Soft Pretzels - Like Auntie Anne's

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 30 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (1/4 ounce) package dry active yeast
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon crisco
• 6 cups water
• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Recipe

• 1 combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt and yeast in medium bowl. blend well.
• 2 heat 1 cup water and crisco in small saucepan to 100 - 110 degrees.
• 3 add liquid to flour mixture and blend at low speed until moistened.
• 4 beat 3 minutes at medium speed.
• 5 stir in by hand an additional 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 cups of flour or until dough pulls cleanly away from sides of bowl.
• 6 knead in 1/2 - 3/4 cup flour, on a floured surface, until dough is smooth and elastic.
• 7 put dough in greased bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap and a cloth towel.
• 8 let rise in a warm (80-85 degrees) until light and doubled in size. about 45 minutes.
• 9 spray 2 cookie sheets with no-stick spray.
• 10 punch dough down and seperate into 12 pieces.
• 11 roll each piece into a 16-inch rope.
• 12 form into pretzel shape.
• 13 place on greased cookie sheets and cover.
• 14 let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.
• 15 adjust oven rack to top position.
• 16 heat oven to 400 degrees.
• 17 combine 6 cups water and baking soda in a shallow saucepan and bring to a boil.
• 18 slowly drop pretzels into water, one at a time, cooking 15 seconds on each side.
• 19 remove from water with a slotted spoon and return to greased cookie sheet.
• 20 sprinkle with pretzel salt, sesame seeds, etc.
• 21 bake for 8 minutes.
• 22 brush with melted butter.
• 23 bake an additional 2 minutes or until golden brown.
• 24 remove from cookie sheet and brush generously with remaining butter.