Almond Crunch Soft Pretzels 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.

ALMOND CRUNCH SOFT PRETZELS

Steps:

• (Note: you can make these without a stand mixer by stirring by hand, then kneading until the dough comes together,but I used a stand mixer.)
• Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Place hot water, yeast, and brown sugar in the bottom of your stand mixer bowl. Let sit until the yeast is fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Add the salt and 2 tablespoons of melted butter to the yeast mixture. Stir with the paddle attachment. Add flour and stir until the dough is semi-combined and starts to stick to the paddle. Switch out the paddle attachment for the dough hook. Continue mixing, raising the speed to medium-high, until the dough forms a ball and the sides of the bowl are mostly clean.
• The dough should be slightly tacky but not wet. If it's too wet, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time until you can touch the dough with just a bit of stickiness (your hands should stay mostly clean but not totally).
• Transfer the ball of dough to a bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
• Bring a large pot of water to boil (about 8-10 cups of water). Make sure there is at least 4-5 inches at the top of the pan that has no water (so there is room to add the baking soda in step 11.) Preheat oven to 425°.
• Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 12 pieces.
• Roll each piece into a rope that is 12 inches long. Let them sit for 5 minutes.
• Form each pretzel: roll rope until it is double in size (about 24 inches). Form it into a "U" shape. Cross the top ends of the "U" over each other. Twist once then fold over into a pretzel shape. Press the ends onto the bottom of the pretzel to seal. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Line 2 cookie sheets with silpat baking mats or parchment paper.
• Once the water is boiling, add baking soda to the water. Boil each pretzel for about 45 seconds to 1 minute, then transfer with a slotted spoon to prepared baking sheets. Continue until all the pretzels are boiled.
• Place almonds and granulated sugar in a food processor and pulse until the almonds are small pieces.
• Brush each pretzel with melted butter (from the 2 tablespoons remaining). Sprinkle with the almond and sugar mixture. Try not to get too much on your pan, it will brown in the oven. (This won't hurt the pretzels, but it will smell.)
• Bake pretzels for about 8-14 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool before eating.