A pretty perfect fall food, these pretzel knots are the perfect snack after an afternoon picking apples or carving pumpkins! It’s also a good excuse to have the rest of a gallon of cider around, so you could sip some mulled cider while you munch!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup warm apple cider
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 medium apple, peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• sea salt for topping
• 1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
• 2/3 cup baking soda, for boiling

Cheese is one ingredient where I recommend paying a bit extra for a nice version. Supermarket brand cheddar can be pretty flavorless, and extra sharp cheddar really stands out and improves things enough to justify the cost.

To make the dough, stir together the cider, brown sugar, and yeast in a large bowl.

I did question whether my yeast had died, but the dough rose, so all’s well…

Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast starts to get things a bit foamy, then add the butter, salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and flour, stirring until a rough dough comes together.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead unto a soft, smooth dough is formed. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large greased bowl, turning the dough-ball to get it lightly greased all over. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place to ride until the dough has doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

While the dough rises, prepare the apple filling. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment. Combine the diced apple with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and spread on the lined sheet.

Bake 15-20 minutes, until the pieces are dry to the touch. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Once the dough has risen, increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees, and set a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Line another baking sheet and set aside.

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, and roll each out into a 12″x3″ rectangle.

Spread 1/4 of the cheese and 1/4 of the apple down the long side of one of the dough pieces, then repeat with the remaining cheese, apple, and dough pieces.

Lightly brush the opposite long sides with egg wash, then roll the dough around the filling, towards the egg wash side, creating a log, and pinching to make sure the log stays closed around the filling.

Gently tie each log into a basic knot.

Add the baking soda to the boiling water, being careful as it will foam up. Add two of the knots to the boiling water and let them boil for 30 seconds, spooning water over them or flipping them if they are floating half out of the water. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and place on the prepared sheet. Repeat with the remaining pretzels.

Brush the top of each knot with egg wash, then sprinkle with sea salt. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Super yummy, and not as much work as they may appear!

Apple Cheddar Pretzel Knots

From Bashful Bao.

• 3/4 cup warm apple cider
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 medium apple, peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• sea salt for topping
• 1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
• 2/3 cup baking soda, for boiling

To make the dough, stir together the cider, brown sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast starts to get things a bit foamy, then add the butter, salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and flour, stirring until a rough dough comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead unto a soft, smooth dough is formed. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large greased bowl, turning the dough-ball to get it lightly greased all over. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place to ride until the dough has doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

While the dough rises, prepare the apple filling. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment. Combine the diced apple with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and spread on the lined sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes, until the pieces are dry to the touch. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Once the dough has risen, increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees, and set a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Line another baking sheet and set aside.

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, and roll each out into a 12″x3″ rectangle. Spread 1/4 of the cheese and 1/4 of the apple down the long side of one of the dough pieces, then repeat with the remaining cheese, apple, and dough pieces. Lightly brush the opposite long sides with egg wash, then roll the dough around the filling, towards the egg wash side, creating a log, and pinching to make sure the log stays closed around the filling. Gently tie each log into a basic knot.

Add the baking soda to the boiling water. Add two of the knots to the boiling water and let them boil for 30 seconds, spooning water over them or flipping them if they are floating half out of the water. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and place on the prepared sheet. Repeat with the remaining pretzels.

Brush the top of each knot with egg wash, then sprinkle with sea salt. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.