Homemade Baked Soft Pretzels

Fewer things make a person nostalgically reminisce of their childhood than home cooked food, especially when it’s something that was traditionally made in your home, by the people who cared for you…mom, grandmom, whoever that special person was.

So, it is a glorious moment when we recreate those recipes and find ourselves swimming in happy memories of days gone by.

Take these homemade soft pretzels.

Just opening the yeast packet ALONE floods me with memories of being the pint sized helper in my grandmother’s kitchen. Helping to measure the ingredients, stir them up and prepare things for the hot oven! My grandmother….Lord! Could that woman bake!

This pretzel was an after school favorite and so easy to make! Takes only 30 minuntes to make them. Serve them up with different mustards, cheese dip, marinara sauce, salsa, caramel, honey, melted butter, even….peanut butter and jelly mixed together (like goober grape!)

You AND your kids will love them!

EnJOY!

Baked Soft Pretzels

1 1/2 cups hot water
1 packet yeast
3-3 1/2 cups flour (use wheat, white or a mix of 1/2 each)
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 Egg White beaten
Sea Salt

(This is a basic recipe, you can experiment with adding things to it, chopped jalapnos, cheese, nuts, spices, pesto, etc…the possibilities are endless!)

Preheat Oven to 425*
In mixing bowl combine 1 1/2 cups hot water and one standard packet of yeast. Whisk and allow to sit for about 10 min. Whisk again to mix yeast into the water well.
Add 1 Tbsp Sugar and 1 Tsp salt,  whisk again well. Stir in flour, one cup at a time stirring/cutting in with a stiff spoon. If your dough if still sticky add a little more flour, up to 1/2 cup more.
Allow dough to sit for approx 5 min. Then turn out onto a floured surface and knead.
Once your dough is well kneaded divide it into equal parts. I generally make about 10 pretzels with this much dough.
Take one part at a time and roll it out into a rope. Then shape your rope into a pretzel shape and place it on a cookie sheet covered with parchment.

Photo Credit: http://www.yestoyum.com

Once you have all of your pretzels formed, beat the egg up in a bowl and dip each pretzel in, then place them back on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle seat salt onto the pretzels. (you could also sprinkle sugar or cinnamon and sugar depending on your taste)
Bake for 10 min at 425, then switch the oven to broil (low broil if you have two settings)
Broil for approx 5 min but watching to make sure they don’t burn. You want them golden brown!
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a minute or two.
Serve with dipping compotes on the plate!
Delicious!!!!