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Soft Pretzels
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5 from 2 votes

Soft Pretzels

Makes 6 pretzels
Author: Debbie

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole milk,, at room temperature
  • 1 packet instant dry yeast,, 2-¼ teaspoons
  • 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 3 ½ cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter,, at room temperature, cut into pieces
  • 10 cups water
  • cup baking soda
  • 1 large egg yolk,, beaten with 1 Tablespoon water
  • pretzel salt or kosher salt
  • Spicy Brown Mustard,, our favorite brand is Sir Kensington's

Instructions

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer with the dough hook attached, mix the milk, yeast and both sugars.
  • Add the flour, salt and butter and mix for about 2 minutes until the dough starts comes together.
  • Increase the speed to medium and knead for about 5 minutes, pausing to pull down the dough off the hook. 10 minutes if kneading by hand.
  • Oil a large bowl. Set aside.
  • Gather dough into a ball and place it into prepared bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm, draft-free area to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  • Line two cookie sheets with parchment, and set aside.
  • Bring the 10 cups of water and baking soda to a boil in a large saucepan.
  • Transfer dough to flat work surface and cut into 6 equal pieces.
    soft pretzels
  • Working with one piece of dough at a time, keep the rest covered with a kitchen towel so it won't dry out.
  • Working from the center of each piece of dough, roll the into a long rope about 2 feet by ½ inch wide.
  • Lift each end and lift up to create a "U".
  • Cross the 2 ends twice, like a twist, and lower the ends of the dough back down towards the bottom to create the pretzel shape. Press ends lightly to stick.
    soft pretzels
  • Place the pretzels on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
  • Slowly lower the pretzels into the boiling water, one by one, for 30 seconds
    soft pretzels
  • Remove them from the water using a flat spatula. I blotted them quickly onto a paper towel to soak up a bit of the water. Return back to the cookie sheet.
  • Brush with mixture of egg yolk and water and sprinkle with salt.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden. You'll love the smell!!!
  • Transfer to a cooling rack and cool for 5 minutes before serving.
  • Serve with your favorite mustards or dipping sauces.
    soft pretzels

Notes

Recipe adapted from a combination of delushious.com and Alton Brown foodnetwork.com.

Gr8 Tips:

• Freeze any leftover pretzels in a freezer plastic bag or freezer safe container. Thaw before reheating in a 350ºF oven.
• Roll ropes of dough in cinnamon sugar for a sweet treat.
• Instead of sprinkling with kosher salt, try sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds or Parmesan cheese.
Tried this recipe?Mention @Great8Friends or tag #gr8food!