When I came across this Mozzarella Stuffed Rosemary and Parmesan Soft Pretzels recipe by Baker by Nature, it stood out as the perfect game day or New Year's Eve snack and I stored the idea away until the next event. I mean, soft pretzels? Warm out of the oven? And stuffed with ooey-gooey cheese? YES, PLEASE.
We highly recommend giving it a try this week. This week between Christmas and New Year's Day is always a fun one where we are looking for different (easy) things to do with kids. And, this is a fun one!
Following the recipe, we started off by making the dough, which included fresh rosemary from our Rise Garden. After the dough had doubled in size, we divided it into 8 equal sections.
To stuff the pretzels, each portion of dough was rolled out into a rectangle approximately 16 inches by 4 inches. The cheese mixture was added and the length of the pretzel was rolled up and sealed to keep the cheese in during baking. To form the pretzels, we started with a “U” shape, brought one arm of the “U” up towards the base, and crossed the other arm over the first.
Next, it was time to boil the pretzels. Boiling the pretzels in a baking soda and water solution allows the pretzels to instantly puff up--creating the iconic chewy texture of a soft pretzel and giving the exterior a head start on forming a golden crust.
After a 30-second boil, the pretzels were brushed with an egg wash and baked. Baker by Nature suggests the option for extra toppings, which we added right after they came out of the oven. After brushing with melted butter, we sprinkled with parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and of course more fresh rosemary!
Now this recipe may take a couple hours to make (including rising time for the dough), but I promise you, these are worth it! If you’re looking for a delicious, fresh-out of the oven snack for your New Year's Eve or your next game day, give these a try - they will not disappoint!
