Pumpkin Pretzels & STROH Rum Cheesecake Spread

Homemade German Pumpkin Pretzel Recipe

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Give me a pretzel and I am the happiest girl on the planet. Throw in pumpkin and I soar up to heaven immediately. Today's treat has almost a whole can of pumpkin worked into the dough, which makes six big pretzels. I also worked in some pumpkin seeds for that extra crunch and nutty flavor! I can promise you that this recipe won't disappoint! These pumpkin pretzels are neutral in taste (not too savory and not sweet) and can be turned into sandwiches for those with a savory tooth (my favorite way to enjoy them) or smothered in the STROH rum cheesecake spread (look below for recipe) for an unexpected, sweet snack. Bring these to Thanksgiving... Friendsgiving... just anywhere you plan to show up, and cheer up the gang!

STROH Jagertee Rum Cheesecake Spread

It's time for a festive treat. Treat your taste buds to a drool-worthy upgrade by serving your pretzels with this Austrian spiced rum and cheesecake spread - boozy, creamy, and so delicious. This would also be a great accompaniment for a holiday brunch or to have out while your guests are anxiously waiting for the turkey to finish roasting. Simply whisk together the ingredients below and add more STROH Jagertee rum depending on how fun you want your party to be. 😉 To find out availability of STROH Jagertee in your area of the United States, simply complete the form on this website for a list of liquor stores that carry it.

German Sweet Potato Pancakes Up Next

What's next will be a fun Fall surprise... and perfect for a holiday brunch as they keep warm in the oven nicely. To make sure you're not missing any recipes, please subscribe to receive weekly emails for updates on when they go live!   If you're trying any of my recipes, I would love to have you share some feedback in a comment below, so I can work on improving and adding new recipes you've been wanting to try!

Recipe for 6 Pumpkin Pretzels:

Pumpkin Pretzel Dough:

• 4 c (500 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 package (7 g) active dry yeast
• 3.5 oz (100 ml) lukewarm milk (soy or almond milk is acceptable as a substitute for cow's milk here)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ⅓ c shelled pumpkin seeds (plus more for topping)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 10.5 oz (300 g) pumpkin purée
• pretzel salt (optional)

Lye Solution (for dipping or brushing the pretzels before baking):

• 1 oz (28 g) food-grade lye
• 20 oz water
• you will also need food safe rubber gloves if dipping the pretzels in lye solution! If not, you'll need a pastry brush.

1. Combine warm milk, sugar and yeast in a small bowl and let sit for about 5 minutes or until yeast starts to bubble up.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all ingredients including milk-yeast mixture and knead until a smooth, elastic ball forms, about 5 to 10 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm spot for about an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
3. Preheat your oven to 335 degrees Fahrenheit (convection setting). Separate the dough into 6 equal portions (it's easiest to use a kitchen scale for this), then shape into pretzels (check out the video on my "Martinsbrezel" pretzel post on how to shape pretzels if you need help!).
4. Transfer pretzels to a baking sheet covered in parchment paper and allow to rise for another 20 minutes.
5. Prepare the lye solution by whisking in the lye into the bowl of water (not the other way around) and either
6. If brushing on, simply use a pastry brush and generously cover each pretzel in lye solution before sprinkling with pumpkin seeds. If you would like to dip your pretzels in the lye solution, make sure that you have food safe rubber gloves handy! The solution can be aggressive and should not come in contact with skin. If if does come in contact with your skin, rinse with water immediately. After dipping in the lye solution for about 10 seconds each, you can dip the pretzel in a bowl of pumpkin seeds (instead of sprinkling) before placing them back on the parchment paper. This way you get even more pumpkin seed coverage! Yum!
7. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the pretzels start to turn a medium brown color. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving or turning into sandwiches. Guten Appetit!