Several years ago I showed up at New Year’s eve celebration at a friend’s home with a tasty New Year’s tradition in tow. The New Year’s Pretzel that I brought along had white icing and colorful sprinkles all over it. I was excited to bring this traditional snack with me so that in the morning everyone would have something delicious for breakfast.
My friends, however, were less than appreciative. None of them had every heard of the New Year’s tradition of the pastry pretzel and all made fun of me relentlessly. (Occasionally they still make jokes about the damn pretzel.) None of them had ever heard of the pretzel and they all insisted that I made it up.
I am writing today to show them all that it IS, in fact a tradition that many take part of. The German tradition of the New Year’s Pretzel is a soft, egg-dough pretzel that is brushed with glaze, rather than sprinkled with salt. they are large pretzels, usually 15-36 inches across. They are decorated with braided dough, icing, sprinkles, and other adornments. It is said to bring year-round luck to those who partake. There are a few different theories about the origins of the German New Years Pretzel. One is that they were first baked by monks in Southern Germany as a reward for children who learned their prayers. Thus they were shaped to represent the crossed arms of a child praying.
The sweet treat is saved for New Year’s Day breakfast. You are not to touch the pretzel with a knife, but rather rip your portion off with your fingers. This helps pass the luck of the New Year’s Pretzel into the year to come.
Have you ever had a New Year’s Pretzel?
Cheers.
Our family had New Year’s Pretzels every year growing up. I have now moved to another city and have the same problem. Most of the people here also have no idea what I am talking about and none of the stores carry them. When I go to visit my family for the holidays I now bring one back before New Years to share.
I grew up in a Traditional German Family in Pittsburgh, Pa and my mother always baked one for New Years Eve. I since have started my own family and have continued the tradtition with my 3 children. It is a true German tradition.
I’m so glad you wrote about this! I had one once at Joni’s house, and I haven’t found one ever since! My husband thinks I’m crazy because I’m always looking for a New Year’s Pretzel, and I NEVER find one!!! Now I can tell him that I’m NOT crazy!
I’m from Sandusky, Ohio and this has been a tradition in our area since the 1800′s when German settlers first came to our area. Our local library has a blog about the New Year’s Pretzel @(http://sanduskyhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/bakeries). I’ve been collecting info and recipes for several years on this tradition. It seems that the Pittsburg area has the sweet coffee cake/bread like version whereas the one I grew up with was a special dough, richer & sweeter than the usual roll dough without frosting or curliques of decorative dough on top like they did way back. I have an old news article from a local pape…dumb me, didn’t write the date down but I think it might have been written in the late 40′s or early 50′s because it mentions that “this is the first time since the war that the pretzels have been turned out in any numbers”. One of the bakers in the article said he brought his knowledge of the giant pretzels direct from the southern German states of Bavaria & Baden. He said they were always served on New Year’s eve in the old country, usually accompanied by cold ham & beer. It was the custom to give them to friends as a New Year’s gift.I plant to make them again this year along with pork & sauerkraut (traditional German good luck meal). The pretzel brot (bread) is great made into a sandwich with the ham. Yum-mmm! Where are you located and do you have a different recipe to share? Happy New Year! Deb from Ohio
I actually don’t have a recipe for them.I am not much of a baker…shame on me. Giant Eagle grocery store (I think you have Giant Eagle in Sandusky!) usually makes a ton of them and I pick them up there. My friends all think I’m crazy when I show up with them!
I lived in Pittsburgh, PA until I was 20 and every year we would go to the store and get a New Years Pretzel, I sure miss them living in North Carolina, these people never heard of them. You can get ones with icing or plain to use for sandwiches. They are so good
Anyone have a recipe for the New Years Pretzel? We have moved and its the first year away from Pittsburgh and my kids are crying because its tradition! I had no idea it was a German/Pittsburgh tradition. I would have ordered one and had it shipped to surprise them!
There are a few here: http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,new_years_pretzel,FF.html Hth. Happy 2012!
I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA and every New Year’s Eve for as long as I could remember my mom would buy a New Year’s Eve Pretzel (from either Foodland or Giant Eagle). Last year I moved to Wisconsin and when I mentioned to my partner that we should buy an New Year’s Eve pretzel, he didn’t know what I was talking about. We went to a few grocery stores and couldn’t find one. We even asked but nobody knew what I was talking about. I wonder why it’s not a country-wide tradition as they are so yummy.
Your post made me laugh! So funny!
Thanks for posting this… now, since I lost my recipe for one, I’m off to find another on the Net, wish me luck! (You know, the kind of luck you get from eating the Pretzel–hehe) ♥
I’m from Pittsburgh and we sure do have a real melting pot of nationalities here– and we celebrate them all! This is a German thing….. but it’s like this, here in the ‘Burgh, for example, on St. Patty’s day, we’re all Irish, if you go shopping in Bloomfield, you feel more Italian!
We love each part of our wonderful, friendly city… so on NYE, we eat sauerkraut and pork, and in the morning, we have some of that big ‘ol pretzel with our coffee or tea.
My mother is from Sandusky, Ohio and this has always been a tradition to our rather large German family. I believe she told me the recipe went back to to late 1800′s. We continue to carry on the tradition of sharing them with friends who look forward to them each year.
scald: two cups milk, cool to luke warm
dissolve: 2 cakes yeast in 1/4 cup luke warm water, 1 tsp sugar, and add 2 tablespoons melted margarine. Allow this to rise while the scalded milk is cooling. (one prepacked envelope is equal to one yeast cake)
1 tablespoon salt
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup sugar plus 1/3 cup sugar
8 cups flour
Mix luke warm milk with yeast mixture, salt, eggs and sugar. Beat (mix) in half the flour till smooth (this step is important), then add remaining flour (I find it easier to mix one cup until smooth again, then mix last cup flour in until smooth). Cover with towel and let rise, (does best in a warm spot with no drafts), until it doubles in bulk. Punch dough down, (one good punch is all it needs), and shape into pretzel form and place on cookie sheet, (best to place shortening on hands to roll dough between hands in shaping progress so dough does not stick to your hands). Cover the pretzel with towel and again allow dough to rise. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown. “Glaze” 3 tablespoons sugar to 1 tablespoon very hot water, mix until sugar is dissolved. Brush the glaze on pretzels as soon as it comes out of oven.
I thought everyone had New Years pretzels until I moved to Denver for a year. Growing up in Pittsburgh, we each had a piece of pretzel on New Years eve before going to bed. We always ate the rest in the morning. I just got back from the store with this years pretzel to share with my family tonight. Happy New Year everyone.
This tradition was not part of New Year’s for my host family in northern Germany. I bought one at Heidelberg Bakery and Cafe in North Arlington, VA, and found your blog as part of my quest to learn more. The cafe also had marzipan New Year’s pigs, which is another tradition new to me.