Pennsylvania Dutch Soft Pretzels Recipe

How to make it

---

• For the pretzels:

  ---

• Dissolve the yeast with the sugar and a dash of salt in the 1.5 c. water. (Make sure the water is not too hot and kills the yeast.) Set this aside until it starts to froth.
• Mix in the flour, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
• Return to bowl, cover with a damp towel, and leave in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.

• Shortcut:

  ---

• Once the yeast mixture is frothy, pour it into a bread machine with the flour on the "Dough" setting and let it do the mixing and rising for you.

• To form pretzels:

  ---

• Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 pieces.
• Roll each into a rope about 1/2 inch thick.
• Put each rope in a "U" shape, and twist the ends over each other twice.
• bring the ends towards you and drape them over the bottom of the "U".

• For the baking soda rinse:

  ---

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Line the baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Dissolve the baking soda in the 1/2 c. hot water. (The baking soda will settle to the bottom, so mix it up every few pretzels.)
• Pick up the pretzels by the draped ends, and dip in the baking soda rinse, covering both sides, let the excess run off, and place on a baking sheet (6 per sheet).
• If the pretzels start to dry out before baking, re-dip prior to placing in the oven. This helps them get a crispy outside and soft inside.
• Bake for 8 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
• Melt the butter in a shallow dish and place the Kosher salt in another shallow dish.
• Remove pretzels from oven, allow to cool a bit so that you can handle them, then dip the topsides in melted butter, and then immediately into the Kosher salt. (I recommend you do not allow the pretzels to soak up too much butter, just enough to hold the salt. Otherwise they just taste like butter.)
• Serve warm with prepared mustard if desired.