Pretzel Log Cabin Recipes

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Pour into an ungreased 8-in. square pan or a tall glass. Roll or dip pretzels in coating, leaving 1 in. of space on the end you are holding; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets; let stand until set. , In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Pour into a small resealable plastic bag. Carefully cut a very small hole in the bottom corner of the bag. Pipe stripe markings across the pretzel rods to resemble birch trees. Allow to set. Store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Put about 1 cup peanut butter in a resealable plastic bag and seal bag, pressing out excess air. Squeeze peanut butter to one corner of bag and snip off 1/8 inch from corner to form a makeshift pastry bag. (Do not use a real pastry bag.)
• Make base:
• Secure 2 pretzels to a serving board or plate with dabs of peanut butter, arranging them parallel to each other about 2 inches apart, and pipe peanut butter alone top of them, beginning and ending 1/4 inch from each end of pretzel. Put 2 pretzels across base to form a square, arranging them 1/4 inch from ends and pressing them into peanut butter.
• Continue building sides of log cabin in same manner, using peanut butter as mortar, until log cabin is 6 pretzels high on all sides.
• Make roof:
• To make roof supports, secure an upright pretzel in center of each of 2 shorter cabin walls, attaching them to inside walls with peanut butter. Break 2 pretzels in half and prop 2 halves at a 45°F. angle against each upright support, securing ends with peanut butter to top of upright and to cabin corners.
• Beginning at base of roof, arrange pretzels across roof supports, piping peanut butter on each pretzel before attaching it and attaching each succeeding pretzel to an opposite side of roof.
• Make 7 more cabins in same manner with remaining pretzels and peanut butter. Cabins may be made 1 day ahead and chilled.
• Make trees:
• Glue 3 pretzels together lengthwise with peanut butter to form a thick trunk and glue 3 broken pretzels of varying lengths to lower end of trunk. Glue parsley sprigs to trunk with more peanut butter. Make 7 more trees in same manner. Use a dab of peanut butter on serving board or plate to stand tree upright.
• Make campfires:
• Glue broken pretzels in a campfire pattern with peanut butter on serving board or plate in front of cabin and glue red pepper flames to inside of campfire. Make 7 more campfires in same manner.