Ingredients
- 1 C milk
- 2 T sugar
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 T butter (softened)
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 ¼ C all-purpose flour (plus a little more for kneading)
- 1 C water
- 1 ½ T baking soda
- coarse salt (to taste)
- 2 T melted butter
Cinnamon/sugar ingredients
- 1 stick melted butter
- 1 ½ C sugar
- 2 T cinnamon
Instructions
- Pour warm milk (approximately 110°) into a large bowl along with sugar and yeast.
- Lightly mix and let sit about 10 minutes to allow yeast to become foamy.
- Next, add salt and softened butter.
- Add flour and mix with spoon until it comes together
- Then use your fingers to finish mixing in bowl.
- Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 1-2 minutes.
- Do not over work dough, just combine it well. (a little lumpy dough is ok!)
- Dough is ready when it is still wet but not sticking to fingers.
- Place dough ball in a large greased bowl.
- Cover and let rise about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- To make baking soda solution, heat the water until nearly boiling and pour into a bowl along with the baking soda.
- Whisk until baking soda is dissolved.
- When dough has doubled, turn out on a work surface and cut into half and then each half into 3 even pieces for a total of 6 pieces of dough.
- Take one piece of dough at a time and roll evenly into about a 30 in. long rope shape.
- Make a horseshoe shape with ends pointing toward you.
- Cross ends over twice, about one inch down from the ends.
- Take the two ends and fold up pressing lightly into the bottom of the pretzel(watching my pretzel video makes it easier to understand this step!)
- Take each pretzel and gently immerse it into the water/baking soda solution for 5-10 seconds.
- Then place each pretzel onto an oiled baking sheet or cast-iron griddle.
- While pretzels are still wet, sprinkle each with salt to taste.
- Bake in a 425° brick oven for 9-10 minutes or until nicely golden brown.
- Remove from oven and brush tops and sides with melted butter, to keep pretzels nice and soft.
Notes
- Do not skip the step on immersing each pretzel into the water/baking soda solution as this is what gives the pretzels that special flavor and texture!
- Try serving these pretzels with a cheese sauce or mustard or simply just plain!