Homemade Soft Pretzels

Thanks to Pinterest, I think I found a winning recipe this weekend that will lead to a lifetime of happiness! This recipe for soft pretzels that may have just changed my life. As with all things bread-related, I assumed soft pretzels made from scratch would be messy and time consuming. Not so, my friends. 

These babies can be made with ingredients you probably already have in your cabinet (except perhaps for a packet of yeast) and take only about 30 minutes from start to finish. Read on to learn the secrets of easy pretzels, just like you would buy at the ball game or theme park.

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Ingredients:

1 packet active yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)

1.5 cups lukewarm water

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 Teaspoon salt

4 cups flour, plus up to ½ cup more as needed

1 egg (for basting)

Coarse sea salt or cinnamon sugar for seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 and line baking sheet with parchment paper 

1. Stir the packet of yeast into a bowl (I used a Kitchen Aid stand mixer) of 1.5 cups warm water (stir for about 1 minute, no need to have to water at a specific temperature). Next, mix in the sugar and salt.

2. Add flour 1 cup at a time and mix until dough is no longer sticky.  Poke the dough with your finger – if it bounces back, it is ready to knead.

3. Knead the dough for about 4-5 minutes using your Kitchen Aid dough hook, or simply turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until dough shapes into a ball.  

4. Cut ball of dough into 1/3 cup sections (approximately).  Roll the dough into a rope that is even in diameter and approximately twenty inches long. (Rolling is the hardest part: I put the dough at the top of a cutting board, rolled it down with both hands, and repeated this motion until I got a good long rope).   

5. Once you have your long rope, take the ends and draw them together so the dough forms a circle. Twist the ends, then bring them towards yourself and press them down into a pretzel shape.  

6. Beat an egg in a shallow bowl, such as a pie plate, and give the shaped pretzel a nice bath on both sides. Place on baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt or cinnamon sugar (1 Tablespoon cinnamon mixed with 1/3 cup sugar).

7. Bake for 10 minutes at 425F degrees. Turn the oven to broil for 5 additonal minutes (15 minutes in the oven total) to get the tops nice and brown.  Be sure to watch them closely in this step so they don't burn!

 

 

 Serve with mustard or melted cheese...and enjoy any day of the week!