Create a fun Halloween snack with these Witch Finger Pretzels! Soft pretzels are baked with a sliced almond fingernail for an extra spooky (and tasty) appetizer.
Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the active dry yeast, maple syrup, and warm water. Stir well and let it rest for 5 minutes. It should develop a foam on top; if it doesn't try using another package to make sure the yeast is active.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, egg, olive oil, and fine sea salt. Add in the yeast mixture and 3 more tablespoons of very warm water. Stir well until the dough looks uniform. You can add 1 more tablespoon of water if the dough looks too dry, then let it rest in the bowl for 10 minutes.
Divide the pretzel dough into 4 equal parts for easy handling. Working with 1 part at a time, use your hands to roll the dough into a long rope about a ½-inch thick. Then use a knife to cut the rope into 3-inch sections, or about the length of a "finger." Repeat with the remaining dough, transferring the finished pieces to the parchment-lined baking sheets.
Press your finger into each piece twice where the "knuckles" of a finger should be. Then fill a medium saucepan halfway full of water and bring it to a boil.
Add the 2 teaspoons of baking soda to the boiling water, then carefully use a slotted spoon to lower each pretzel piece into the baking soda bath. Work with just a few pieces at a time, because when the pieces float to the top they will need to be placed back on the parchment lined baking sheet. Each piece should be boiled for about 15 to 30 seconds.
Once all of the pieces have been briefly boiled, press a sliced almond into the end of each pretzel for a fingernail. (You should end up with roughly 60 pretzels.) Sprinkle generously with flaky salt then bake at 400ºF for 10 minutes, or until the pretzels are golden brown. Let the pretzels cool briefly and then they are ready to serve.
These pretzels taste best the first day you make them and will dry-out over time. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week if you end up with leftovers.
Notes
Nutrition information is for roughly 6 pretzel fingers, assuming you get 60 in total from this batch. This information is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.This recipe was tested with Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-free flour blend, so use the same brand if you want to get the exact same results. However, I think this would also work with other brands that contain xanthan gum. All-purpose flour may also work if you don't need a gluten-free recipe.