Want to make fancy pretzels with me?  Yay!  Let's do it together. 

This is the recipe that fulfills all of your Christmas needs. 

Christmas movie marathon snack?  PERFECTION. 

Gift for the neighbors?  They will adore you. 

Something to put out for impromptu visitors?  Killing that hostess game. 

These pretzels are "fancy" because they are coated in vanilla bean.  Yep, the real deal.  Why do we not use whole vanilla beans more often? 

Aside from the "fancy" vanilla bean, this snack is one of the simplest treats you can make this holiday season. 

Butter, sugar, nutmeg, orange zest, and the vanilla bean are whisked up and poured over a bag of store-bought pretzels.  The combination of flavors here is unmistakably Christmasy.  

After the pretzels have been coated they are baked and stirred, baked and stirred. 

In one hour, these sugar-crusted pretzels will be ready for snacking. 

How easy was that? 

I am planning on grabbing a couple of cellophane bags, some pretty ribbon, and handing these out to my neighbors this year.  I might even send some to work with Mr. Pedantic for his colleagues. 

The hardest part is keeping them around long enough to share. 

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

CHRISTMAS PRETZELS

makes 8 cups 

• 8 cups salted pretzel twists
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
• 1 madagascar vanilla bean, scraped 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg 
• zest of two medium oranges 

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a medium bowl combine butter, sugar, vanilla bean, nutmeg, and orange zest.  Place pretzels in a 9x13 baking pan and drizzle with the butter mixture.  Toss to coat evenly. 

Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes to ensure even coating and cooking.  Allow the pretzels to cool completely before transferring to an airtight bag.  Happy snacking!