Soft pretzels are one of my favourite “once in a while” treats- as a carb addict having them is a delicious and dangerous road to venture down.  However, I'm a firm believer that if I put in the work and make something indulgent in my kitchen then I can enjoy the results- and these soft pretzels are so worth the effort!

Pretzels are a three part process that isn't hard but takes a bit of time time- first I made the dough & let it rise, then I shaped the pretzels and give them a hot bath before going on to bake them. It was a really fun process to follow! The steps aren't complicated and the pauses between them let you clean up and change gears- but there's enough steps to feel like you're really an accomplished baker.

In my life, striking that delicate balance between challenging yourself and having in tact self esteem (along with tasty baking!) after all that work is an important principle in recipe selection.

The best part of these is that I could enjoy them without worrying about eating too many- they were snapped up by everyone who stopped by my house and were all gone in 24 hours. They were especially a hit with Jesse, who doesn't have a sweet tooth like me, which makes baking that he can get really excited about a special occasion.

Soft Pretzles

Recipe from Alton Brown, altered for toppings

Get…

• 1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
• 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
• Vegetable oil, for pan
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• Pretzel salt & a little butter

Okay!

Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap (I used a damp towel) and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture (Don't add too much of the mixture!). Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

While pretzels are still warm, rub with butter & sprinkle with desired toppings such as pretzel salt or cinnamon and sugar mixture. Enjoy!

What's your favourite savory indulgence?