Easy Homemade Soft and Chewy Pretzel Bread Rolls
A super simple recipe for Easy Homemade Soft and Chewy Pretzel Bread Rolls
Ingredients
Pretzel Bread Rolls
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp table salt
- 1 cup warm water 105 degrees F
- 1 pkg active dry yeast 2 1/4 tsp
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp milk
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- coarse sea salt
Baking Soda Water Bath
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup baking soda
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the three cups of flour and 1 tsp of table salt. Set aside.
- Heat one cup of water in a microwave safe measuring cup until it reaches about 105 degrees.
- Pour the water into a medium bowl.
- Add the brown sugar to the water and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Add the yeast to the warm water and sugar and stir to combine.
- Cover the bowl with a plate and let the mixture sit undisturbed for 5 - 7 minutes until foamy. This means your yeast is activated and ready to do its job!
- Melt 3 tbsp of butter using the least amount of time possible. Take the temperature of the butter and make sure it is no warmer than 105 degrees. If it is hotter, set it aside for a few minutes.
- Add the flour to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment.
- Put the milk and melted butter into the bowl with the flour.
- Add the activated yeast mixture.
- Mix on low speed for 5 minutes. Remove and knead by hand 4-5 times on a lightly floured surface. If you don't have a mixer, stir everything together with a wooden spoon and then knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes. The dough is ready when it is smooth and lightly sticky. If the dough is very sticky (too sticky to handle) you can add a couple of extra tablespoons of flour. Do not add more than a few tablespoons. When you poke the dough with your finger, it should bounce back.
- Form the dough into a ball and place it into a lightly greased bowl (I use a bit of canola oil) and spin the dough around so it gets a light coating of oil. Use the large mixing bowl you had to whisk together the flour and salt. No need for an extra dish!
- Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F as you near the end of the dough rise time.
- Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat. You can use a lightly greased baking sheet if necessary.
- Prepare the baking soda water bath. Boil the water in a large pot. SLOWLY and CAREFULLY add the baking soda to the boiling water. NOTE: It will bubble up very vigorously, so make sure you are using a large pot and you do not stick your hand too far down into the pot.
- While the water boils, shape the rolls. Gently remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface.
- Using a bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut the dough into four equal pieces. Gently roll each piece of dough into a ball. Tuck the pieces together on the bottom of each of the dough balls, pinching the dough together to seal.
- Using a wire spider or a large slotted spoon, carefully lower one dough ball at a time into the boiling water. Boil for one minute on each side.
- Remove the dough, draining off any excess water, and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Cut an X-shape into each of the dough balls with a sharp knife or kitchen shears.
- Sprinkle the top of each roll with coarse sea salt.
- Bake the rolls your Easy Homemade Soft and Chewy Pretzel Bread Rolls for 20-24 minutes until a deep brown color - just like a traditional soft pretzel.
- Run butter over the surface of each roll as it comes fresh out of the oven. This will make for an even softer roll.