Soft Pretzels

Soft, buttery pretzels like the ones at the ballpark. The secret is two stages of cooking, a quick boil in a baking soda bath and then a hot oven, plus plenty of salt. Makes 8 pretzels.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees F), plus 10 cups water for boiling
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup baking soda
  • 1 large egg yolk, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
  • Vegetable oil, for the bowl and pans
  • Pretzel salt

Instructions:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the 1 1/2 cups warm water, the sugar, and the kosher salt. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit until the mixture foams, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the flour and melted butter. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed until well combined. Turn the mixer up to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, 4 to 5 minutes.
  3. Take the dough out of the bowl, clean the bowl, and oil it well. Put the dough back in, cover with plastic wrap, and set it in a warm place until it doubles in size, 50 to 55 minutes.
  4. Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush each one with about 1 tablespoon of oil.
  5. In a Dutch oven, bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil.
  6. While the water heats, turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 24-inch rope. Make a U shape with the rope, hold the ends, cross them over each other, and press them onto the bottom of the U to form a pretzel. Place it on a sheet pan and repeat with the rest of the dough.
  7. One at a time, boil each pretzel for 30 seconds, then lift it out with a large flat spatula. Put the pretzels back on the sheet pans, brush the tops with the egg yolk mixture, and sprinkle with pretzel salt.
  8. Bake until dark golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Move the pretzels to a wire rack and let them cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Note: If you don't have pretzel salt, coarse sea salt works. You'll need a stand mixer with a dough hook, a Dutch oven, and a large flat spatula. Active time is about 30 minutes; total time is about 1 hour 45 minutes.