Best Legit Soft Pretzels Just Like Auntie Annes Recipes

SOFT PRETZELS

Steps:

• Warm the milk and 2 tablespoons of the butter in the microwave until the butter is just melted, about 90 seconds; do not boil. (Alternatively, warm the butter and milk in a small saucepan.) Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Mix on low speed until well combined, about 1 minute. With the mixer on low, gradually add the warm milk/butter mixture to the bowl. When the dough forms a cohesive mass, switch from the paddle attachment to the dough hook. Knead on medium-low speed until the dough is smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. (Alternatively, the dough can be mixed and kneaded by hand.) Shape the dough into a ball, place in a clean, lightly greased bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a 2-qt baking dish, combine the baking soda with 2¼ cups warm water. Stir until the baking soda is dissolved; set aside. (Dipping the pretzel dough in a baking soda solution gives the pretzels a nice golden brown crust.)
• Punch the dough to deflate it, then turn it out onto a clean work surface. (If the dough seems sticky, you can dust it with a bit of flour as needed.) Shape the dough into a log, then cut into 6 equal pieces; cover with a damp dishtowel so the dough doesn't dry out. Roll and stretch each piece with the palms of your hands into a 24-inch rope, holding the ends and slapping the middle of the rope on the counter as you stretch.
• Using two hands, gently dip each "rope" into the soda solution. Let any excess liquid drip off, then form the dough into a pretzel shape directly on the prepared baking sheet (form a U-shape, then holding the ends of the rope, cross them over and under each other -- making a twist in the center -- and press the ends onto the bottom of the pretzel). Sprinkle evenly with the coarse salt. Bake until golden, 8 to 12 minutes; watch the bottoms carefully as they can burn.
• Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and brush on the baked pretzels. The pretzels are best enjoyed warm out of the oven or fresh on the same day (reheat in the oven or microwave).
• Note: Active dry yeast may be used instead of instant yeast, however, the dough will take longer to rise. To give active dry yeast a boost, you can dissolve it in the warm milk and butter, let it sit until frothy, about 10 minutes, and then proceed with the recipe.
• Note: If you prefer a cinnamon sugar topping, omit the coarse salt. Brush with butter after baking and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar (½ cup sugar plus about ¾ teaspoon cinnamon)
• Make-Ahead Instructions: After the dough has risen, it can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for a few months. Thaw the frozen dough in the refrigerator before using. The dough can be shaped into pretzel bites while still cool, but allow about 30 minutes for the bites to puff up a bit before dipping and baking.

COPYCAT AUNTIE ANNE'S SOFT PRETZELS

Steps:

• Add the warm water to a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the surface. Let the yeast "bloom" then stir in the sugar and salt. Add the flours slowly while stirring until it forms a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place back in the bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let rise for 30 minutes in a warm, draft free location. While the dough is rising, prepare the water bath by mixing the warm water and baking soda. Stir well. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet. When the dough has risen, pinch off pieces of the dough and roll out into a long, thin (1/2-inch thick or less) ripe. Shape into a pretzel shape, or other desired shape. Dip the pretzel in the warm baking soda solution and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the pretzels from the oven and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle the hot pretzels with the coarse salt. For cinnamon-sugar pretzels, dip the pretzels in melted butter then coat in blend of ground cinnamon and sugar.

LEGIT SOFT PRETZELS -- JUST LIKE AUNTIE ANNE'S

Steps:

• Warm up the milk in the microwave or on the stove for just about one and a half minutes, to about 110º.
• Stir the yeast into the milk and let it sit for about 3 minutes.
• Add the butter and sugar to the milk and stir to mix.
• Add the flour to the milk, about 1 cup at a time and add the fine salt as you add the flour. Mix w/ a spoon.
• Knead for about 10 minutes with a stand mixer, or by hand.
• Put kneaded dough in a greased bowl and cover with greased plastic wrap.
• Let rise for 1 hour in a moist, warm place until doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 450º.
• Punch down dough and divide into 12 lumps -- this is easiest if you divide it in half, cut each half into three lumps, then cut each lump in half.
• Combine the warm water and baking soda in a shallow dish (e.g. and 8x8 baking dish); stir/whisk until the baking soda is as dissolved as possible.
• Roll all 12 lumps of dough out as thin as you can -- they will shrink up quickly so getting the thinnest ropes possible is key.
• Form the dough into pretzel shapes, then quickly dip in the baking soda water. I found this works best when you roll out 2-3 pretzels, dip them, then put them on the baking sheet.
• Place rolled, dipped pretzels on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt.
• Bake for about 7-11 minutes or until browned.
• Dip each in the melted butter while hot.

SOFT PRETZELS - LIKE AUNTIE ANNE'S

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt and yeast in medium bowl. Blend well.
• Heat 1 cup water and Crisco in small saucepan to 100 - 110 degrees.
• Add liquid to flour mixture and blend at low speed until moistened.
• Beat 3 minutes at medium speed.
• Stir in by hand an additional 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 cups of flour or until dough pulls cleanly away from sides of bowl.
• Knead in 1/2 - 3/4 cup flour, on a floured surface, until dough is smooth and elastic.
• Put dough in greased bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap and a cloth towel.
• Let rise in a warm (80-85 degrees) until light and doubled in size. About 45 minutes.
• Spray 2 cookie sheets with no-stick spray.
• Punch dough down and seperate into 12 pieces.
• Roll each piece into a 16-inch rope.
• Form into pretzel shape.
• Place on greased cookie sheets and cover.
• Let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.
• Adjust oven rack to top position.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine 6 cups water and baking soda in a shallow saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Slowly drop pretzels into water, one at a time, cooking 15 seconds on each side.
• Remove from water with a slotted spoon and return to greased cookie sheet.
• Sprinkle with pretzel salt, sesame seeds, etc.
• Bake for 8 minutes.
• Brush with melted butter.
• Bake an additional 2 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove from cookie sheet and brush generously with remaining butter.