Pretzels

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I found this recipe years ago in Penzeys magazine. It’s an old Amish recipe from Rebecca Crouse, who makes these pretzels every Sunday night for supper. As a German—where we spell it Brezel—I sometimes really crave a good one, and this recipe tastes just like the ones from a bakery back home.

Ingredients (for about 12 pretzels)

  • 1 ¼ cups warm water
  • 1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 cups bread flour
  • 1 ½ – 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 tablespoons baking soda
  • Kosher or Sea Salt

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let the yeast sit for 5 minutes until foaming. Add the sugar, bread flour and 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour. Mix by hand or with a dough hook until the dough is smooth and elastic – around 10 minutes, adding the additional ½ cup of all-purpose flour as needed. Cover the dough and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. The dough will not necessarily double in size.

Preheat oven to 450°F – 500° F (depending on your oven). 

Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a “snake” around 18 inches long. Twist the dough into pretzel shapes and firmly pinch the ends to keep them from unfolding in the boiling water.

Bring the 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the baking soda and stir to dissolve. 

Dip each pretzel in the baking-soda/water for 5 to 10 seconds making sure the pretzel is completely immersed. Shake off excess water, and place the pretzel on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining pretzels.

Bake for 6-8 minutes until golden brown.