Soft Pretzels



Today’s pretzel recipe is a Secret Recipe Club Recipe!  If you are unfamiliar, SRC is a monthly challenge in which participants secretly recreate a recipe from their assigned blog.

Secret Recipe Club

This month, I was assigned Karen’s blog, Karen Cooks.  Karen is a Midwesterner, like myself, so I felt a certain kinship with her, even though she is much more likely to cook with wild game than I am (if you know a hunter check out her blog!)

Karen is also a baker, so I was immediately drawn to all of her delicious baked goods!   So when it came time to choose a recipe, I chose her soft pretzels.  The reason for choosing this recipe was twofold.  First the pretzels looked amazing!  And second, pretzels were also on my 30x30 list!


Can I tell you how thrilled I am that I made these pretzels?  They were Ah-Mazing!

And though the pretzels were simply amazing on their own, I was also compelled to take it to the next level and stuff these pretzels.  Pizza Stuffed Pretzels = the best.  My family ate this whole batch of pretzels and skipped dinner.  They’re that good.


Soft Pretzels
Recipe from Karen Cooks

Soda Wash
½ cup warm water
2 tbsp baking soda

Dough
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp yeast
1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
½ tsp salt
2 ½ cups all purpose flour

Toppings (optional)
3 tbsp salted butter, melted
Kosher salt
Garlic powder
Italian herbs
Parmesan cheese, grated

Pizza sauce



In a small saucepan, combine the ½ cup water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda.  Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the pot to a simmer.  Stir the water until the baking soda is completely dissolved.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Place the 1 cup of water, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Whisk to combine.  Add the salt and flour and mix with the paddle attachment until combined.   Switch to the dough hook and knead for 5 minutes or until the dough forms a smooth ball.  If the dough is too sticky, add a couple more tablespoons of flour.  Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Put the bowl in a warm place and let the dough rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F and spray several baking sheets with non stick spray.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 equal parts.  Let the dough rest, lightly covered for 3 minutes.

To make stuffed pretzels, stop here and jump to the next set of instructions.  To make regular pretzels continue on…

Pull each section of dough into a long, thin rope and shape into a pretzel.  Dip each pretzel into the soda wash and place on the prepared baking sheets, reshaping as necessary.  Let the pretzels rest for 10 minutes.

Bake the pretzels for 8-10 minutes (5-6 for convection ovens) or until deeply browned.  Brush the pretzels generously with melted butter and sprinkle with the toppings.  I prefer a pinch of garlic powder followed by Italian herbs and/or parmesan cheese.  Serve with dipping sauce, such as pizza sauce.


Stuffed Pretzel Rings

In addition to the ingredients above…
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Mini pepperoni slices

Roll each section of dough into a rectangle about 2 ½ inches wide and as long as possible without ripping the dough.  It is fine if the dough in rolled unevenly.

Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of mozzarella in a thin line (about ½ inch wide) along the center of each rolled out dough section, keeping 1 ½ inches away from the ends.  Sprinkle a small handful of pepperoni slices on top of the cheese.

Carefully roll the dough, section by section to cover the fillings, pinching the seams to close.  Form the filled dough into a ring, pinching the ends to close. 

Dip each pretzel into the soda wash and place on the prepared baking sheets.  Let the pretzels rest for 10 minutes.

Bake the pretzels for 8-10 minutes (5-6 for convection ovens) or until deeply browned.  Brush the pretzels generously with melted butter and sprinkle with the toppings.  I prefer a pinch of garlic powder followed by Italian herbs and/or parmesan cheese.  Serve with dipping sauce, such as pizza sauce.

Serves 4 (or less)

Comments

  1. Those look awesome. Now that we've tried bagels at our place, I think pretzels are the next natural thing to try!

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  2. Hi Amy! Glad you liked the recipe and were able to cross it off of your 30x30 list! Love that you stuffed them - it makes a perfect dinner!

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  3. I've only made homemade pretzels, once, and was so surprised at how easy they are to make. Love the savory idea of Parm and a pizza dipping sauce. I'd find these very addicting. (Found you via the Secret Recipe Club.)

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  4. Oh yum. Pizza and pretzel. Heaven.

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  5. I think you have a winner here because as Hubby was walking by my desk, he saw the picture and said, "Ooooh, look at that. You need to make those." Yup, great job!

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  6. I used to order from this ridiculously expensive pretzel place to get my pretzel fix. I've never seen a recipe for my favorite pizza stuffed ones until now! YUM! Can't wait to try them!

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  7. YUM! I've never made pretzels but I've always wanted to. These look DIVINE!

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  8. I love making pretzels and this stuffed version looks great!

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  9. Amy those look fantastic. I usually fail at stuffing things, but I might just have to try to concentrate really hard for these. :) Thanks for sharing. And thank you also for the delicious Avocado & Egg Grilled Cheese recipe...so incredibly tasty!

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  10. I have made these before and we love them for snacks or a light lunch.

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  11. These would be so fun to make! They look wonderful, good for you!

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  12. I love your secret recipe club - can't wait for the day I have enough recipes to join! :) Looks like a tasty recipe too, mmm!

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  13. Your soft pretzels look and sound perfect :D
    I bet it was seriously fluffy inside!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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  14. These pretzels look perfect - soft fluffy and flavoursome :D
    Great job!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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  15. Hi Amy,
    Soft Pretzels are my weakness and oh yes this recipe looks awesome! It is fun cooking with you in the SRC!
    Miz Helen

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  16. Mmmm, I could eat about 5 of there right now :) looking fabulous! visiting from SRC!

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  17. I have always wanted to try and make these you just inspired me!

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  18. I've made soft pretzels before but STUFFED pretzels sound AMAZING!!! I'm stopping by from SRC but be sure to stop by Seasonal Potluck this month. We have peas AND rhubarb link parties open! We'd love if you'd share any recipes you may have http://bit.ly/H9XJGB

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  19. These look really good! Great pick for this months SRC!

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  20. Making pretzels is on my bucket list, and I love that they don't use lye, which has always scared me. THANK YOU for sharing this amazing looking recipe. Check out my spaghetti pie.

    Denise

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  21. by far, one of my most treasured fair foods = soft pretzels. "pretzels" looks funny - i hope i spelled it right ;)

    Happy SRC reveal from a group D Member!

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  22. I've always wanted to make pretzels!

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  23. I've been wanting to make pretzels for a really long time, I can't wait to try this recipe

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