Flavor of the Week {Soft Pretzels}

I just realized I've never posted what has become the "famous" pretzels! I found this recipe at Annies Eats, where I find most of my recipes, she is AMAZING!!! Her site is the 1st one I go to when I'm looking for a new recipe. I started making these last summer and now almost every time we're invited somewhere, it's requested that this is what I bring. I'd never made a dough from scratch when I 1st made these, so I was a little intimidated, but they are super easy and I've never had a problem making these! I hope you give them a try and enjoy them as much as we do! Ps, they are great frozen and reheated like the ones you buy in the freezer section at the grocery.

Soft Pretzels makes 8

Ingredients:

1½ cups warm water (110-115° F)
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
2¼ tsp. instant yeast
22 oz. all-purpose flour (about 4½ cups)
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for greasing the bowl

For finishing:
Cooking spray
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp. water
Pretzel (or kosher) salt

Step 1: Mix the water sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Let sit 5 minutes. Then mix on low with a paddle attachment to combine the yeast. Add in the flour and melted butter and mix just until the dough comes together. Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium speed until the dough is smooth and clears the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a bowl lightly greased with vegetable oil, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, about 50-55 minutes or until doubled in bulk. (the photo is after it has doubled in size)

Step 2:Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. Bring the water and baking soda to a boil in a large saucepan or stockpot.

Step3:In the meantime, divide the dough into 8-10 equal pieces.

Working with one piece at a time, roll a segment out into a 24-inch long rope.Make a U-shape with the rope and holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and onto the bottom of the U-shape in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place on the cookie sheet and repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 or 2 at a time, for 30 seconds. Remove from the water with a slotted skimmer and return to the baking sheet. (If you put them in upside down, when you take them out, you can flip them onto the parchment paper which is easier than trying to slide them off) Once all the pretzels have been boiled, brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake in the preheated oven until dark golden brown, about 12-14 minutes.