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Soft Pretzels

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Mall style soft pretzels made at home!
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Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Keyword: easy, yeast
Servings: 6 pretzels

Ingredients

DOUGH

  • 3 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup brown sugar unpacked
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons or 1 packet instant yeast*
  • 1 cup milk warm (110*F)**
  • 2 Tablespoons butter diced

WATER BATH

  • 1 cup water warm
  • 3 Tablespoons baking soda

TOPPING

  • Coarse salt like Maldon flake salt
  • 3 Tablespoons butter melted

Instructions

  • In a medium sized bowl, sprinkle yeast. Pour warm milk over yeast. Allow yeast to soften for two minutes.
  • Stir in brown sugar and one cup of flour.
  • Stir in salt and butter.
  • Gradually mix in remaining flour, starting with a cup. Continue adding slowly until a sticky dough forms.
  • Knead on a floured surface, adding flour as needed, until dough is smooth and slightly tacky (about 5 minutes). When dough is sufficiently kneaded, it should not stick to a clean finger when poked.
  • Shape into a ball and place into an oiled bowl. Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  • Preheat oven to 450*. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Move dough from bowl to a lightly floured surface. Add warm water and baking soda to the bowl and stir to dissolve.
  • Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long, thin rope, slapping on the counter as you do. Twist each rope into a pretzel.
  • Dip the pretzels in the warm water mixture and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt (or cinnamon sugar!).
  • Bake the pretzels for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven and brush with butter. Sprinkle with additional salt.

Notes

*For slightly faster rise time, use 3 teaspoons
**Temperatures of 120*F and higher will start to kill yeast
Pretzels can be reheated in a toaster or the oven. Reheating in the toaster gives them a lovely crunchy crust like the ones from Auntie Anne’s!