Homemade Pretzels ~ Auntie Anne's CopyCat Recipe!

These are by far, the best pretzels you will ever eat!  Perfect for your next get together, as they really take no time at all to prepare and bake!  

Everything you need to know is right here in this short 6 minute video, but I'll post the ingredients & directions below for those that like to print them out!

Ingredients:

3 1/2 - 4 1/2 Cups Flour

1 3/4 cup very warm milk

(I microwaved mine for about 2 minutes)

1 teaspoon of salt

1 package or 2 teaspoons of Active Dry Yeast

Coarse salt (optional)

Pre Oven Pretzel Bath:

3 Cups Very Hot Water about 120 degrees

1/2 Cup Baking Soda

Post Oven Pretzel Bath:

1/2 stick melted butter

Directions:

Mix together your 1 teaspoon salt with your 3 1/2 cups flour.  There is a 1 cup variance in flour, because depending on the day, outside temperatures vary.  So begin with only the 3 and a half cups of flour, as you can always add more flour to your dough slowly if needed.  

Microwave your milk, until it is very warm to slightly hot.  Add your yeast to the milk, and let set for about 4 to 6 minutes.  Once done, combine your flour mixture and milk mixture into your mixer, and begin slowly.  

You're looking for a warm soft managable ball of dough.  You don't want your dough to be sticky.  It shouldn't stick to your fingers at all.  I mixed my dough in the mixer for about 5 minutes.  

Place dough into a well greased bowl, push down with your finger tips once.  Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise for about 30 minutes.  

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Place a 1/2 cup of Baking Soda and 3 cups HOT water into a stainless bowl, mix to allow all the baking soda to dissolve, and set aside.  

Begin to roll out your pretzels.  You'll want to watch the video for the easist, fastest way to "roll and snap" your pretzels like the pro's do at Auntie Anne's.   

Note* The "Snapping" of a pretzel, is to prevent it from shrinking.

When I was a kid, I worked there for a couple of years, and became very good at rolling out those pretzels!  

Once your pretzels have all been rolled out, quickly dip them into the baking soda bath, and line them out on a baking tray.  They won't rise too much, so you can fit them relatively close together on the trays.  Sprinkle them with coarse salt, and bake for about 12 minutes.  

Melt your 1/2 stick of butter while they are baking.  

Once they come out of the oven.  you'll want to coat the front half of each pretzel with the butter.  In the video, I brushed them with a pastry brush,  you can also grab each pretzel from behind with tongs, and dip them into your bowl of butter.  Just remember to only do the front half of the pretzel.  

Serve with your favorite topping!  

Variation:

Use unsalted pretzels and dip the entire pretzel into the butter, then move pretzel to a cinnamon sugar bowl and coat them.  Serve with cream cheese!  ( Just like those delicious ones at Auntie Anne's!)