Auntie Anne's Soft Pretzels

Auntie Anne's (Aunt Annie's) Soft Pretzels

***Susan's Note: Thanks to friends Scott and Jen for introducing us to this recipe! We loved making them and we found if you use "sweet" butter to coat the pretzels it really makes a difference. Using quick-rising yeast helps the process go faster. Enjoy.

Ready in: 30-60 minutes
Serves/Makes: 8-10

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup bread flour
3 cups regular flour
2 cups Warm water
2 tablespoons baking soda
to taste coarse salt
4 tablespoons butter (melted)

Directions:

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 450 oven for about 10 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted butter and enjoy!

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. Enjoy!

* The longer and thinner you can make the dough rope, the more like Auntie Anne's they will be. (Of course I don't have the counter space!)

*Sweet butter, not regular butter, is one of her secrets!

Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods

Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods

This recipe is based on a recipe I found in Everyday Food magazine - a great holiday treat!

INGREDIENTS
8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
18 pretzel rods (such as HERR's)

DIRECTIONS
1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside. Place
semisweet chips in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave on high in
30-second increments, stirring after each, until chocolate is just
melted, about 1 minute. Remove; stir until smooth.
2. One at a time, roll one end of pretzel rods into melted chocolate,
and, using a spoon, coat each 3/4 of the way up.
3. Place pretzels on prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until set,
about 15 minutes.


TOPPING VARIATIONS
- Sprinkle crushed candy bars and press gently into softened chocolate.
- Sprinkle holiday sprinkles or rainbow sprinkles over chocolate.
- Pour on many mini m&ms - freeze to harden! Shake off excess.
- Melt white chocolate chips. Use spoon to drizzle over pretzels.
- Melt KRAFT caramels and add 2 tbs of water. Drizzle over pretzels.