Have you ever walked into a shopping mall and smelt a delicious waft of sugary goodness mixed with a faint hint of butter dripping onto freshly baked bread? As this smell enters your nostrils, the cravings start. Suddenly, you find yourself in line for Auntie Annies, Cinnabon, or whichever local pretzel bakery is located in your mall. Maybe it is just me, but the butter-soaked pretzels are a staple for any shopping trip I am on. I am now going to college in the middle of nowhere, an hour away from the nearest shopping mall, and I have been absolutely craving the mouthwatering taste of these pretzels. Wait, who am I kidding? I go shopping maybe twice a year. Yet I crave these pretzels all the time. You may ask, how do I satisfy these cravings if I am not an avid shopper, nor do I have a local mall near my school? Well, let me tell you: this recipe. This pretzel recipe, spiced up with a little baking secret (which I will disclose, don’t worry), will satisfy your cravings, and whoever else is in your vicinity will be craving these pretzels for the rest of the day from the delicious smell.
First, here are the ingredients that you need (for pretzels and mustard dipping sauce):
- 1 ½ lb pizza dough
- ¼ cup baking soda
- 1 egg, whisked
- coarse salt
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons French Honey Mustard
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Now what you do is:
- Preheat oven to 425ºF (218 C)
- Roll pizza dough into balls slightly smaller than the size of a golf ball.
- Bring a pot of water to a simmer, then stir in the baking soda. Mix well until baking soda is dissolved in water. Add dough balls and cook for about 30 seconds. Remove from the water and place them on a parchment-lined sheet tray.
- Brush each dough ball with egg wash and sprinkle with a bit of coarse salt. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 10–12 minutes until pretzels turn a deep brown color.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the milk while whisking. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the milk begins to thicken slightly. Add in the French’s Honey Mustard, cheese, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Whisk until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth. Let the cheese sauce bubble for a few more minutes to thicken up slightly. Serve immediately with the pretzel bites!
- Enjoy!
So here is the secret. Make your own pizza dough. The homemade dough will dramatically change the taste and ensure the ingredients are fresh and to your liking. If you are like me, you are overwhelmed with the idea of making dough. There are a lot of complicated ways to make pizza dough out there, so how do you decide which recipe to follow? Well, never fear! I’ve got the quickest, and easiest, dough recipe for you right here.
Ingredients:
- 2 envelopes (1/4 ounce each) of active dry yeast (not rapid-rise)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for bowl and brushing
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled – this is important!), plus more for dusting
Steps:
- Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into a large bowl; sprinkle with yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
- Whisk sugar, oil, and salt into the yeast mixture. Add flour and stir until a sticky dough forms. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and brush the top with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until the dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead 1 or 2 times before using.
- The dough can be stored in an oiled bowl, covered with plastic, in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours. To freeze, wrap the dough in plastic and freeze it in a resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months. If you plan to use it in a recipe that calls for half a batch, divide it before freezing.
Ta Da! You will have the best pretzel bites known to man from scratch and the comfort of your own home! Enjoyed best with friends and family :)