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Sourdough Soft Pretzels | Jennifer Cooks

Sourdough Soft Pretzels

5 from 4 votes
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Servings: 12 large pretzels
Author: Jennifer Locklin

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup lukewarm water
  • 1 cup unfed sourdough starter
  • 1 tablespoon instant yeast
  • 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
  • 1/4 cup powdered milk
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter melted
  • 3 tablespoons baking soda
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt to taste
  • 4 tablespoons butter melted

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, stir together first 8 ingredients.
  • Mix by hand or with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook until it forms a dough.
  • Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes with a stand mixer (dough will be slightly sticky, if dry, knead in additional water 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency).
  • Remove dough from bowl and shape into a ball. Clean and dry bowl and lightly grease. Place dough ball back inside clean bowl; cover the bowl and let dough rest for about 1 hour at room temperature.
  • Turn dough out onto a lightly greased surface and fold and shape into a rectangle. Divide equally into 12 pieces.
  • Cover pieces with plastic wrap while working. Roll out one piece at a time into a rope about 18 inches long.
  • Loop and twist each rope into a pretzel shape. Place on baking sheet while you finish rolling out and shaping the remaining pretzels.
  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  • Bring 3 cups water to a boil, reduce to a medium-low boil and stir in baking soda until dissolved.
  • Lower one pretzel at a time into the boiling water bath for 30 seconds, flipping halfway through.
  • Remove using a large flat spatula and place on half sheet pans.
  • In a small bowl, beat together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water. Brush each pretzel with egg wash mixture and sprinkle with coarse salt.
  • Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until dark golden brown.
  • Remove from oven and brush each pretzel with melted butter.
  • Cool for 5 minutes before serving.