Soft Pretzels

I'll never forget the first time I tasted a soft pretzel.  It was when I was about 10 years old, at the mall in Dayton, Ohio, at a little store front called Hot Sam.  Goodness, was it delicious!  I was an instant fan.  Since then I've occasionally treated myself and the children to an Aunt Annie's soft pretzel at the mall near us, though doing so can really take a bite out of my wallet.

It's been a while since I made soft pretzels from scratch.  The first time I made them, Ryan was little and he loved to help me in the kitchen.  After that, he would beg me to make these.

Well, now I have another kitchen helper and we pretty much find something fun to create after school each day.  Yesterday we mixed up this super simple recipe for pretzel dough, killed time for an hour or so, then rolled and baked them.  Wow.  I can't even begin to tell you how delicious they were.  You're just going to have to try them yourself.

First, you mix water, yeast, and a little sugar in a small bowl.

When that gets all foamy, you add it to the flour and other ingredients.
Mix well.

You put your trusty kitchen helper on kneading that all till smooth.  

Then cover and let rise till double.

After the dough has risen, mix 1/2 cup baking soda with 4 cups hot water.

Divide dough into 12 balls.
Roll each into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape.

Dunk in the soda water.

Sprinkle with kosher salt.  Bake at 450 for 8 minutes. 

Ours turned out rather like pretzel buns because we didn't get our ropes long enough.  Still, they were fabulous.  We brushed them with melted butter, but next time I think I'll dunk them so they're even more buttery.  I like mine dipped in mustard, because that's the way I ate my very first one, oh so many years ago.  This time, I saved half and sprinkled it with cinnamon sugar.  Delicious!

Have a beautiful day!

Love,