Soft Pretzels- Baked

 Soft Pretzels

Ingredients:

Warm Water- 1&1/2 cup

Instant Yeast- 1 packet or 2&1/4 tsp

Salt- 1 tsp

Brown Sugar or granulated- 1 Tbs

Butter- 1 Tbs melted and slightly cool

Flour- 3&3/4-4 cups

Kosher or Sea Salt for sprinkling

Baking Soda Bath:

Baking Soda- 1/2 cup

Water- 9 cups

(Measurements do not have to be exact, also can use less water and soda.)

Instructions:

1. Whisk the yeast into warm water. Allow to sit for 1 minute. Whisk in salt, brown sugar, and melted butter. Slowly add 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Mix with a wooden spoon (or dough hook) and add 3/4 cup flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Poke the dough, if it bounces back, it is ready to knead.

2. Turn dough onto floured surface, knead the dough for 3 minutes. Cover lightly with a towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes. (Meanwhile, get baking soda bath boiling.)

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray baking sheet or use silicone mats. 

4. Divide dough into pretzels. Roll each pretzel into a 20-22 inch rope, take the ends and draw them together so the dough forms a circle, twist the ends and them bring them towards yourself and press to form a pretzel shape. 

5. Drop pretzels into boiling baking soda bath for 20-30 seconds (not longer). Only drop 10-2 at a time. Remove from water and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt.

6. Bake pretzels for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. 

Optional: When pretzels are moved from oven, coat with butter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar.

Recipe from sallysbakingaddiction.com