Easy Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

• total time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups warm (110-115°F) water

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for topping

1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Vegetable oil

10 cups water

2/3 cup baking soda

1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 Tablespoon water

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the water, sugar and kosher salt. Sprinkle the yeast on top and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.

Add the flour and butter to the bowl and mix on low until the ingredients are combined.

Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough until it is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, about 3 minutes.

Remove the dough from the bowl. Clean the bowl, grease it with vegetable oil and return the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm, dark place until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 450°F and position the oven racks in the middle two positions in your oven.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper then lightly oil the paper.

In a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot, stir together the 10 cups of water and the baking soda then bring the mixture to a rolling boil.

Turn the dough onto your work surface and divide it into 6 pieces. (Do not flour your work surface.)

Roll each piece into a rope roughly 1-inch in diameter then cut each rope into 1-inch pieces to form the pretzel bites.

In batches, add the bites to the boiling baking soda mixture for 30 seconds then use a slotted spoon to remove them onto the oiled baking sheets.

Brush the bites with the egg wash and sprinkle them with kosher salt.

Bake the bites until golden brown in color, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans (between racks and turning to rotate pans) halfway through.

Remove the soft pretzel bites from the oven and serve.

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