Hungry for a homemade Valentine’s Day treat that isn’t loaded with sugar? These scrumptious, buttery pink-salted soft pretzel hearts are a DIY treat that’s sure to please ANY Valentine (especially the bread lovers on your list!).
Not-so-secret secret: I am a carb-alcoholic. The weather has been damp and dreary lately, and these gray January days make me feel like folding myself into a huge dough ball and eating my way out. I had run across some delicious-looking inspiration and thought I’d try the whole pretzel-making thing. O.M.G. – so, so scrumptious.
This is my idea of a perfect Valentine’s Day treat (bread over chocolate for me any day), so here is my own “twist” on the recipe [giggles at pretzel punning]. Kids will have a ball helping to twist the taffy-like dough and, for maximum enjoyment, turn up the tunes and shake your salt bags to the beat.
Pink-Salted Soft Pretzel Heart Ingredients:
Recipe Serves 8
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BASIC INGREDIENTS:
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons yeast
- 4 Tablespoons canola oil
- 2 Teaspoon salt
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 1 Whole egg
- 1 Tablespoon cold water
INGREDIENTS TO TOP:
- Rock pretzel salt (like this)
- Red food coloring
- 4 TBSP butter, melted
Pink-Salted Homemade Soft Pretzel Heart Recipe – DIY Instructions
Proof the yeast.
Proof the yeast in a small bowl by adding the yeast, 1 1/2 cups water, and brown sugar. Cover with a towel and let stand for 5-10 minutes until bubbles or foam form.
Combine oil, salt, and flour in a large mixing bowl.
Add 3 tablespoons of the oil and two teaspoons of salt.  Begin adding in the flour a cup at a time while mixing, and continue until it’s all been combined.
Knead the dough.
Knead the dough until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides.Â
Coat the dough with oil and let rise.
Remove the dough from the bowl and pour the remaining one tablespoon of oil in. Form the dough into a ball and place it back into the bowl,  turning it to give it a nice thin coating of oil (this will prevent it from sticking to anything). Cover with a towel and place in a warm place until it has doubled in size (about an hour).
Prep for baking and boiling.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Fill a large pot with water, add the baking soda, and bring to a boil.
Prepare the pink rock salt
While waiting for the dough to rise, throw some rock salt in a bag with a drop or two of red food dye. Give it some good shakes, and add drops of color until your salt has reached the desired color. For this beautiful mixture of pinks and reds, I used about 4 TBSP. of salt and two drops of color – all in the same bag.
Divide the dough and shape it into pretzel hearts.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Â Twirl and pull both ends of a piece until you have a long rope, then shape it into a heart and pinch or roll the ends together toward the middle. Repeat with the remaining pieces.Â
Boil the pretzels.
Boil each pretzel in the water solution for 45 seconds. Drain with a slotted spoon and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (just a note: even on the parchment, mine stuck to the paper a little, so either drain the excess liquid off well or throw a tiny bit of rock salt on the paper before you put the pretzels in to bake).
Sprinkle with salt.
Once they have all been boiled and drained, beat the egg with one tablespoon of cold water and brush over the tops. Generously sprinkle with salt.Â
Bake and top with melted butter.
Bake for 16-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and immediately brush with melted butter.
Serve warm or let cool and package as a treat.
These are so delicious right out of the oven, but they also make the perfect Valentine’s Day treat! Once cool, tuck into a paper bag, fold the top over, and tie it up with a ribbon or baker’s twine for a cute (and delicious!) surprise.
These are SO INCREDIBLY GOOD 20 minutes after cooling – almost right out of the oven. But honestly, 3 days later, they still taste just as wonderful and retain their chewy soft texture. I totally support showing your love with salty, soft pretzels this year!
Ten Creative Ways to Serve Soft Pretzel Hearts on Valentine’s Day
1. Give Them as Special Valentine’s Day Treats
Bake mini pretzel hearts and let them cool completely. Place them in clear cellophane bags and tie them off with a ribbon. Attach a small note or a tag with a fun pun like “I’m ‘knot’ kidding, you’re awesome!” or “You’ve got me in knots!”.
These would be a hit as classroom treats or even as small appreciation gifts for coworkers.
2. Make Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Hearts
You can serve the soft pretzel hearts partially dipped in melted dark or white chocolate. Sprinkle some edible red or pink heart-shaped confetti or crushed freeze-dried strawberries over the chocolate before it hardens for an extra Valentine’s Day touch.
These can be served with a raspberry cream cheese dip on the side.
3. Arrange A Soft Pretzel Heart Bouquet
Arrange a dozen soft pretzel hearts on wooden skewers and wrap them up like a bouquet. You can even add some edible flowers or herbs like rosemary sprigs for extra decoration. Wrap the bouquet in cellophane and tie it with a ribbon for a unique and edible Valentine’s Day gift.
4. Put Together a Soft Pretzel Heart Charcuterie Board
Arrange the pretzel hearts on a large wooden board and surround them with a variety of delicious pairings like different types of cheese (brie, gouda, cheddar), various cold cuts, grapes, strawberries, and nuts.
Add small bowls of honey mustard and a rich beer cheese dip for a savory touch. This presentation is not just eye-catching, but also provides a fun interactive experience as guests can choose their own pairings.
5. Make A Soft Pretzel Heart Gift Box
Bake a batch of pretzel hearts and let them cool completely. Arrange them in a bakery box, alternating layers with parchment paper. Include small jars of homemade dipping sauces like mustard, cheese, or chocolate. Decorate the box with Valentine-themed stickers or stamps.
6. Make Pretzel Heart Fondue
Serve the pretzel hearts with a DIY fondue experience. Have a pot of warm cheese sauce (like a cheddar-beer blend) and another with warm chocolate.
Guests can dip their pretzels in the sauce of their choice. You can also provide various toppings like chopped nuts, sprinkles, or bacon bits for them to add post-dip.
7. Pack a Pretzel Heart Lunch Surprise
For a classroom treat, bake miniature pretzel hearts and place a couple in a small clear bag tied with a Valentine-themed ribbon. Include a small packet of mustard or cheese dip. These can be packed into lunch boxes for a fun Valentine’s Day surprise.
8. Make Pretzel Heart Sliders
Cut the pretzel hearts horizontally and fill them with various sandwich ingredients to make sliders. Some options could be ham and cheese, turkey and cranberry, or even a sweet version with Nutella and sliced strawberries.
Serve these along with a variety of dipping sauces, such as a tangy barbecue sauce, a sweet and spicy mango chutney, and a classic honey mustard.
9. Serve for a Valentine’s Day Breakfast
Why not start Valentine’s Day with a romantic breakfast? Serve warm pretzel hearts with scrambled eggs, bacon, and a small jar of homemade strawberry jam for dipping.
You could also serve them with a side of whipped cream and fresh berries for a more decadent touch.
10. Gift as a Soft Pretzel-Making Kit
For a fun interactive gift, prepare a DIY pretzel-making kit. Include a bag of the dry mix, a small container of the wet ingredients, a heart-shaped pretzel mold, and clear instructions. Package everything in a reusable container, including a small jar of homemade dipping sauce.
For more kid-friendly cooking ideas, check out some of our favorite kitchen tools for kids, the best cookbooks for kids, or this fab collection of ways to get kids involved in the kitchen.
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