pretzels

Pretzels are baked bread snacks traditionally shaped into a distinctive knot or loop. They are made from a simple dough of flour, water, yeast, and salt, which is shaped and then briefly boiled in water containing baking soda before baking. This boiling gives pretzels their characteristic glossy, brown crust and slightly chewy texture. Originating from European monasteries, pretzels are popular as snack foods and are often sprinkled with coarse salt. Variations include soft pretzels, which are large and chewy, and pretzel sticks or twists, which are smaller and crispier, available in many flavors and toppings.