HOMEMADE SOFT PRETZELS EASY RECIPES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 1/4 cup warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two more tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets.
• In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in 4 cups hot water; set aside. When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda-hot water solution and place pretzels on baking sheets. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
• Bake in preheated oven until browned, about 8 minutes.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir 2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast with a wooden spoon until well mixed. In a 1-quart saucepan, heat 1 1/2 cups water over medium heat until very warm and an instant-read thermometer reads 120°F to 130°F. Add the warm water and oil to the flour mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, stopping frequently to scrape batter from side and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, stopping frequently to scrape bowl. With a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour, about 1/2 cup at time, until dough is soft, leaves side of bowl and is easy to handle (dough maybe slightly sticky).
• Sprinkle flour lightly on a countertop or large cutting board. Place dough on floured surface. Knead by folding dough toward you, then with the heels of your hands, pushing dough away from you with a short rocking motion. Move dough a quarter turn and repeat. Continue kneading about 5 minutes, sprinkling surface with more flour if dough starts to stick, until dough is smooth and springy. Lightly spray a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray; cover the dough loosely with the plastic wrap, sprayed side down. Let rest 10 minutes.
• Move the oven rack to the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 425°F. Spray cookie sheets with the cooking spray. In a shallow bowl, stir 1 cup water and the baking soda to make pretzel “wash.”
• Divide dough into 16 equal pieces. With your hands, roll each piece into a 24-inch rope (dip hands in pretzel wash to make rolling dough easier). To make pretzel shape, form rope into a circle, crossing ends at top. Fold dough so crossed ends rest on bottom of circle. Stir pretzel wash; brush over both sides of pretzel, using a pastry brush. Place pretzel on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Reserve remaining pretzel wash. Cover pretzels loosely with plastic wrap. To make thin pretzels, let rest about 5 minutes or until very slightly puffed. To make thicker pretzels, let rise in a warm place 15 to 20 minutes or until puffed.
• Just before baking, brush pretzels with reserved wash; sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake 1 cookie sheet at a time 10 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets to a cooling rack; cool at least 15 minutes. Serve warm or cooled.