Soft Pretzels
Pretzel Dough
- 1 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup bread flour
- 3 cups regular flour
Add the warm water to a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the surface. Let the yeast "bloom" then stir in the sugar and salt.
Add the flours slowly while stirring until it forms a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place back in the bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let rise for 30 minutes in a warm, draft free location.
Water Bath
- 2 cups warm water
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
While the dough is rising, prepare the water bath by mixing the warm water and baking soda. Be certain to stir often.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
When the dough has risen, pinch off pieces of the dough and roll out into a long, thin (1/2-inch thick or less) rope. Shape into a pretzel shape, or other desired shape. Dip the pretzel in the warm baking soda solution and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Allow pretzels to rise again. (The longer and thinner you can make the dough rope, the more like Auntie Anne's they will be. )
Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the pretzels from the oven and brush with melted butter.
Toppings
- to taste coarse salt
- 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
After you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt. Or for Auntie Anne's famous Cinnamon Sugar, try melting a stick of unsalted butter in a shallow bowl (big enough to fit the entire pretzel) and in another shallow bowl make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
Dip the pretzel into the butter, coating both sides generously. Then dip again into the cinnamon mixture.