Radler Flavored Pretzel Cookies for Oktoberfest

Oans, Zwoa, Drei, G’suffah…goes the Bavarian chant after you sing “Ein Prosit”with your maß (liter sized beer mug) in the air.  Then you clink it with everyone at the table making sure to look each person in the eye as you do or you will be the unlucky recipient of bad sex for the next seven years. Unless of course you have had too many maß and you can’t see much anymore.

This year is the 200th Oktoberfest in Munich Germany. It is my 11th. Those first few years of living in Munich, I resisted the entire experience. I was a serious NYC/LA snob and thought the entire festival was filled with drunk idiots. However, once I caved in, bought my first dirndl and learned the songs, I look forward to it every year. So call me a drunk idiot too.

Oh and one more thing. I hate beer. I know, that’s got to be come sort of cosmic joke for someone who has lived in Germany all these years. But I do. hate. beer.

Because I have no love for a Helles or a Weissbier, I always drink a Radler which is half beer and half lemon drink. I know, a disgusting idea for you beer aficionados. And even after 11 years, I’m still only a two maß girl.

So to celebrate the Oktoberfest I used a Radler to flavor a cookie. A little crazy, I know, but so appropriate because you don’t know crazy unless you have visited Oktoberfest.

Radler Pretzel Cookies


Ingredients:

• 1 cup Radler
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 sticks butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup radler syrup*
• 5 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1+1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• A few drops of brown food coloring if desired
• Large crystal sugar

*Radler Syrup

• Dissolve 1/2 cup sugar into 1 cup of Radler in a small saucepan over a medium heat.
• When it starts boiling, turn down the heat and let simmer until it thickens.

Cookie Dough:

• Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.
• Mix flour, salt and baking soda together and set aside.
• Cream butter with 1 cup of sugar and add egg beating until combined.
• Add Radler syrup and mix thoroughly.
• Add dry ingredients in thirds until combined.
• I wanted a darker golden color so here is where I added the food coloring.
• Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Make the Pretzels:

• Pinch a cookie sized piece off of the dough and roll into a log.
• Tuck the ends under and up into the center forming two loops.

I love the giant pretzels they serve at Otoberfest so I made a few giant sized ones as well.

• Place on backing sheet and sprinkle with large crystal sugar.

• The dough can be a bit sticky so have some extra flour on hand to sprinkle on the dough to make it easier to work with.
• Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes or until they harden.

I was surprised with how well these came out. Chewy with a lemony caramel flavor.

Prost!