Soft Pretzel Bites

My kids LOVE soft pretzels dipped in cinnamon and sugar.  When we go to the factory outlet mall, that's our treat.  We don't go very often though.  And they ask for them... often!  So I googled soft pretzel bites and found this recipe on Two Peas and Their Pod.  It looked reasonable.  (Not super easy but kind of easy. Does that make sense.)  And I figured we'd give it a try.  I've never made pretzels before!

I am so glad we did.  The only thing I would do differently next time?  Double the recipe!  My kids gobbled them up so quickly!

We made some covered in cinnamon and sugar (for the kids.)  And some with sea salt on them (for me.)  WOW!  Delicious!!!

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 cups warm water

* 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar

* 1 package active dry yeast

* 3 ounces unsalted butter, melted

* 2 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

* 4 1/2 cups flour

* vegetable oil

* 3 quarts water

* 3/4 cup baking soda

* 1 egg beaten with 1 Tbls. cold water

* Coarse sea salt

Combine water, yeast, brown sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until combined.  Let stand for 5 minutes for the yeast to proof.

Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined.  Mix on medium speed for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  About 3 - 4 minutes.  Remove the dough from the bowl and kneed into a ball.

Helpers are always a good thing =o)

Oil a bowl with vegetable oil.  Add the dough and turn to coat.  Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let sit until double in size.  About an hour.

Preheat the over to 425 degrees.

Remove the dough and place on a flat surface.  Divide it into 8 equal pieces.  Roll each piece into a snake about 22 inches long.  We had a hard time doing this for some reason.  It wouldn't stretch necessarily and it was supper slippery on the rolling mat.  Heck, we're amateurs.  So we just tried to roll it out but them ripped off small pieces and rolled them into a ball (or cut them with scissors into pieces.) 

 

In a large pot, bring water to a boil.  Add baking soda.

Boil the pretzel pieces in the boiling water mixture for about 30 seconds.

Place on a cookie sheet (sprayed with cooking spray.)  Brush with egg mixture and sprinkle with salt.

If you are going to make cinnamon and sugar covered pretzel bites (and of course we did!) then don't add the salt.

The directions said to bake them for 15 minutes but that was way too long for our bites.  We ended up cooking them for about 9 - 10 minutes only.

Remove onto a cooling rack and let cool a little before eating.  They are amazing warm!!!

For cinnamon and sugar pretzel bites, dip each pretzel bite in melted butter and then roll in cinnamon and sugar.  And then try to not eat them all!  =o)

If you like to dip your pretzels in sauce (and who doesn't) here's a great cheese dip recipe!

* 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

* 1/2 Tbsp. flour

* 1/2 cup milk

* 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, grated

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the flour and cook for 1 minute.  Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in the cheddar cheese until all the cheese is smooth and melted.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

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