Have you ever met anyone who disliked a soft pretzel? I haven't. Have you ever met anyone who disliked a product of Trader Joe's? I haven't. So therefore, I bring you this recipe. Pretzel bites mixed with everyones favorite seasoning "Everything but the Bagel" from Trader Joes.
Let's start with the soft pretzel. Before the emergence of trendy beer bars and gastropubs the concept of a soft pretzel was isolated to malls and the streets of New York City. To this day, if I smell a hot buttery pretzel I immediately think I am facing Auntie Anne's at the entrance of my local mall. If I smell a hot buttery pretzel mixed with garbage I'm in New York City. When you were a kid, if you were eating a soft pretzel, you were at a minor league baseball game, the circus, or seeing Pocahontas on ice. I think now that pretzels are all the rage at trendy restaurants and bars, and come presented to your table on little hooks, we fall in love again with our favorite childhood treat.
Next there is Trader Joe's. Maybe it's a regional thing but I don't think I ever stepped foot into a Trader Joe's until I went to college and found out they sell wine for $2. Oh, to have those unbiased wine taste buds again. Now in days, if Trader Joe's isn't on your weekly errand list there is something wrong.
So on to the pretzels. I promise you, you cannot be afraid of making soft pretzels at home. I swear making a cake is way harder. People tend to steer away from things that involve yeast but seriously I promise you these pretzels are the best entry way to working with yeast.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tbsp sugar
1 package active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsps)
1 tsp kosher salt
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp garlic powder
10 cups water
1/2 cup baking soda
1 large egg beaten, mixed with 1 tbsp water
Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Seasoning
1. In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast over the top and let it sit for five minutes, until the mixture becomes foamy. Add in the flour, butter, and garlic powder. Using a dough hook mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and comes together in a ball. Add more flour or water as needed. Mix for roughly 4 - 5 minutes. Remove the dough and place in a well oiled bowl. Cover with saran wrap or a damp towel, and let it rest until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or grease properly. Meanwhile, bring 10 cups of water and baking soda to a boil.
3. Remove dough from the bowl and place onto a well floured service. Divide the dough evenly into two pieces. Then divide each section into five even pieces. You should end up with ten pieces of dough.
4. Roll out the dough, piece by piece, into ropes. Fold the rope in half around your finger, and twist 2-3 times. Twist the dough and tuck the ends under the buns so they don't show. Place each knot on a baking sheet.
5. Lower the pretzels into boiling water, one by one, and let cook for 30 seconds. Pretzels will rise to the top when done. Remove and place on the baking sheet. Once completed, brush all the pretzels with the egg wash and sprinkle with Everything but the Bagel seasoning. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
6. Serve with your favorite mustard or marinara sauce.
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tbsp sugar
1 package active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsps)
1 tsp kosher salt
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp garlic powder
10 cups water
1/2 cup baking soda
1 large egg beaten, mixed with 1 tbsp water
Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Seasoning
1. In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast over the top and let it sit for five minutes, until the mixture becomes foamy. Add in the flour, butter, and garlic powder. Using a dough hook mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and comes together in a ball. Add more flour or water as needed. Mix for roughly 4 - 5 minutes. Remove the dough and place in a well oiled bowl. Cover with saran wrap or a damp towel, and let it rest until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or grease properly. Meanwhile, bring 10 cups of water and baking soda to a boil.
3. Remove dough from the bowl and place onto a well floured service. Divide the dough evenly into two pieces. Then divide each section into five even pieces. You should end up with ten pieces of dough.
4. Roll out the dough, piece by piece, into ropes. Fold the rope in half around your finger, and twist 2-3 times. Twist the dough and tuck the ends under the buns so they don't show. Place each knot on a baking sheet.
5. Lower the pretzels into boiling water, one by one, and let cook for 30 seconds. Pretzels will rise to the top when done. Remove and place on the baking sheet. Once completed, brush all the pretzels with the egg wash and sprinkle with Everything but the Bagel seasoning. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
6. Serve with your favorite mustard or marinara sauce.
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