Pretzels for Lent

Did you know that the pretzel is a traditional food for lent? 

When early Christians would pray, they would cross their arms and touch each shoulder with the opposite hand. They also fasted very strictly during lent, making their bread with only water, flour, and salt. A monk shaped this in the form of praying arms for children, and the pretzel was born! To read more about the religious history of the pretzel and for the pretzel prayer, check out Catholic Culture's pretzel page.

Soft Pretzel Recipe~ What you need:

• 1 package yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 4 cups flour
• 1 egg

Mix your yeast, water, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the flour, and knead until the dough is smooth. Shape into the form of arms crossed in prayer and place it on a baking sheet. Brush the dough with a beaten egg to give it a shiny finish (I skipped the egg on mine). Sprinkle the top with salt, and bake in an oven preheated to 425 degrees for 15 minutes. 

For fun, I drew out this Lenten Pretzel Card that reads "A pretzel to remind us of arms crossed in prayer is a Lenten treat for us to share!". I uploaded it to share with all of you, so you can print it for free below! :-)

Pretzel

All printable pages are my own artwork and are free for any not-for-profit use by individuals, families, or educational organizations. Copies may not be sold or reproduced for profit. If you'd like to post this project for others to find, I would ask that you link to my post and rather than my individual downloads. When printing or running copies, please do not remove my website from the bottom of the page. Thanks!
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