Happy National Pretzel Day! Every year on April 26th America celebrates this all-time favorite food with a day dedicated strictly to pretzels. Because, let’s face it, nothing hits that salty craving quite like a pretzel. Whether you are enjoying a bag of your favorite brands’ crunchy kind or indulging on a big warm soft pretzel, you can never go wrong with this classic and old-time favorite snack. Here’s what you need to know about this savory food + what to make in celebration this year.
The History of Pretzels
National Pretzel Day became a real thing in 2003 when Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell declared April 26th “National Pretzel Day” to celebrate the importance of the pretzel to the state’s history and economy. It is unclear when pretzels were first created, however tracing back to the 19th century, Dutch immigrants introduced pretzels to North America. After the introduction, handmade pretzel factories started to populate throughout Pennsylvania and quickly spread to the greater New York City area. Today, soft pretzels are a staple in cities such as Philadelphia, NYC, and Chicago, especially when you are walking down the streets and want an easy snack to grab on the go.
See More: Delicious Mini English Muffin Pizzas to Make at Home
Soft pretzels {especially the Auntie Anne’s cinnamon pretzels} are the ultimate comfort food + the classic Synder’s pretzels are a go-to snack. Whether it’s dipping the pretzels in a hummus or onion dip to just snacking on them with a few beers, there is a pretzel for everyone. {Nowadays you can even find gluten-free and vegan pretzels in your local grocery stores, too}.
Pretzel Dishes to Make At Home
While we love snacking on pretzels, there are also so many unique ways you can incorporate this snack into creative recipes! Below are some of our favorites.
Pretzel Crusted Chicken
What You’ll Need:
- 1 5-ounce bag of salted pretzels
- ½ teaspoon of paprika
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ small red onion
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley
- Vegetable oil
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons of flour
- 2 cups of milk
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons of whole grain mustard
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
Everyone loves a good chicken cutlet, try using pretzels instead of breadcrumbs instead. This recipe is super easy to make and looks delicious. All you need to do is use a food processor or blender to grind up the pretzels into “crumbs.” After you coat the chicken in the eggs you just cover the cutlet with pretzel crumbs. Serve this with the cheddar mustard sauce {in the recipe link} and you’ve got yourself a perfect dinner. Get the recipe here.
No-Bake Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars
What You’ll Need:
- 2 cups of crushed pretzels
- 12 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cup of milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar
- 1 ¼ cup of creamy peanut butter
There’s nothing better than being able to hit that salty and sweet craving all in one bite. The best part about this recipe is that you probably have all the ingredients in your kitchens already, but you just don’t know it yet. All you need is butter, sugar, peanut butter, pretzels, and chocolate chips. See the full recipe here to learn how to make these tasty treats.
Read More: 7 Easy Decadent Dessert Recipes to Make at Home
Pretzel Kabobs
What You’ll Need:
- Pretzel Sticks
- Kabob garnishes of your choice
This is a fun way to get the whole family involved, especially the kids. The best part is the stick is edible with these kabobs. They make a perfect appetizer for a party or just a fun snack. Cheddar, ham, and grapes work as garnishes, but you could also get creative using other meats and cheeses like salami + turkey or mozzarella + brie — find the recipe here.
Pretzel Crusted Goat Cheese
What You’ll Need:
- Pretzels {crushed}
- Goat cheese
- Chopped parsley
Two simple ingredients that combine to make the most epic appetizer for your guests! All you need to do is roll goat cheese into a ball and then roll it in crushed pretzels + chopped parsley. Get the recipe here.
Beer Mac + Cheese with Pretzels
What You’ll Need:
- 6 tablespoons of butter
- 8 ounces of macaroni
- ¼ cup of flour
- 1 cup of crushed pretzels
- ½ cup of beer
- 1 ½ cups of milk
- ¾ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of dry mustard
Beer and pretzels — name a more iconic duo. We’ll wait! Just when we thought this pair couldn’t get any better, we discovered mac and cheese in a beer cheese sauce with a crushed pretzel topping. It’s the classic comfort food dish with, a cup of beer. Don’t knock it until you try it — find the recipe here.
White Chocolate Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels
What You’ll Need:
-
- 1 bag of pretzels
- ½ cup of cinnamon sugar
- 1 cup of white chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup of sugar
- ⅔ cup of oil
Saving the sweetest for last. Chocolate covered pretzels are the best and this treat is truly the perfect mix of sweet and salty. White chocolate chips, cinnamon sugar, and pretzels combined together make the most magical recipe. Trust us on that! Get the recipe here.
We hope we can inspire you to use your pretzels in different ways on this holiday. Tag @thehobokengirl on Instagram of any special treats you are creating to celebrate!
Did you know: We started a podcast about all things news and lifestyle in Hoboken + Jersey City! Listen to the latest episode of Tea on the Hudson here and subscribe.
