Published: by Absolutely Recipes, in the recipes category.

Homemade Pretzels Recipe.

Ingredients:

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ¼ cups warm water (around 110°F/43°C)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Coarse salt, for sprinkling

Baking soda bath:

9 cups water
½ cup baking soda

Egg wash:

1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon water

Recipe Instructions:

Prepare the dough:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt.
Add the warm water and melted butter to the bowl, and stir until a dough forms.

Knead the dough:

Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface.
Knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.

First rise:

Lightly oil a large bowl and place the kneaded dough into it, turning it around to coat it with oil.
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour until it doubles in size.

Shape the pretzels:

Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release any air bubbles.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface and divide it into 8 equal portions.
Roll each portion into a long rope, about 20-22 inches long.

Form the pretzel shape:

Take one dough rope and form it into a "U" shape.
Cross the ends of the "U" over each other, about 2 inches from the ends.
Bring the crossed ends down and press them onto the bottom of the "U" shape, forming a pretzel.
Repeat this process with the remaining dough ropes.

Baking soda bath:

In a large pot, bring 9 cups of water to a boil.
Once boiling, carefully add the baking soda. Be cautious as it may cause the water to bubble up.
Gently place each pretzel into the boiling water bath for about 30 seconds.
Remove the pretzels using a slotted spoon or spatula, allowing excess water to drain off.

Preheat and bake:

Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) during the last 10 minutes of the boiling process.
Place the boiled pretzels onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
In a small bowl, whisk together the beaten egg and water to create the egg wash.
Brush the tops of the pretzels with the egg wash.
Sprinkle coarse salt on top of each pretzel for added flavor.
Place the baking sheet with the pretzels in the preheated oven.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the pretzels turn golden brown.

Cool and serve:

Remove the pretzels from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack before serving.

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