Soft Pretzels

Prep: 25 min | Cook: 15 min


Ingredients:

Instructions:

  1. Make the dough: in a large bowl, whisk together:
  • [[Instant or active dry yeast]] into [[lukewarm water (~ 100°F)]], then let sit 1 minute.
  • [[Salt]]
  • [[Brown sugar]]
  • [[Unsalted butter, melted and slightly cool]]
  • Gradually stir in [[All-purpose flour]]: start with 3 cups, then add ¾ cup more until dough is no longer sticky (up to an additional ¼–½ cup if needed). Dough should bounce back when poked.

  1. Knead in a stand mixer with dough hook for 5 minutes (or by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes), adding flour tsp-by-tsp if it sticks. Dough should be soft and pass the windowpane test (thin stretch without tearing).

  2. Shape dough into a ball, cover lightly with a towel, and let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with silicone mats or greased parchment.

  3. Shape pretzels: Divide dough into 1/3-cup pieces. Roll each into a 20–22 inch rope, form a circle, twist the ends together, then press them down to create the classic pretzel shape.

  4. Bring the baking-soda bath to a boil. Drop 1–2 pretzels into boiling water for 20–30 seconds, then lift with a slotted spatula, letting excess water drip off. Transfer to prepared sheets and sprinkle with coarse salt. The pretzels dry really fast, so instead of salting them one at a time, you can egg wash them then salt.

  5. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until golden brown.

  6. Serve warm with spicy nacho cheese.