Oh So Soft Pretzels

I love soft pretzels! The yummy soft pretzels you get at the mall… I love the soft buttery salty ones, and the soft buttery cinnamon sugary ones. Well I have a recipe for some that are so good I just had to share.

Ingredients:

2 pkgs active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup baking soda
4 cups hot water
Kosher salt

Melted butter
Cinnamon sugar

First mix the yeast, 1 teaspoon white sugar, warm water and oil in a mixing bowl and let sit until foamy. This takes about 8 minutes or so. Then add the salt and 1/2 cup white sugar. Next add two cups of flour and beat until smooth and well combined. I use my stand mixer’s dough hook now and add the final two cups of flour. When well kneaded, put the bowl in a warm dry spot to double in size for about an hour. I put mine in the oven with just the oven light on. No heat, the small warmth from the light and draft free oven is perfect for rising.

Once it has doubled in size evenly divide it into 12 pieces. Then preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Mix the baking soda and hot water in a bowl. Roll each piece into a long rope, then twist into a pretzel shape. When the pretzel is shaped dip it into the baking soda and hot water mixture and then place on your baking sheet. This step gives the pretzels the right taste and nice brown chewy crust we all know and love about pretzels. Bake them at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes.

When you take them out of the oven immediately brush generously with melted butter. Top with either kosher salt, cinnamon sugar or neither. My kids like just plain buttery soft pretzels!

Thanks for stopping by!
Johanna 🙂