Soft Puffy Pretzel Sticks

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• water
• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 5 3/4 cups flour
• 1/4-1/2 cup flour, for kneading
• 3/4 cup baking soda
• 1 large egg, beaten with
• 1 tablespoon water
• coarse salt or flaky salt, for sprinkling

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl, stir the brown sugar into 2 cups of warm water until dissolved.
• 2 sprinkle the yeast over the water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• 3 stir in the vegetable oil and 3 cups of the flour. knead in the remaining 2 3/4 cups flour; dough will be slightly sticky.
• 4 transfer dough to a floured surface and knead until silky, about 3 minutes. if the dough is very sticky, knead in up to 1/4 cup more flour.
• 5 transfer dough to a large oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
• 6 heat oven to 450*f. line 3 large cookie sheets with parchment paper; butter the paper.
• 7 punch dough down and turn out onto a floured surface.
• 8 knead dough lightly, flatten it out, and cut into 24 pieces.
• 9 roll each piece into a 9" stick about 1/2" thick.
• 10 transfer sticks to the cookie sheets, spacing them 2" apart. let stand, uncovered, until puffed, about 25 minutes.
• 11 in a large, deep skillet, stir the baking soda into 2 qts. water and bring to a simmer over high heat. reduce heat to medium.
• 12 using 2 slotted spoons, carefully transfer 6 pretzel sticks at a time into the simmering water for 30 seconds, turning once.
• 13 add about 1 cup of hot water to the soda mixture before cooking each batch of pretzels.
• 14 drain pretzels on paper towels, then return them to the cookie sheets.
• 15 brush pretzels with the egg wash and sprinkle with salt. bake until richly browned, about 10 minutes. serve warm.
• 16 the baked pretzels can be stored overnight in an airtight plastic storage bag. reheat before serving.