recipe

December 28, 2025

Bavarian Pretzels

Making Bavarian Pretzels has become my entire personality this winter. I cannot get enough. My love for pretzels paired with a rich stone ground mustard runs real deep. And my soul is lit on fire with that doughy interior, crispy exterior, version of a dopamine hit.

The pretzels are best straight out of the oven. If not serving right away, be sure to let cool on a wire rack so moisture doesn’t get trapped.

Be sure to play around with the toppings. Rosemary, japapeno and cheddar, pepperoni and mozzarella, cinnamon sugar… options are endless!

Bavarian Pretzel Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ c. warm water
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp kosher sea salt
  • 2 ½ tsp active dry yeast
  • 4 ½ c. all-purpose flour
  • ¼ c. salted butter, melted
  • 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 quarts water
  • ⅔ c. baking soda
  • 1 egg york + 1 Tbsp water
  • Pretzel salt

Directions

  • In mixer, pour warm water over brown sugar and sea salt. Sprinkle yeast over top and let it sit until bubbly (approx 10 minutes)
  • Add flour and butter. With dough hook mix until dough comes away from bowl (approx 4 minutes)
  • Form dough into ball and place back in bowl, lightly coated with oil. Cover and let rise in warm spot for an hour or dbl’d in size.
  • After dough has risen, preheat oven to 450, and bring water & baking soda to a boil in a pot on stove.
  • Turn dough onto lightly oiled surface and divide into 8-12 portions. Roll one portion into long snake, bring ends up, twist twice, bring down toward bottom and secure under. Repeat.
  • Place pretzels in boiling water for 30 seconds, place on parchment covered pan, brush with egg/water mix.
  • Sprinkle with salt, or any other fun ingredients.
  • Bake for 12-14 minutes.
  • Enjoy!

I am learning a few tricks as I go, so I will be sure to add those tips to this post as my skills continue to develop:

  • Eat fresh day of.
  • If storing, be sure to cool completely on wire rack and store in air-tight container for one day.
  • If storing more than one day, put them in freezer bag and pop in freezer.
  • Whether eating next day, or multiple days out from freezer, always reheat in oven for 5 minutes at 350 degrees. Brush with a little water on top then pop in oven.
  • If making for later, hold off on adding salt until your reheat. The salt dissolves with added moisture from freezer.

Cheers!

December 7, 2020

Pecan Pie Bars

Clint was really hoping for some Pecan Pie over Thanksgiving this year, but with our cancelled plans and my life in quarantine, his dreams were looking dismal.

I am not a pie maker. I love to bake and Lord knows I do a ton of it, but pie’s? Nah, girl. We will leave the pie’s to my niece Payton over on The Road Less Traveled. She’s the Queen!

I was looking for something a little more simple and landed on an easy Pecan Pie bar recipe over on Cookies & Cups.

The shortbread base had me at helloooooooo!

The Recipe

Crust

  • 3/4 cup butter, room temp
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

Filling

  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups corn syrup
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 cups  chopped pecans
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 9×13 baking dish.
  2. Combine butter and sugar together on medium speed. Add flour until combined. Mixture will be dry. 
  3. Press the mixture into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden.
  4. While crust is baking, whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Add in the flour and salt and whisk again until combined. Stir in the pecans.
  5. Pour the pecan mixture on top of hot crust. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the center is set.
  6. Slice and refrigerate.

Thanks, Shelley at Cookies & Cups for the easy recipe that saved me from the tedious process of making a pie. Husband approved!

Cheers!

November 8, 2020

Snickerdoodle Bread

When you think of fall, what smells come to mind?  Cinnamon?  Pumpkin?  Spices?

The smell of this Snickerdoodle Bread filled my house with the most amazing cinnamon smell, perfect for a warm fall day.

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Perfect for a snack or even breakfast, this recipe is sure to win anyone over.

Servings: One loaf

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 c. softened butter
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 c. Greek yogurt
  • 1 1/2 c. All-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • Bag of cinnamon chips
  • Brown sugar + cinnamon for topping
  • ½ cup softened butter, softened

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease one standard loaf pan.  Can use mini loaf pans or muffin tins as well.
  2. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and one teaspoon of cinnamon together in a medium bowl.
  3. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy
  4. Add eggs one at a time.
  5. Add vanilla and Greek yogurt.
  6. Stir in dry ingredients.
  7. Fold in cinnamon chips.
  8. Fill loaf pan 2/3 full.
  9. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top.
  10. Bake 40-45 minutes, until the bread has lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean.

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November 4, 2020

Reese’s Cookie Bars

I love all the November vibes. Rich colors, crisp air, the start of Holiday conversations. For me, November marks the beginning of Fall. September is just an extended summer, October is Halloween, but November? She brings to us a season of thanksgiving in all her beautiful tones.

Of course she also brings the below, which really is a point of discussion, but I can’t seem to get her to sit down to hash it out, so here we are.

In the dark.

I wanted to send a treat out to the shop , which landed me on No. 2 Pencil’s recipe for Red, White & Blue M&M Cookie Bars. To give the dessert it’s fall vibe, I called in Reese’s Pieces and Reese’s mini cups as reinforcements.

You can find the original recipe here, but will share my twist below. I was told by the hubs that the slightly undercooked middle pieces would pair well with some ice cream. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear they made this happen.

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks of butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • Reese’s Pieces
  • Reese’s Mini Cups

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray
  3. Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until fluffy.
  4. Add eggs and vanilla extract.
  5. Add flour, baking soda, and salt until combined.
  6. Stir in your desired amount of Reese’s Pieces, reserving some for topping.
  7. Transfer to 9×13 baking dish.
  8. Press additional Reese’s Pieces and Reese’s Mini Cups into top of cookie dough.
  9. Bake 30 to 35 minutes on oven rack in lower third of oven.
  10. Let cool completely and cut.

Cheers!

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