homemade pretzels
 
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1½cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
  • 1tbsp sugar
  • 2tsp kosher salt
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 4½cups all purpose flour
  • ½ stick unsalted butter, melted
  • Vegetable oil, for bowls and sheet pans
  • 10cups water
  • ⅔cup baking soda
  • 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
  • Coarse salt (I used sea salt)
Instructions
  1. Fit your mixer with a dough hook. Put warm water, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and sprinkle yeast on top. Let set for 5 minutes or until yeast in nice and foamy. Add flour and butter. Mix on low until combined. Increase to medium and mix until dough is smooth and releases from sides of bowl easily. This took about 2 minutes for me.
  2. Pull dough out of bowl and set on clean surface. Clean and dry mixing bowl. Put a little bit of vegetable oil in bowl and rub around entire inside. Place dough back in bowl and cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm place for at least an hour. Should double in size.
  3. minutes before your rising hour is up prepare 2 baking sheets by lining with parchment paper and brushing a little olive oil on top.
  4. Preheat oven 450degrees F. Put 10 cups of water and the baking soda in a large pot and bring to a rolling boil.
  5. While water is heating up (and after dough has risen) place dough on a surface lightly coated with vegetable oil. Divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into 2½' to 3' long "snakes". Take each end, make a "U" shape, twist around each other and then attach to bottom of "U". This will look like the classic pretzel. Set on prepared baking shape and repeat with remaining dough.
  6. Place each pretzel, one at a time, in the baking soda bath (at a rolling boil) for 30 seconds. Take out of bath with a spatula and place back on baking sheet.
  7. Brush each pretzel with egg wash, then sprinkle with salt. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes - will be nice and brown on top. Let set 5 minutes before devouring. Serve with your favorite mustards or cheese.
Notes
To freeze let fully cooked pretzels come to a complete cool and place inside of freezer bag (4 per gallon bag). Freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw at room temp for 30 minutes before placing in a 450degree F oven for 4 to 5 minutes. It is amazing how good these things are out of the freezer. Make a bunch!
Recipe by pretty plain janes at https://prettyplainjanes.com/2015/07/02/homemade-pretzels/