Chocolate Gingerbread Pretzels

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup fancy molasses

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cloves and cinnamon

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups icing sugar

2 tbsp milk

1 1/2 tbsp water

In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy; beat in egg and molasses. In separate bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, ginger, baking soda, salt, cloves and cinnamon; stir into molasses mixture in two additions, using hands if necessary. Remove from bowl; wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.

Divide dough into quarters; roll each into 10-inch (25cm) log. Cut 1 log into 1-inch (2.5cm) thick slices. Roll each slice into 8-inch (20cm) rope. Curve each into horseshoe; cross ends over each other twice. Bring ends to curve to create pretzel; press down. Repeat with remaining logs.

Place pretzels, about 1 inch apart, on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake in 350F oven until firm and darkened on the bottoms, about 12 minutes. Let cool on pans on racks for 5 minutes.

Glaze: In bowl, mix together icing sugar, milk and water. Dip tops of warm pretzels into glaze. Let stand on racks until dry and cool, about 30 minutes, using spatula to loosen. Makes about 40 pretzels.

Source: Canadian Living, The Holiday Cookie Collection 2010