of the fryer.
Sundae style. Add chocolate sauce, a dollop of whipped cream, and a maraschino cherry to a plain pretzel.
Do you have a favorite way to eat soft pretzels? Let us know.
MORE SOFT PRETZEL RECIPES
Chocolate-Stuffed Soft Pretzels
Classic Soft Pretzels
Pepperoni Pizza Stuffed Pretzels
Pumpkin & Stout Soft Pretzels
Parmesan Soft Pretzels With Beer-Cheese Dip
Soft Pretzel Bites
Soft Pretzel Dips & Garnishes
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