The Best New Year's Eve Pretzel

For Prosperity, Good Luck, and to start the new year on a sweet note, you need this iconic Pittsburgh New Year's Eve Pretzel. The most amazing sweetened and pillowy soft dough coated in a creamy glaze and a choice of nonpareils, nuts, or demon seeds (cherries).

📝 Ingredients

• 3/4 cups (6 ounces) scalded milk (~180F that is then cooled to 110F)
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 4 Tablespoons (56.8g) softened butter, unsalted
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) warm water
• 2 1/2 teaspoon (7.75g) instant yeast
• 4-5 cups (480-600g) ap flour*
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste
• Egg wash – 1 egg beaten with 1 tsp of water
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 4-5 Tablespoons heavy cream
• Nonpareils
• Cherries
• Toasted Nuts

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough attachment, add the scalded milk, sugar, vanilla, water, and instant yeast. Give it a quick whisk.
2. 2Add 2 cups of flour, salt, egg, and yolk to the milk mixture. Turn the mixer on low and mix just until barely combined. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft dough begins to form. Add the butter and continue mixing until it’s fully incorporated and the dough is smooth, pulling away from the sides. *You may not need all of the flour.
3. 3Turn the dough out on a lightly floured board and give it a few turns to form a smooth ball. Put it into a large, greased bowl and cover. Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured board and divide in half.
4. 4Roll each half into a long rope and shape into a pretzel.
5. 5Transfer each pretzel onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, cover with lightly sprayed plastic wrap, and allow to rise for 35-45 minutes or until very puffy. Do not overproof.
6. 6Right before baking, brush the pretzels with the egg wash. Bake at 375°F for 15- 20 minutes until golden brown. Take the internal temp as it should read 200°F.
7. 7Remove from the oven and immediately transfer the pretzels to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
8. 8Make the glaze by whisking all of the ingredients together. To the cooled pretzels, pour the glaze over the top and top with nonpareils, cherries, and or nuts.
9. 9Store any leftovers, covered.