Soft Pretzels
It’s official, homemade soft baked pretzels can now be crossed off my baking check list! I have been meaning to make pretzels for some time now and I have always thought that they required quite a bit of time, preparation, and technique for getting that center twist just right. So I set out determined and ready to give it a whirl… or twirl as it may be, I used the 30 minute homemade soft pretzel recipe from sallysbakingaddiction.com.
They turned out great, no rise times or boiling required to achieve that soft and chewy pretzel goodness I enjoy. With all that extra time you save you can relax and relish (which would probably be good with these) in the pretzels you have baking away! I loved these pretzels and served ours up with some caramel mustard dip. Which I am currently obsessed with since first trying it at Beechers in Manhattan a few weeks ago.
Ingredients: (yields about 8-10 pretzels depending on the size)
- 1 1/2 cups of warm water (110 degrees)
- 1 packet of active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of honey (you can also use regular sugar)
- 3.75- 4.25 cups of all purpose flour plus more for dusting*
- 1 large egg, beaten
- course sea salt for sprinkling
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl add the yeast and warm water. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the honey and salt and mix until incorporated.
Gradually add 3 cups of flour, in 1 cup increments. Mix with a wooden spoon until a thick dough forms. ( I used 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 2 cups of all purpose flour. For the additional flour I needed to make the dough less sticky I used all purpose flour). Slowly add 3/4 of a cup of flour until the dough is no longer sticky. If the dough is still sticky slowly add up to 1/2 of a cup more flour.With your finger poke the dough, when it bounces back it is ready to knead.
Turn the dough out onto a clean and floured work surface and knead for 3 minutes, forming a ball. Carefully cut the dough into sections depending on how small or large you want your pretzels. ( I made my sections about 1/3 cup ).
Roll out each section of dough into a long and even tube.(mine were 22” inches long). Form a U shape with your rolled tube of dough. Take the ends of the dough and bring them towards yourself. Cross the ends over each other and continue to bring them down pressing them in at the bottom forming a pretzel shape.
Pour the beaten egg into a shallow pie dish. Gently dip both sides of pretzel into the egg wash. Place the pretzels onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the coated pretzels with some of the course sea salt.
Bake for about 12-15 minutes and until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool. Then enjoy.