Tangled Twisters

Ingredients

Shortening
11-ounce package (8) refrigerated breadsticks
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon margarine or butter

Utensils:

Baking sheet
Ruler
Measuring spoons
Small bowl
Spoon
Small saucepan or small microwave-safe bowl
Waxed paper
Wire cooling rack
Hot pads
Pancake turner
Pastry brush

Directions

1. Turn on oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the baking sheet with shortening. Save until Step 3.

2. Open the breadstick package and remove breadsticks. Gently pull or roll each breadstick on the countertop to make a rope of dough about 20 inches long. Shape each rope of dough into a pretzel by crossing one end over the other, forming a circle and leaving 4-inch tails.

Holding a tail in each hand, twist once at the crossover point.
Carefully lift the tails and place over the center of the circle.
Place the ends of the tails over the circle edge and tuck them under to make a pretzel shape.
Press ends to seal.

3. Place pretzels on prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Put baking sheet in oven. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until pretzels are light brown.

4. While pretzels are baking, put sugar and cinnamon in the bowl. Stir with the spoon to mix. Save until Step 6.

5. Put the margarine or butter in the saucepan. Put saucepan on a burner. Turn burner to low heat. Cook until margarine or butter is melted. Turn off burner. Remove saucepan from burner. Or, put margarine or butter in the microwave-safe bowl. Cover bowl with waxed paper. Microwave on 100% power (high) for 20 seconds or until margarine is melted. Using hot pads, remove bowl from microwave.

6. Place cooling rack over waxed paper. When pretzels are baked, turn off oven. Remove baking sheet from oven with hot pads. Use the pancake turner to transfer pretzels from baking sheet to cooling rack. Use the pastry brush to spread melted margarine or butter over tops of pretzels. Sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon mixture. Serve warm.