Lenten Pretzels

Did you know that the pretzel is a traditional food for lent
Soft Pretzel Recipe along with a Pretzel Prayer and Activity

The pretzel might be served on each plate for each evening meal until Easter.

 Added to the grace before meals, is the following "pretzel prayer":

PRAYER 

We beg you, O Lord, to bless these breads which are to remind us that Lent is a sacred season of penance and prayer. For this very reason, the early Christians started the custom of making these breads in the form of arms crossed in prayer. Thus they kept the holy purpose of Lent alive in their hearts from day to day, and increased in their souls the love of Christ, even unto death, if necessary.Grant us, we pray, that we too, may be reminded by the daily sight of these pretzels to observe the holy season of Lent with true devotion and great spiritual fruit. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Activity — Pretzel Making — Fun Project for Families

Pretzel making can be a project for the family or youth group to do. The pretzels can be made into gifts for friends.

You might make a bag of pretzels for a friend during Lent. An idea for an attractive presentation is to use a plastic bag, tied with a purple ribbon, which would include a Pretzel Leaflet, Prayer Cards (about five) and a note which may read:

"Pretzels for God" Sharing Custom

Dear Friend:

Please take these Pretzels for God as a token of love. We happily share with you and your family this beautiful pretzel custom. It will bear much spiritual fruit, serving to remind each of your dear ones of the true purpose of Lent.

See the recipes section below for a variety of pretzel recipes to use, and the Activity Pretzels for God for the prayer to attach.
Activity Source: Pretzels for God by Unknown, Pretzels for God, St. Francis Xavier Church, 4715 N. Central, Phoenix, AZ 85012

Aunt Annie's Soft Pretzels

Serves/Makes: 12    |   Ready In: 1-2 hrs


***Pretzel Dough***
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup bread flour
3 cups regular flour

***Water Bath***
2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons baking soda

***Toppings***
to taste coarse salt
4 tablespoons sweet butter (melted)**

Directions:
Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl and stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve. Add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise at least 1/2 hour. 

While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 Tbsp baking soda. Be certain to stir often. 

After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope* (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet. Allow pretzels to rise again. Bake in 450 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted butter and enjoy! 

For Toppings: After you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt. Or for Auntie Anne's famous Cinnamon Sugar, try melting a stick of butter in a shallow bowl (big enough to fit the entire pretzel) and in another shallow bowl make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. 

Dip the pretzel into the butter, coating both sides generously. Then dip again into the cinnamon mixture. Enjoy! 

* The longer and thinner you can make the dough rope, the more like Auntie Anne's they will be. 

** Sweet butter, not regular butter, is one of her secrets!

Aunt Annie's copycat recipe 

I don't know how easy these are, but it's a copycat on Aunt Annie's pretzels, which are my favorite in the world.
another Aunt Annie's copycat recipe 
Here's another that gives good instruction as you make them  soft pretzel recipe  and this one that seems pretty simple too!

Hope these help!

Thanks For Visiting