Auntie Annes Pretzels Classic Recipes

AUNTIE ANNES PRETZELS

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise at least 1/2 hour.
• While the dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 tbsp baking soda. Be certain to stir often.
• After the dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Allow pretzels to rise again. Bake in the oven at 450 for about 10 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted butter and enjoy!

AUNTIE ANNE'S PRETZEL RECIPE (COPYCAT)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Set aside for a few minutes until it starts to get foamy.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Add in the yeast water and vegetable oil.
• Mix into a dough.
• Knead the dough for 5 minutes until it is nice and smooth.
• Lightly oil a bowl and place dough inside. Cover and let rise in a warm space for 45 minutes or until it doubles in size.
• Preheat your oven to 425.
• You will want an area that will allow you to spread out a bit. You will need to create a water bath by mixing water and baking soda in a large pan. Stir until the baking soda mostly dissolves and bring to a gentle boil. reduce to simmer.
• Place a few paper towels on a plate and set next to your water bath. You will also need a parchment lined or lightly greased baking sheet.
• Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
• Roll each portion into a 3 foot long rope. (Remember making snakes with Play-Doh when you were younger? It's time to put those skills to action again!)
• Pick up both ends of the dough and give it a little spin so the middle of the dough spins around.
• Then flip the twisted ends down toward you to create the traditional pretzel look. Pinch the ends in place.
• Dip the pretzel in the water bath and let drip on the paper towel for any excess water to drain off.
• Place the pretzels on your baking sheet.
• Bake pretzels for 4 minutes. Then turn the baking sheet and cook for 5 more minutes. When golden brown the pretzels are done.
• Melt the butter. Brush over the pretzels and sprinkle with salt.*

AUNTIE ANNE'S PRETZELS - COPYCAT

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve.
• Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic.
• Let rise at least 1/2 hour.
• While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 tbsp baking soda.
• Be certain to stir often.
• After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape.
• Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet.
• Allow pretzels to rise again.
• Bake in oven at 450 for about 10 minutes or until golden.
• Brush with melted butter.
• Toppings: After you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt.
• Or for Auntie Anne's famous Cinnamon Sugar, try melting a stick of butter in a shallow bowl (big enough to fit the entire pretzel) and in another shallow bowl make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
• Dip the pretzel into the butter, coating both sides generously.
• Then dip again into the cinnamon mixture.
• Notes: The longer and thinner you can make the dough rope, the more like Auntie Anne's they will be.

ALMOST-FAMOUS SOFT PRETZELS (AUNTIE ANNE'S COPY CAT)

Steps:

• Warm the milk in a saucepan until it's about 110 degrees; pour into a medium bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let the yeast soften, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in the brown sugar and 1 cup flour with a wooden spoon. Dice 2 tablespoons of the butter and soften; stir into mix. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups of flour and the fine salt to make a sticky dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if needed, until smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until double in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and grease a large baking sheet. Punch the dough to deflate it, then turn out onto a lightly flour surface. (If dough seems tight, cover and let rise until it relaxes.) Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Roll and stretch each piece in the palms of your hands into a 30 inch rope, holding the ends and slapping the middle of the rope on the counter as you stretch. Form each rope into a pretzel shape.
• Dissolve the baking soda in the water in a shallow baking dish. Gently dip each pretzel in the soda solution, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet; sprinkle with coarse salt.
• Bake until golden, 10-12 minutes.
• Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter in a shallow dish. Dip the hot pretzels in the butter, turning to coat; place on a wire rack to let excess butter to drip off. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce or cream cheese.