The Best Philadelphia Soft Pretzels Ever

Total Time: 1 hr 12 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water
• 4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 egg
• coarse salt, to sprinkle on top (kosher salt)
• warm mustard
• melted cheese

Recipe

• 1 in mixing bowl add warm water and yeast. stir until the yeast is completely dissolved.
• 2 add the sugar. stir. gradually stir in the flour. the dough will become stiff and dry. that's what you want.
• 3 sprinkle some flour on the counter or on a board. flour your hands, too. knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
• 4 form the dough into a ball. place the ball of dough back in the bowl and cover the bowl with a dish towel. let the dough rise in a warm, dark place for at least 30 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.
• 5 while the dough rises, heat the oven to 400f degrees. grease or butter a cookie sheet.
• 6 fill a saucepan half full of water, add the baking soda, and bring the water to a slow boil.
• 7 when the dough is finished rising, put it on a floured surface. flour a rolling pin and roll the dough into a square shape, about 1/4-1/2 inch (6-10 mm) thick. cut the dough into 1/2-inch (or so) wide strips. they don't have to be perfect.
• 8 twist each strip into a pretzel shape, pinching the ends so they don't fall apart. be careful not to let the strips stretch too thin as you handle them.
• 9 place a pretzel on a spatula and lower it into the boiling water for 5-10 seconds. it will puff up and float. use the spatula to remove the pretzel from the water. place the pretzel on the greased cookie sheet. repeat this with the other pretzels.
• 10 in a small bowl, beat the egg for 1 minute. use a pastry brush to coat the top of each pretzel with the egg. sprinkle salt over the pretzels.
• 11 bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
• 12 serve with warmed mustard or melted cheese. yum!