In celebration of National Pretzel Day on April 26 we have a special recipe for Peanut Butter Banana Soft Pretzels. Making pretzels from scratch is a fun activity for the whole family. The mixture of peanut butter and bananas is a wonderful twist on the pretzel we know you’ll love. Did we mention these are completely vegan too? Check out the recipe after the jump.

Peanut Butter Banana Soft Pretzels

Makes 12 pretzels

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup plain, unsweetened nondairy milk
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast (or 1 package)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (any grade)
• 3/4 cup plain, unsweetened nondairy milk
• 2 medium bananas, mashed
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
• 2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (more for kneading if needed)
• 1 teaspoon salt (only if peanut butter is unsalted)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• a pinch of ground nutmeg
• 5 tablespoons baking soda
• 5 cup water
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon canola oil (optional, gives a crispier crust)
• 1 tablespoon plain, unsweetened nondairy milk
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• coarse salt

Instructions:

1. Warm all of the nondairy milk to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It should feel warm or even hot if you stick your finger in it, but not so hot that you need to take your finger out
2. Stir the first 1/4 cup of milk gently together with the yeast and maple syrup in a small bowl and set aside for at least 10 minutes, or until foamy
3. Add the mashed banana along with the rest of the 3/4 cup of warm milk and the peanut butter; mix together well, until the peanut butter is incorporated into the liquid. Add the yeast mixture, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir together with wooden spoon until a lumpy dough starts to form
4. Use your hands to press the mixture together, and transfer it onto a surface. Knead for 5-10 minutes, adding as little additional flour as possible, until the dough is smooth and has visible gluten strands when you pull on it
5. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a damp towel, then let rise in a warm place for 90 minutes or until doubled in size. Alternately, cover tightly with plastic wrap, then a towel, and rise overnight in the refrigerator; bring back to room temperature before continuing with the next step
6. Set the baking soda and water in a saucepan to boil
7. Prepare two baking sheets lined with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Grab golf ball-sized pieces of dough and roll them between your hands to make long ropes; shape into pretzels
8. Boil each pretzel in the baking soda mixture for about 15 seconds, or until it floats back to the top
9. Remove using a slotted spoon and place on the baking sheet. Repeat until all pretzels are boiled
10. In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, oil, milk, cinnamon, and coarse salt. Use a pastry brush or gently use your fingers to brush the mixture on the tops of all of the pretzels
11. Bake the pretzels at 450 for about 12 minutes or until the crust is crisp and brown. Let cool for a few minutes before eating

The author notes:

• To use only all-purpose flour, reduce the milk by 1/4 cup to start, adding some back in if needed.
• Use up to 1/4 cup of maple syrup for a sweeter and more dessert-like pretzel; add a bit more flour if needed to bring the dough together.
• Best eaten within 48 hours of baking, sooner if possible. Try not to store in an airtight container because the salt will make them soggy.

Look out for new recipes on Organic Odes every Friday!