Auntie Anne's Soft Pretzels Copycat

Ok, so I know this probably isn't the prettiest pretzel that you've ever seen, but it was delicious! And they definitely have the potential to look nice now that I know that the dough rises quite a bit as it cooks! The problem I had was that I didn't roll the dough out thin enough and so they kind of turned into pretzel blobs... but they tasted like pretzels so that's a win!

To make 6 soft pretzels you will need:

• 1 cup MILK
• 1 packet ACTIVE DRY YEAST
• 3 Tbs BROWN SUGAR
• 2 Tbs BUTTER, melted
• 2 & 1/4 cups FLOUR
• 1 tsp fine SALT
• 3 Tbs BAKING SODA
• 1.5 cups WARM WATER
• COARSE SALT
• 4-6 Tbs BUTTER, melted

Start by heating up the milk (about 1 minute in the microwave should do it). You want the milk to be warm, but not boiling. You should be able to put your finger in the milk without burning your finger. 110 degrees F is the ideal temperature. Stir the yeast into the milk and allow it to sit for about 3 minutes.

Next combine the milk and yeast mixture with the brown sugar, salt, and melted butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Once the ingredients are combined, add the flour 1 cup at a time. 

Kneed the dough for about 10 minutes either with your electric mixer, or by hand.

After the ten minutes put the dough into a greased bowl and cover with cling wrap. The dough will be very sticky!!! Wetting your hands with water will help a little...

Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour. The dough should double in size!

And the cling wrap will start to bulge from the carbon dioxide produced by the yeast!

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and combine the baking soda and warm water into a wide bowl.



 Punch the dough down and divide it into six equal pieces.

Take a ball of dough and roll it out as thin as you can. The thinner you are able to get them, the prettier (and less blob-like) your pretzels will be!

Then shape them into a pretzels!

Next, dip them in the baking soda and water mixture... (this is what will make them taste like pretzels once they cook!)

And place them on a greased cookie sheet! Sprinkle the pretzels with coarse salt and bake them for 7-11 minutes. (If you want to make cinnamon sugar pretzels, skip the coarse salt)

When they come out, they should look something like this!

Here is a closer look...

While the pretzels are still hot, dip each of them into the melted butter! Then eat them! If you want to make cinnamon sugar pretzels all yo have to do is drag them through a mixture of cinnamon & sugar after dipping them in the butter!

If you want to be extra fancy, here is a copycat recipe for the cheese dip! I haven't actually made it yet, but if you decide to try it you will need:

• 1.5 Tbs BUTTER
• 1.5 Tbs FLOUR
• 1.5 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 1/2 cup MILK
• pinch of SMOKED PAPRIKA
• pinch of CAYENNE PEPPER
• 4 oz. shredded CHEDDAR CHEESE (not pre-shredded, it will melt better if you shred it yourself)

In a small saucepan, whisk together the butter, flour, and garlic over medium heat until it is lightly brown. Then whisk in the milk, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Lastly, whisk in the cheese! Once the sauce is smooth it is ready to eat!

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Auntie Anne's Soft Pretzels Copycat

Ingredients:

Pretzels:

• 1 cup MILK
• 1 packet ACTIVE DRY YEAST
• 3 Tbs BROWN SUGAR
• 2 Tbs BUTTER, melted
• 2 & 1/4 cups FLOUR
• 1 tsp fine SALT
• 3 Tbs BAKING SODA
• 1.5 cups WARM WATER
• COARSE SALT
• 4-6 Tbs BUTTER, melted

Cheese Dip:

• 1.5 Tbs BUTTER
• 1.5 Tbs FLOUR
• 1.5 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 1/2 cup MILK
• pinch of SMOKED PAPRIKA
• pinch of CAYENNE PEPPER
• 4 oz. shredded CHEDDAR CHEESE (not pre-shredded, it will melt better if you shred it yourself)

Directions:

Pretzels:

1. Start by heating up the milk (about 1 minute in the microwave should do it). You want the milk to be warm, but not boiling. You should be able to put your finger in the milk without burning your finger. 110 degrees F is the ideal temperature. Stir the yeast into the milk and allow it to sit for about 3 minutes.
2. Next combine the milk and yeast mixture with the brown sugar, salt, and melted butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Once the ingredients are combined, add the flour 1 cup at a time. 
3. Kneed the dough for about 10 minutes either with your electric mixer, or by hand.
4. After the ten minutes put the dough into a greased bowl and cover with cling wrap. The dough will be very sticky!!! Wetting your hands with water will help a little...
5. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour. The dough should double in size!
6. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and combine the baking soda and warm water into a wide bowl.
7.  Punch the dough down and divide it into six equal pieces.
8. Take a ball of dough and roll it out as thin as you can. The thinner you are able to get them, the prettier (and less blob-like) your pretzels will be!
9. Then shape them into a pretzels!
10. Next, dip them in the baking soda and water mixture... (this is what will make them taste like pretzels once they cook!)
11. Place them on a greased cookie sheet! Sprinkle the pretzels with coarse salt and bake them for 7-11 minutes. (If you want to make cinnamon sugar pretzels, skip the coarse salt)
12. While the pretzels are still hot, dip each of them into the melted butter! Then eat them! 
13. If you want to make cinnamon sugar pretzels all yo have to do is drag them through a mixture of cinnamon & sugar after dipping them in the butter!

Cheese Dip:

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together the butter, flour, and garlic over medium heat until it is lightly brown. 
2. Whisk in the milk, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Lastly, whisk in the cheese! Once the sauce is smooth it is ready to eat!

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I found the recipe for the pretzels on this website: http://www.yammiesnoshery.com/2012/04/auntie-annes-pretzels-copycat-recipe.html