Homemade Soft Pretzels

I just love the pretzels at the mall and when my sister told me about this recipe, I had to try it!  I've been making them for over two years now and they are a family favorite.  For the price of a mall pretzel, I can make 16 pretzels.  Plus, they are healthier and freeze great!


Buttery Soft Pretzels

Ingredients:

4 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 teaspoon white sugar 1 1/4 cups warm water 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon vegetable oil   For the Pretzel Wash 1/2 cup baking soda 4 cups hot water 1/4 cup kosher salt, for topping

Directions:

1.	In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2.	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 tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes by hand or 3 minutes if using a Kitchen Aid. 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.
3.	Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water.
4.	When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is all shaped, wash each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
5.	Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until browned. Original Buttery Soft Pretzel Recipe from AllRecipes *Don't skip the pretzel wash.  I tried doing without it once and the pretzels tasted like ordinary white bread.*