It has been suggested that Kringle be merged into this pretzel rounds. Salt is the most common seasoning, or topping, for pretzels, complementing the washing soda or lye treatment that gives pretzels their traditional skin and flavor acquired through the Maillard reaction.

Pretzel depicted at a banquet of Queen Esther and King Ahasuerus. Christian backgrounds and were invented by European monks. The pretzel has been in use as an emblem of bakers and formerly their guilds in southern German areas since at least the 12th century. Within the Christian Church, pretzels were regarded as having religious significance for both ingredients and shape.

The pretzel has been in use as an emblem of bakers, here with two lions, in Görlitz, Germany. Pretzel baking has most firmly taken root in the region of Franconia and adjoining Upper German-speaking areas, and pretzels have been an integral part of German baking traditions for centuries. In Bavaria, lye pretzels accompany a main dish, such as Weisswurst sausage. In southern Germany and adjoining German-speaking areas, pretzels have retained their original religious meanings and are still used in various traditions and festivals. On Laetare Sunday in Luxembourg, the fourth Sunday in Lent, there is a festival called “Pretzel Sunday”. Boys give their girlfriends pretzels or cakes in pretzel form.

During Lent in Biberach, “Lent pretzels” are popular. These are briefly boiled in water before baking and then sprinkled with salt. Schloss Burg is renowned for a 200-year-old specialty, the “Burger pretzel”. A variety typical for Upper Franconia is the “anise pretzel”.

The town of Weidenberg celebrates the “Pretzel weeks” during the carnival season when anise flavored pretzels are served with special dishes such as cooked meat with horseradish or roast. On finishing the race, they are presented with a sweet pretzel. The lye pretzel is the theme for a number of festivals in Germany. In the late 18th century, southern German and Swiss German immigrants introduced the pretzel to North America. The immigrants became known as the Pennsylvania Dutch, and in time, many handmade pretzel bakeries populated the central Pennsylvania countryside, and the pretzel’s popularity spread. In the 20th century, soft pretzels became popular in other regions of the United States.