Homemade Pretzels

I use Gaby Dalkin’s recipe with a few adjustments. They are super easy to make if you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, but it’s not needed. Expect 1 hour of dough rising time, so they’ll take 1.5 - 1.75 hours total to make..

Ingredients

Dough

• 1.5 cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 4.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

To Cook

• Parchment paper or vegetable oil for baking sheets
• 10 cups water
• ⅔ cup baking soda
• 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• Coarse salt, for sprinkling

Procedure

1. In a bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit until foamy.
2. Add the flour, salt, and melted butter. Knead the dough until smooth, either by hand or with a dough hook.
3. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
5. Bring the 10 cups of water and baking soda to a boil in a large pot.
6. Divide the dough into equal pieces, roll into cylinders, and shape into pretzels.
7. Using a spatula, dip each pretzel in the boiling baking soda water for less than a minute.
8. Place boiled pretzels on prepared baking sheets. Brush with the egg yolk mixture and sprinkle with salt.
9. Bake for up to 15 minutes until golden brown.