Chocolate Pretzels

I've had my eye on this one for a while.  I wasn't sure if it was just in the shape of a pretzel or kind of taste like one.  Turns out its both.  It's exactly like a pretzel except chocolate and covered in sugar, not salt.  So if you love chocolate and pretzels, then you should try this one out.  Dry and crunchy like a pretzel, with a chocolate flavor coated in sugar to make this sweet treat delicious. 

All I had was Christmas colored
sanding sugar - hopefully
getting supplies this weekend

These are really easy to make.  I did find a few easy tips for you along the way.  Once you get to the part where you roll them out into ropes, flour your hands a little and roll each ball in between your palms until you get your desired length.  It works much faster than if you roll it on the counter.  Don't worry if your pretzels are covered in flour, it will come off when you do the egg wash and in the baking process.  Check them at 30 minutes of being in the oven.  If they are hard and dry, take them out. 

Chocolate Pretzels

makes 2 dozen

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp espresso powder

3 tbsp boiling water

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg

2 cups all purpose flour

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp water

coarse sanding sugar for sprinkling

1. Stir cocoa and espresso powders into the boiling water in a small bowl until dissolved.
2. Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until creamy.  Mix in vanilla and salt.  Reduce speed to medium-low.  Mix in egg, then cocoa mixture.  Gradually add flour, and mix until a smooth dough forms.  Turn out onto a piece of plastic; pat into a square.  Wrap dough, and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Divide dough into 24 equal pieces.  Roll into balls.  Shape balls into 12" long ropes.  Form each rope into a pretzel shape.  Space 1" apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or Silpats. 
4. Whisk egg yolk with water in a small bowl.  Brush cookies with egg wash; sprinkle with sanding sugar.  Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until dry, about 35 minutes.  Let cool on sheets on wire racks.  Pretzels can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 week.