Birthday Appetizers: Easy Mini Soft Pretzels with Sweet Spicy Dip

I've never really made appetizers before - last year for Toddler's first birthday, I think I cut up some crackers and cheese, bought a fruit salad, and made cupcakes. Oh, and I think I put out some chips and dip. While this year was infinitely more stressful, I still enjoyed the process, and enjoyed trying out several new recipes at the party.

These mini pretzels were ridiculously easy to put together for Toddler's party last weekend, which was a good thing, given that I was trying to do way too many things on the day of his party. They were a total hit - I doubled the recipe, and every last pretzel got devoured. I only managed to get one bite, but it was a good one. Nice and soft, with a bit of chew, and some nice buttery, salty flavor. Yum. I didn't taste the dip myself - I'm not a fan of spicy mustard - but some of my trusted personal taste testers did, and said it was wonderful, so you'll have to take their word for it!!

Mini Soft Pretzels with Sweet Spicy Dip

adapted from Pillsbury

Printer-friendly recipe

1 can refrigerated Crescent rolls, or Crescent Recipe Creations sheet

2 tbsp melted butter

Kosher salt

1/4 cup spicy brown mustard

1/4 cup apricot preserves

1. Unroll Crescent rolls, into two long rectangle sheets. Press seams together to seal into two big pieces. Take a pizza cutter and cut each rectangle into 4 long strips - yielding 8 total pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then into a long rope. Roll the rope into the pretzel shape, overlapping the dough about 2 inches from each end, leaving the ends free. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

2. Melt butter. Brush each pretzel with melted butter then sprinkle with kosher salt.

3. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

4. Meanwhile, mix spicy brown mustard and apricot preserves together, to taste - too spicy? Add more apricot. I ultimately did about 1/3 cup of apricot preserves to cut down on the spiciness.