Chocolate Pretzel Pastry Recipe

Mix dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and fine salt until evenly combined.

Cut in butter

Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining (about 6–8 strokes if using a food processor, or 6–10 minutes by hand).

Add cold water & form dough

Sprinkle the cold water over the flour-butter mixture a few tablespoons at a time, tossing lightly with a fork after each addition. Add just enough to bring the dough together so it holds when pressed — about 3/4 cup total. Do not overwork. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten into a disk about 1 inch thick, wrap in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours).

Preheat oven

When you are 15 minutes from finishing the chill time, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll and portion dough

On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to about 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into 8 rectangles (about 4x3 inches each) or use the shape preferred. Re-roll scraps gently; keep dough cool to prevent the butter from softening too much.

Make quick ganache

Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream just until it begins to simmer and small bubbles form around the edge (do not boil). Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit 1 minute to soften. Stir gently until smooth and glossy. Stir in the 2 tablespoons room-temperature butter until fully incorporated and the ganache is silky. Let cool slightly until thickened but still spreadable, about 8–12 minutes.

Prepare egg wash

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 teaspoon water until combined. Set aside.

Fill pastries

Place the rolled pastry rectangles on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of the chocolate ganache onto the center of each rectangle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the chopped mini pretzels over the ganache, then lightly sprinkle a small pinch (about 1/8 tsp) of coarse sea salt on each. If desired, reserve a few whole mini pretzels for topping.

Seal and brush

Fold each rectangle in half over the filling (or fold into a turnover shape) and press the edges to seal, using a fork to crimp if desired. Transfer sealed pastries back to the baking sheet. Brush the tops lightly with the egg wash and press one small pretzel piece on top of each pastry for decoration, if using. Optionally score a tiny vent slit on top to allow steam to escape.

Bake

Bake in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 18–22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the pastries are puffed slightly and golden brown on top.

Finish & serve

Remove pastries from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. If the ganache has tightened, you can spoon or pipe a small drizzle of any reserved ganache over the top while warm. Lightly dust with powdered sugar if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.