Homemade Soft Pretzels

These pretzels are much easier to make than you might think. You'll need to set aside an hour to let the dough rise but other than that, it's a quick road to homemade soft pretzel fame. I recommend using a stand mixer, but it’s possible to make these by hand with extra elbow grease.

4C40AE04-D00F-46D5-B7BA-FCF10142D58B.JPG

Roughly 2 hours, start to finish
40 minutes hands-on work

PARTS
— 1.5 tsp active dry yeast
— 3 tsp granulated sugar
— 575g (about 4.5 cups) all purpose flour
— 1.5 tsp salt
— 2 tbsp melted butter (plus extra for brushing) 
— 1.5 tsp honey
— Flaky salt, like Maldon or pretzel salt
— Baking soda for boiling
— Parchment paper, non-stick cooking spray


CLUES
1. Combine 1.5 cups of warm water (110°F ish) with yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let it sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside until Step 4.

2. Once foamy, add flour, salt, melted butter and honey to the bowl. Knead with the dough hook on medium speed until it's smooth and elastic. Take the dough out and knead it a few times on a clean surface. Spray the stand mixer bowl with canola oil or wipe it down with olive oil. Place dough back in greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it proof in a warm environment for about an hour, or until it's doubled in size (it’ll take longer if it’s cold in your kitchen).

3. Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut, roll and shape dough into pretzels (or knots or sticks... YouTube is your best friend for ideas and how-to).

4. Bring a large pot of water to a steady boil, and add baking soda — about 10 cups of water for every 2/3 cup of baking soda. Gently lower the shaped pretzels into the simmering baking soda water for 30 seconds. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon/spatula, transfer to prepared baking sheets and sprinkle with flaky salt. 

5. Bake pretzels for about 10-15 minutes, or until golden, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Remove from oven and immediately brush with extra melted butter. Dip in spicy brown mustard or melted cheese and enjoy!

8CD68939-B9BB-482F-8F43-0FF9CA2C1392.JPG