Pretzel

Pretzel, popular snack biscuit. Pretzels are made from twisted dough that is usually glazed, salted, and baked until hardened, but some varieties are large and soft. They are believed to have originated in southern Europe where monks gave them to children as a reward for learning their prayers, and the name comes from a Latin word meaning “small reward.” Its popularity spread to the United States in the 1860s and is a favorite snack food today.