Christmas Tree Shaped Homemade Pretzels

Christmas Tree Shaped Homemade Pretzels Recipe By: Cece Kirkwood. This post may contain affiliate links.

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These Christmas Tree Shaped Homemade Pretzels are the most magical of holiday party snacks. Dazzle your guests with a buttery, salty soft pretzels that are most delicious to eat and oh so adorable to add to the holiday spread. 

I mean it! People will be talking about these pretzels year after year, asking you when you will be baking them next. And good thing for you, they are so simple to bake, you don’t even need an electric mixer. 

Just a bowl, a pot, a wooden spoon and your ingredients. These pretzels begin with my Homemade Soft Pretzel recipe which you can find here. We will pick up below with step #12, preheating the oven and getting ready to shape the happiest of Christmas trees. 

The Process 

Follow the Homemade Soft Pretzel Recipe through step 12, preheating the oven to 425 degrees while the dough rises to double its size. 

After an hour, your dough should double in size. Gently dump the dough onto a well floured surface and cut the dough, using a dough scraper or sharp knife, into equal sized triangles. 

Then slice 4 diagonal slices (2 on each side) partially through the dough to create the tree branches. Then cut 2 parallel lines at the bottom of the tree to create the tree trunk. You’ll need to remove a little bit of the dough from the sides as shown in the video. 

Repeat for the other triangles to make little soft pretzel trees.

Create a baking soda bath in a shallow dish by adding warm water and baking soda, stirring to combine. Quickly dip the pretzel into the baking soda bath and add to a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Repeat for all pretzel pieces. 

Brush melted butter onto the tree pretzels, top with salt and stick those cuties into the oven for 9 – 10 minutes or until golden brown. 

Allow to cool slightly and enjoy by dipping into your favorite cheese or mustard sauce!  Enjoy!

The Tips 

Why is this recipe in grams?

Baking is a science and in science you want things to be exact and precise. The best way to do this is by weighing out your ingredients using a simple scale. Ever baked a cookie using the same recipe, yet somehow it turns out slightly different each time? That is because when measuring by volume, you can’t be as precise. It is vital that your ingredient ratios are accurate for a reliable bake every time.

How long do the Christmas Tree Shaped Homemade Pretzels last in the fridge?

I find these are best when freshly baked and brought straight to your holiday gathering table. However, if you’d like to bake these a day ahead of time, simply allow them to cool completely, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place in the fridge. When you are ready to eat again, place them in an oven preheated to 350ºF and bake for another 2-3 minutes until warm again.

Help! My dough is still very sticky! 

Don’t worry, this is normal. That’s why I have such a large range of flour in my recipe. Depending on the humidity in your kitchen (and even outside) you may need more or less flour to get this dough together. Pay close attention to all the pointers I give in the base Homemade Soft Pretzel Recipe for more details and tips! 

The Christmas Tree Shaped Homemade Pretzels Recipe

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