This recipe is a tried and true recipe that I have had for quite a few years — actually, I got this recipe back in junior high (way back in the early 90’s!) when we learned how to make pretzels in Home Ec. It is such a wonderfully versatile recipe that several years ago I began using this pretzel dough recipe for pizza crust! This recipe makes the most amazing pizza crust that rises quite a bit, and is soft and fluffy. I have been making pizza crust with this recipe for 20 years already — so this really is a delicious recipe!! Who doesn’t love one dough for tasty pretzels, soft pizza crust or yummy pizza buns — but that’s another post for another day!!
We decided to make the pretzels 2 ways to compare them. Anytime I made these pretzels in the past, I would roll the dough, shape it in a pretzel and bake it. So we decided to make them that way as well as boil them prior to baking. The baked ones were delicious and fluffy but really tasted just like a bun that was shaped differently, and makes fantastic sandwiches! But the boiled pretzels were crispy on the outside, tender and fluffy on the inside and had that pretzel flavor that went great with honey mustard! I definitely recommend that extra step of boiling them first!
This is a fun and delicious way to get kids involved in the kitchen. Pretzels are tricky to make, so my daughters used a pretzel-shaper that they bought! No matter what they look like, they are yummy and kids will love helping!
Let’s get started.
Combine sugar, yeast and warm water and stir. It’ll look cloudy.
Add salt and flour. Add sourdough starter if using.
Add enough flour to make a dough.
Turn out onto counter and knead until dough is just slightly tacky but not really sticky.
Let dough rest for 10 minutes. In the meantime, begin to boil a large pot of water.
I shaped these into a pretzel bun. Make a letter 6, then take the top part and fold over. It will look like a pretzel – you can pull the dough further out, twist and press down for a large pretzel or tuck the ends under like I did. Brush with egg wash (egg whisked with a bit of water), sprinkle with salt or everything seasoning and bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
You can see just how fluffy these pretzels are if just simply baked — and they are so yummy!
I have always wanted to try boiling pretzels to see if it actually made a difference in flavor (which it totally does) but this was the first time we tried it, so they fell apart at first until I learned what to do and what not to do. These were boiled for 1 minute and fell apart in the water. I found if they were boiled a few minutes longer, they kept their shape much better. Brush with egg wash and then bake at 350F for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
My kids made these pretzels — not too bad! We did not boil this batch since we wanted to taste test which were better – baked or boiled & baked! We placed the pretzels on the stone, brushed with egg wash, sprinkled with salt and everything bagel seasoning and baked them, about 15 to 20 minutes, golden brown and sprung back when lightly touched. These make great sandwiches!
We love dipping these in honey mustard which you can either purchase or combine honey with a regular or spicy mustard and stir together, adjusting the honey for the desired sweetness. These also taste great with a cream cheese style dip! Any way you eat them, they are delicious, and a perfect snack!
Quick and Easy Pretzels
1 tbsp yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1-1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup sourdough starter, optional
1 tsp salt
2 to 3 cups flour
Combine yeast, sugar and warm water together. Stir. Add in sourdough starter if using, salt and flour. Add enough flour to create a dough. Knead until no longer sticky, but slightly tacky. Let rest 10 minutes. Cut, roll and shape into pretzels.
To bake:
Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with salt, everything bagel seasoning or seasoning of choice. Bake at 350F until golden brown.
To boil:
Bring water to a boil. Add 3 tsp baking soda. Place pretzels in and boil until they begin to float, about 3 minutes. Remove from water and place on a baking pan. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with salt, everything bagel seasoning or seasoning of choice. Bake at 350F for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Serve with your favorite mustard.
Make them festive:
Thanksgiving: Shape the pretzel dough into a turkey shape, cornucopia, leaf, pumpkin and so on.
Halloween: Easily twist the dough in bone shapes or even headstones, skull shapes or pumpkins, and so on.
Winter: Shape into a tree, present shape, snowmen, snowflakes, sled and so on.
Easter: Shape into a bunny, egg shape, flower and so on.
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