there is a correct way to eat a pie and an incorrect way.

the incorrect way is to eat it as a neat slice on a small plate over talk about obvious things. you've probably showered that day, you might even be wearing pants. when you're finished with your slice, you clean up.

the correct way isn't too different: you eat it as a neat slice on a small plate over talk that is hopefully not about obvious things. when you finish your slice, you sit with bad posture and pick at the remainder of the pie, extracting nibbles of the crust. ideally it doesn't matter that you wiped your nose on your hand since the last time you washed it, but if there is anyone else around that also wants to eat pie correctly and who is not your sister, it kind of does. what remains at the end of your correct pie eating session is a blob of filling in the center of a pie plate with no remaining crust because it's all in your belly.

that is how to eat pie. this also applies to pizza pie.

and this is how i envisioned myself eating ashlae's pretzel pie on easter, had the egg family not gobbled it right up. so i did a variation on this method when eggboy left behind some of his crust (i even sprang for the expensive gluten-free pretzels?!), and i savored those last few bites of crust while i wished with all of my might that i could just have an entire pretzel crust all to myself.

so i hurried home and got experimenting with shortbread recipes using the leftover pretzel flour (finely ground pretzels) from ashlae's recipe, and ohmygah, it's a good thing the farmhouse has a treadmill.

these little guys are a lot of things that you want in a cookie: *salty* (most important), quick and easy to make (only three required ingredients, no refrigeration required), and very possibly gluten-free (have you had gluten free pretzels?? they're so good!)

i encourage you to make these.

pretzel shortbread cookies

inspired by ashlae's pretzel crusted peanut butter pie

makes 18-20 cookies

ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2/3 c sugar

2 c pretzel flour*

optional: dark chocolate for drizzling and sprinkles

*blend approximately 240 grams of pretzels (they can be gluten-free) in a food processor until you have a very fine "flour"

clues

preheat oven to 350ºf. grease 2 cupcake pans and set aside. (if you're just using 1 pan, you can keep the dough at room temperature while the first batch bakes and cools.)

beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. add the pretzel flour and beat until combined and the mixture forms large crumbs. fill up the cupcake tins halfway and then press down firmly. bake for 20 minutes, until they start to brown. important: let them cool in the pan and then gently lift them out. it helps to use a sharp knife on the edges to loosen them from the pan.

if desired, drizzle with melted dark chocolate and decorate with sprinkles.

enjoy!!

-yeh!