New Year's German Pretzels

• 6 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
  
  
  
• 1 cup lukewarm milk, divided
  
  
  
• 4 ½ tablespoons white sugar
  
  
  
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, sifted, or more as needed
  
  
  
• 4 ½ tablespoons melted butter
  
  
  
• 1 egg
  
  
  
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  
  
  
• 1 pinch salt
  
  
  
• 1 egg yolk
  
  
  
• 1 teaspoon white sugar, or as needed
  
  

ctions

• Step 1
  Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup milk in a bowl; add 4 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Let stand until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
  
  
• Step 2
  Stir yeast mixture and 2 1/4 cups flour together in a bowl until dough is dry and clumpy. Allow dough to rise for 15 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup milk, butter, egg, lemon zest, and salt to dough until evenly mixed.
  
  
• Step 3
  Knead dough, adding more flour as needed, until dough is elastic. Cover bowl with a clean damp towel or plastic wrap and allow dough to rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  
  
• Step 4
  Preheat oven to 390 degrees F (199 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
  
  
• Step 5
  Gently knead dough; roll into a long rope on the prepared baking sheet and twist into a pretzel shape. Cover dough with a clean towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise for 15 minutes more.
  
  
• Step 6
  Brush egg yolk over dough and sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar over egg yolk.
  
  
• Step 7
  Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.