Soft Pretzel

Bites!

Look at these little guys.

Aren't they adorable?

They taste just like those warm delights you can find in the mall

but they're pint sized, easy to travel with, and homemade.

Let's get started.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet,)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

First, you're going to need some of this:

doesn't have to be this brand just Active Dry Yeast.

Then you'll need to combine the 

water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or a food processor. 

Beat or pulse until well incorporated. Afterward, allow it to stand for about 5 minutes.

Add in your salt and 4 1/2 cups of flour, then mix on low speed until combined.

 If the dough appears too wet, you can add more flour a 1 tablespoon at a time...

Remove the dough from the bowl or processor.

place on a flat, lightly floured surface, and knead into a ball with your hands.

Lightly oil a large bowl with olive oil then add the dough and turn it to coat with the oil. 

Cover it with a clean towel in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a flat, lightly floured surface. 

Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.

Roll each piece into a long rope that is about 22 inches long.

Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces, then cover and allow to rise again for another 20-30 minutes.

preheat your oven to 425 degrees F

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add in the baking soda.

 Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches. 

Not too many at a time I did about 15-20.

 Boil for about 30 seconds, then remove the pretzels with a large, slotted spoon or spatula.

Put your pretzel bites on a lightly greased baking sheet, leaving room in between them. 

Brush the tops with the egg and water mixture and sprinkle with coarse salt.

 Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown

Let them rest about 5 minutes before indulging....

*These guys are not the best snack to make ahead.

They got a little soggy when left in an airtight container. 

If you wanted to make ahead I would suggest freezing them 

after they are cooked and then reheating before you serve*

What do you think?