Brownie Dreidels for Hanukkah!

Are you up for a rousing game of dreidel? How about of brownie dreidel? With just one sheet pan of brownies you can make dozens of these adorable 3D spinning tops to celebrate Hanukkah (or Hanukka, Chanukah, Chanuka or however you spell it). 

The idea is fairly simple - a brownie square with the ends trimmed off, a pretzel stick handle and some icing letters. For the most sophisticated look, you can dip all the dreidels completely in chocolate before pipping on the letters, or just coat one side, or leave the brownies au naturel.

You can use any brownie recipe you like, including a box mix, but I chose this particular recipe because it is fudgy and dense and sturdy enough to stand up to the dipping and pretzel handle. It is also delicious.

Recipe:

Brownies:

1 1/4 cups (275g) unsalted butter or margarine
2 1/2 cups (500g) sugar
1 1/2 cups (180g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup (125g) flour

Semisweet chocolate for melting (about 1 pound to cover them all completely)

White writing icing or white chocolate to melt

Thin pretzel sticks

Melt the butter, sugar and cocoa powder together in a large bowl. Stir together until smooth - the mixture will appear grainy, don't worry about that. Add the salt and vanilla and stir to mix. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and mix until well combined. Stir in the flour until just mixed.

Pour the mixture into a parchment paper-lined 9x13" pan. Bake on 325 F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Lift the parchment paper out of the pan and slice the brownies into strips lengthways about 1" thick. Cut those strips into rectangles about 1 1/2" long. 

Carefully trim off the bottom corners of each rectangle to create the dreidel shape. Stick the pretzel sticks (you may want to snap them in half depending on length) into the flat ends of the dreidels. Melt the chocolate (only a portion at a time) and dip the dreidels into them. Let any excess drip off and lay them flat on a piece of parchment paper. 

Once the chocolate is completely dry use the icing or melted white chocolate (can melt right in a ziploc bag and cut the corner off) to pipe on the letters. Let dry completely, then eat!