Prep time: 90 minutes Baking time: 12 – 15 minutes
Yield: 16 small size buns, or 8 large buns
Here’s What You Need:
1 ½ cups warm tap water
2 teaspoons dry active yeast
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/4 cup extra for handling dough
Just before going into the oven, you will need:
3 cups super-hot tap water;
use a slotted spoon spatula for dunking your buns
3 tablespoons baking soda
1 stick melted butter to brush the tops of your buns
Kosher salt for garnish
Here’s How You Do It:
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and grease lightly. Set aside. Using a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment (or by hand), add first three ingredients and stir to dissolve. Add salt, then slowly pour in the flour, and mix until dough is smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise for 45 minutes. In another bowl (large enough to dip your pretzel), combine the remaining water and baking soda. Divide dough into 8 – 16 pieces. Shape the dough into a bun shape. Stir the water and baking soda solution and dip the pretzel bun into the solution using a spatula. Remove and place on to the greased baking sheet; with a knife, cut slits on the top of the bun to allow steam to escape during the baking process. You can brush your pretzel buns before or after baking. I like to do it twice!!!!! Allow pretzels to rise on the baking sheet for an additional 20 minutes loosely covered with plastic wrap. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Once oven reaches temperature, place buns into the oven and bake approximately 12 minutes for small buns (15 minutes for larger buns) or until golden dark brown. Remove from oven; brush again with melted butter and sprinkle salt.
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