Buttery Soft Pretzels

Servings: 12 pretezels

Ingredients

  • 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1 ¼ cups warm water 110 degrees F/45 degrees C
  • 4-5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4-1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ½ cup baking soda
  • 4 cups hot water
  • ¼ cup kosher salt for topping

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 1/4 cup warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two more tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets.
  • In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in 4 cups hot water; set aside. When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda-hot water solution and place pretzels on lightly greased baking sheets. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
  • Bake in preheated oven until browned, about 8 minutes.