Hey, is this thing on?
Oh, good.
Happy Monday, everyone! It’s been so crazy around here the last two weeks that I feel like a pretzel. More on what I’ve been up to shortly. In the meantime, I’m sharing my new love.
I didn’t mean to fall. It was an accident. Still, the Yeast Cupid got me just the same.
While opening a wonderful little care package I received from King Arthur Flour earlier this spring, a glossy piece of cardstock with many lines of text and numbers slipped out of the box and slid innocently along the floor to rest in front of the fridge in my kitchen.
Of course, I was on it like white on rice – scooped that baby up and behold: it told me how to bake soft pretzels. As in here, in my humble kitchen. Hmm…these might make me a hero if I could get them right. Okay, file these in my idea book and keep on rolling, I thought to myself.
Last week I finally circled back and when I cracked open my idea book, there they were. Instant attraction. Even lightning bolts. So I took the first (always skeptical) concentrated read-through and gave them a whirl the same afternoon.
You can guess what I’m about to say next. Yep, a new obsession was born. Love at first pretzel-shaping.
I’ve made these adorable, easy and delish pretzels six times since. Six. They never last an entire day and rarely an hour. You can take these the standard, as-published route, or add your own herb mix to go savory, or try a cinnamon-sugar topping, possibly, for a sweet version. Also, experiment with different pretzel sizes and add an extra twist in the middle while shaping a larger pretzel.
High WOW-factor, low on the putz meter. What could be better? Just don’t stay home alone with them.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
To note: You can certainly make this pretzel dough and bake the same day, however, for a richer, more “pretzel-y” dough flavor, I wrap my dough in plastic after it has risen and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. When you’re ready to bake, remove the dough from the fridge and let warm to room temp (about an hour) before dividing and shaping. If you bake a sweet version of these, I recommend baking the same day you make the dough (no hint of sour at all).
Print This RecipeHot Buttered Pretzels
Approx prep: 35 minutes Rise time: 30-45 minutes Bake: 9 minutes Yield:
8 pretzels
INGREDIENTS
Dough
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
7/8 cup lukewarm water
3 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
PREPARATION
1. Place all dough ingredients in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached.
2. Knead by hand or mixer five minutes or until a soft, smooth and slack dough forms (note: my dough, when ready, feels “clammy” to the touch but isn’t sticky).
3. Sprinkle dough with flour, cover and let rise 30-45 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 475° F. Lightly grease two baking sheets or line with parchment.
5. Divide the dough into 8 pieces Add the baking soda to the boiling water, stirring vigorously to dissolve; allow water to cool to lukewarm as you shape the pretzels.
6. Roll each piece of dough into a long, thin rope (about 18-20″), bring ends around and cross the center of the rope and drape tails into a pretzel shape.
7. Pour cooled baking soda wash into a 9×9 square baking pan. Place the pretzels, two at a time, into the water and soak for 2 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet.
8. Bake pretzels for 8-9 minutes or until golden brown, rotating baking sheet in oven halfway through. Remove from oven, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with salt. Enjoy hot.
homemade pretzels are so fun! i love the idea of refrigerating to intensify the pretzel flavor. great tip!!
Hi, Sarah! Try it. I’ve not gone beyond 48 hours but I think that’s all you need for the most intense, sporting-event-intense soft pretzel flavor. Tell me what you think if you try them!
Pretzels! I used to eat so many soft pretzels with cheese sauce in high school…clearly I must make these (maybe with an actual severely thick sauce mornay?) and eat them all myself.
Hello, Eileen – do it. Eat all eight of them and if you do a sauce, come back and tell me which one so I can make it, too.
I can easily see that these could become a new addiction – yeasty, tender, salty, just perfection!
Watch it. I warned you, you know I did. I’ll bring you some soon.
I need to try these! My husband and daughters are huge pretzel fans. Me, not as much. Unless…they are fabulously fresh and warm. And especially if they have just a hint of sweetness to the dough. I think I could become a pretzel addict, too!!
Hi, Brenda! I think you could up the sugar in this dough to 1/4 cup or so, just really watch your browning during baking if so. I might try that, too, as I also love a little bit of sweetness. I’d also do cinn/sugar on top. Oh yikes, now I’m probably going to do that tomorrow and not refrigerate the dough so it’s all sweet and no sass. Thanks for doing that to me!
Nothing quite like a hot buttered pretzel. These sound fabulous!
Katrina, try them and see what you think. So easy it’s almost ridiculous.
These sound yummy and simple.
Hi, Debra – YEP. Now I’m thinking of a cream cheese-stuffed version with some sweetness added to the cream cheese mixture. Hmm…
These sound fantastic! I’ve missed seeing you around! Hope all is well!:)
Hi, Stephanie! Guess where I’m headed right now? You’ll see! I’m back in the saddle so I’ll start bugging you again now.
These are absolutely beautiful, Cindy! I am such a sucker for a soft, buttery pretzel!
Hi, Jamie! Thanks so much. I am way *too* much of a sucker for them! Hope you are doing well this week!
Dear Cindy,
I’m still waiting for my of pretzels. Wonder if the mailman got them …
Shall I FedEx you some?
Looking at these while hungry is nothing short of pure torture! There is nothing like a GOOD warm, buttery pretzel. *Smacks lips*
Thank you! It really is awful to have them sitting around so just don’t. Make your neighbors happy instead!
I’ve never heard of this extra step of refrigeration. Now I must make pretzels again! Poor me
Katrina, totally make some dough, let it rise, then fridge it for 48. Or do one batch 24 and one 48 hours and see which is your fave. I’d even like to see what a 72-hour fermentation tastes like but I’ve just become too attached to 48-hour dough to try it. Not sure if it might have a bit much bite? hmm…
Okay, I’m afraid to try these because I know I would want to make them at least 6 times…and eat every single one of them.
I’ve been wanting to make pretzels for a really long time! they look delicious and buttery