You can dip them in cheese, Nutella, melted butter, cream cheese, mustard...
They make amazing buns for burgers, chicken sandwiches, brats...
There really isn't anything you can't do with soft pretzels.
KC loves taking them for lunch with canned cheese--I don't condone this because, well, canned cheese should be outlawed, but I love him so I look the other way. The kids prefer to dip them in frosting if I'm feeling nice. Silly me usually dips them in spicy mustard, or melted garlic butter (although I only do that when I'm home alone because I know it isn't healthy, but it's just so delicious...)
Luckily these pretzels are very easy to make, just make sure to allow time for the dough to rise.
Soft Pretzels
Ingredients:
Dough:
4 Cups Flour (Bread Flour will make them chewier and more traditional, but you can use white, wheat, or a mix of both as well.)
2 1/4 teaspoons Yeast
1 1/2 Cups Warm Water (115 degrees to 120 degrees)
1 Tablespoon Sugar
2 teaspoons Salt
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (melted)
Acid Bath:
12 Cups Water
1 Cup Baking Soda
Preparation:
(Although I use my Kitchen Aid mixer, you could do this by hand, just be sure to kneed it for at least 7 minutes.)
In the bowl of your mixer mix sugar, yeast, and water. Let the yeast proof 5-10 minutes until foamy.
Add in flour, salt, and then pour butter into into the center of the flour, using the dough hook, turn the mixer on to stir, until ingredients start to come together, then turn up to medium and let mix about 5 minutes.
Put dough into a large greased bowl, flip once so all sides are oiled. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour.
Turn dough out onto the counter and cut into as many pieces as you want pretzels. (I have made 8 big pretzels, 32 small, and any combination in between. If you want to make rolls for burgers cut the dough into 8 equal pieces.)
Roll each piece out into a worm, about the same diameter as your pinky finger. Pull up the ends so you have a U shape, twist together twice and then stick the ends onto the bottom of the U. (Hopefully that makes sense, I can add a video later if it would be helpful!)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Put a large pot on the stove, on high, with 12 cups of water and 1 cup of baking soda. Let it come to a rolling boil. (This will make a mess, you will have baking soda splatters everywhere, but they wipe up easily with a little water.)
Slowly drop the pretzels into the water, upside down, if they are large do about two at a time, if smaller you can usually drop about 8 at a time. When the pretzels float (usually about 30 seconds) pull them out using a slotted spoon or spatula. Set on a plate to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a greased cookie sheet. Leave a bit of room between the pretzels.
(I usually have two plates at this point, one I use to transport the pretzels from the counter to my pot, and the other to set the pretzels on when I remove them from the acid bath, and then transport them to the cookie sheet.)
Once they are all on the cookie sheet you can egg wash them if you would like, it doesn't change the flavor much, but it helps the salt, sugar, or any other seasonings stick. I usually egg wash them then add coarse ground salt. The kiddos also enjoy them dusted with cinnamon sugar.
Bake for 9-14 minutes. When the tops are light brown and then bottoms are a bit darker they should be perfect. Let cool for about 5 minutes and then move them to a baking rack to cool.
To store, put them into a gallon zippy bag, or airtight container in the fridge. I'm guessing they are good for at least a week, but to be honest they never last that long in our house.
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