Soft pretzels really aren’t difficult to make, but they do require a bit of attention for the poaching of the dough. These buns are soft and spongy in the inside, with a thin brown crust that’s sprinkled with coarse sea salt. The secret to these buns is giving them a quick bath in a boiling alkaline solution before popping them in the oven — this is what gives them their distinctive flavor and color. This Pretzel Roll recipe starts with a pretty easy yeast dough. Start by making the dough. Heat milk and butter together until the mixture reaches 110 degrees F. Combine this with a packet of yeast and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Stir in salt and 2 cups of flour.
Beat this on low in your stand mixer for 3 minutes. Now, slowly add in one more cup of flour. Once combined, dump out onto a well-floured surface. Knead this until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Next, place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise for 90 minutes. The dough will have significantly risen. Make a boiling solution by combining 12 cups of water and 3/4 cup of baking soda together in a large pot. Bring this to a boil while you’re shaping your dough. To do this, punch the dough down and divide it into 8 equal pieces. It’s really important to form each piece into a tight, smooth ball.
Boil each dough ball for 1 minute and then flip it over and boil the other side for another minute. Remove from the boiling solution with a slotted spoon and set aside. Repeat this process with each pretzel dough ball. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet. Place the pretzel dough balls onto the lined baking sheet and brush the tops with a mixture of melted butter and garlic powder then cut across in the top.
You can sprinkle these with a pinch of coarse salt, too, if you like. Bake these for 10 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 8 – 12 minutes. The soft pretzel rolls should be nicely browned on top and fluffy in the middle. Remove these from the oven and immediately let cool on a wire cooling rack.
Ingredients;
- 1 cup skim milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into chunks
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 packet dry active yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 cups all purpose flour
Boiling Solution; - 12 cups water
- 3/4 cup baking soda
Butter Wash; - 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch of coarse salt optional for topping
Instructions;
- Heat milk and butter together until the mixture reaches 110 degrees F. Combine this with a packet of yeast and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Stir in salt and 2 cups of flour. Beat this on low in your stand mixer for 3 minutes.
- Now, slowly add in one more cup of flour. Once combined, dump out onto a well floured surface. Knead this until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
- Next, place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise for 90 minutes. The dough will have significantly risen.
- Make a boiling solution by combining 12 cups of water and 3/4 cup of baking soda together in a large pot.
- Bring this to a boil while you’re shaping your dough. To do this, punch the dough down and divide it into 8 equal pieces. It’s really important to form each piece into a tight, smooth ball.
- Boil each dough ball for 1 minute and then flip it over and boil the other side for another minute. Remove from the boiling solution with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Repeat this process with each pretzel dough ball
- Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat. Place the pretzel dough balls onto the lined baking sheet and brush the tops with a mixture of melted butter and garlic powder.
- Then cut a cross in the top. You can sprinkle these with a pinch of coarse salt, too, if you like!
- Now, bake these for 10 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 8 – 12 minutes.
- The soft pretzel rolls should be nicely browned on top and fluffy in the middle!
- Remove these from the oven and immediately let cool on a wire cooling rack.
