Homemade Soft Pretzels

It's easy and fun to make these soft pretzels at home. They're fairly big, chewy and soft at the same time, and delicious with mustard. I made salty pretzels, but you could probably make cinnamon sugar ones and they'd be good too.

Step 1 Ingredients and Making the Dough

Makes 12 Pretzels
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1/4 tsp coarse salt
2 tsp sugar
1 cp warm water
3 cps flour (and more for surface)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp butter, softened
vegetable oil or cooking spray for baking sheets
3 tbsp baking soda
1 tbsp pretzel salt

Mix yeast, coarse salt, sugar, and warm water together in a small bowl. Whisk to dissolve the sugar. Let stand until foamy. (about 5 mins)
Mix the flour and the cayenne pepper. Cut in butter and mix until it is mixed and crumbly. Slowly pour the yeast mixture over. Knead on floured counter until no longer sticky. (5-10 mins). Put the dough-ball in a bowl and cover with saran wrap. Let the dough rise for 30 mins. 

Comments

[Ez-Kabob]

I made these and they turned out a bit like uncooked pasta when they were done. What did I do wrong?

[Ward_Nox]

you have to let pretzel dough rest for a half hour covered in a area about 85-95 degrees so it rises

[sunshiine]

These look so good! Thanks for sharing.

[bowow0807]

is the flour you use all purpose? or is it bread flour?

[Emerzyme]

It's all purpose flour.