Homemade Pretzel Bites
Baking has always been one of my favorite things to do. I pretty much taught myself to bake at the age of ten. From the first attempt at making donuts that were as hard as rocks (I did not realize you had to fry them in oil) I have come a long way in my baking skills. I love trying out new recipes and learning about new ingredients. Going into a kitchen store is a dangerous place for my to be as I pretty much want every single item I see.
Over Winter Break, my youngest daughter and I were shopping and stopped to look around in Williams and Sonoma. We were walking around and looking at all of the beautiful baking pans and she announced that she really wants to learn how to bake. I was so excited and could not wait to get started!
We decided to start with an easy recipe for pretzel bites. The dough is pretty simple to make and does not require a lot of special ingredients or use of specialty tools. I have to say that for her first try at baking she did a very good job and needed just a little help. She is now officially hooked on baking and cooking and has become addicted to pinning recipes on Pinterest to try at home.
This simple recipe is quick and easy and can be doubled to make enough for a large crowd. They are great just brushed with butter right out of the oven or dipped in cheese sauce. You could even make these sweet by not adding salt and once they come out of the oven brushing them with melted butter and shaking them up in a bag filled with cinnamon and sugar. Yummy!
We hope you enjoy making thee bagels bites as much as we did!
-Miranda
For this recipe, you will need the following...
1 1/2 cups warm (110-115°F) water
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 Tablespoon water
Coarse salt for topping the pretzel bites
Directions:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the water, sugar and salt. Sprinkle the yeast on top and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add the flour and butter to the bowl and mix on low until the ingredients are combined.
3. Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough until it is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, about 3 minutes.
4. Remove the dough from the bowl. Clean the bowl, grease it with vegetable oil and return the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm, dark place until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and position the oven racks in the middle two positions in your oven.
6. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper then lightly oil the paper.
7. In a large stock pot, stir together the 10 cups of water and the baking soda then bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
8.Turn the dough onto your work surface and divide it into 6 pieces. (Do not flour your work surface.)
8. Roll each piece into a rope roughly 1-inch in diameter then cut each rope into 1-inch pieces to form the pretzel bites.
9. In batches, add the bites to the boiling baking soda mixture for 30 seconds then use a slotted spoon to remove them onto the oiled baking sheets.
10. Brush the bites with the egg wash and sprinkle them with coarse salt.
11. Bake the bites until golden brown in color, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans (between racks and turning to rotate pans) halfway through.
12. Remove the soft pretzel bites from the oven and brush with melted butter or serve with warm cheese sauce.
Directions:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the water, sugar and salt. Sprinkle the yeast on top and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add the flour and butter to the bowl and mix on low until the ingredients are combined.
3. Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough until it is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, about 3 minutes.
4. Remove the dough from the bowl. Clean the bowl, grease it with vegetable oil and return the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm, dark place until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and position the oven racks in the middle two positions in your oven.
6. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper then lightly oil the paper.
7. In a large stock pot, stir together the 10 cups of water and the baking soda then bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
8.Turn the dough onto your work surface and divide it into 6 pieces. (Do not flour your work surface.)
8. Roll each piece into a rope roughly 1-inch in diameter then cut each rope into 1-inch pieces to form the pretzel bites.
9. In batches, add the bites to the boiling baking soda mixture for 30 seconds then use a slotted spoon to remove them onto the oiled baking sheets.
10. Brush the bites with the egg wash and sprinkle them with coarse salt.
11. Bake the bites until golden brown in color, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans (between racks and turning to rotate pans) halfway through.
