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Pretzel rolls
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5 from 1 vote
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Pretzel Rolls

This is a traditional German Pretzel recipe.  
Course Bread
Cuisine German
Keywords German Pretzel Rolls
Cooking Method Baking, Boiling
Hot/Cold Dish Either
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Total Est Cost: Under $10
Servings 10 Rolls
Author jughandle

What You Will Need:

For the Dough
  • 3-3/4 C Unbleached Wheat Flour
  • 1-1/4 Oz Fast Acting Yeast - 1 Pkg
  • 2 Tb Sugar
  • 2 t Salt
  • 1-1/4 C Warm Water - About 110 deg F
  • 3 Tb Butter - Melted And Cooled
For Boiling Water
  • 1/4 C Baking Soda
  • 5-7 C Water for boiling

Equipment Needed:

  • Standmixer
  • Large Mixing bowl

Method:

In The Bowl Of Your Stand Mixer:

  • Combine 3 c of flour, yeast, 2 T of sugar and 1 t of salt

In A Medium Bowl:

  • Whisk together the 1-1/4 cups of warm water and butter which should result in a lukewarm mixture.
  • Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture in the stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until well combined, around 2 min.
  • The dough shouldn't stick to your hands or work top.
  • Transfer the dough to your lightly floured work surface.
  • Punch it down and knead by hand for around 2 or 3 mins until you have a smooth, elastic dough ball.
  • Add the remaining flour if necessary to make a smooth ball that isn't sticky.
  • Put the dough ball back in your mixing bowl and cover with a towel.
  • Let the dough rise in a warm spot around 100 deg F, if possible, until it is double in size.
  • That should take around an hour.
  • When the dough has risen, punch it down again and remove it from the bowl to knead once more for about 30 seconds

Prepare for baking:

  • Divide the dough into 10 equal portions, about 3 ounces each
  • Dust your hands with flour then roll the dough balls for about 10 seconds until the top of each is round and firm and you can feel the tension increasing against your hand.
  • It creates surface tension and prevents the buns from becoming flat
  • Place the rolls on parchment paper. 
  • Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until puffy, about 20 minutes.

Cooking:

  • Preheat your oven to 425 deg F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Boiling:

  • While the oven is preheating bring a large pot with 5-7 cups of water and the 1/4 cup of baking soda to a rolling boil
  • The water and baking soda might foam so don't fill the pot too full.
  • With a slotted ladle or spoon, gently slip 2 rolls at a time into the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds, turn them over, and cook for another 30 seconds.
  • The buns don’t need to be completely covered with the solution, but do take care that they don’t stick to the bottom of the pot or each other.
  • Transfer the buns to a wire rack and let them drip-dry while you repeat with the remaining rolls.

Baking:

  • After the rolls have dried, transfer them to the parchment-lined baking sheets.
  • Use the tip of a sharp knife or razor blade, to score a X on top of each roll and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
  • Bake the pretzel rolls, 1 sheet at a time, until golden brown, about 16 minutes.
  • Dive into the rolls while they’re still warm.

Notes

These buns are soft and spongy inside, with a thin brown crust that’s sprinkled with coarse sea salt.
The secret to these buns is giving them a quick bath in a boiling alkaline solution before putting them in the oven to give them their distinctive Pretzel flavor and color.
Dive into the rolls while they’re still warm.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Pretzel Rolls
Amount Per Serving
Calories 76 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 9mg3%
Sodium 1323mg58%
Potassium 16mg0%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 105IU2%
Calcium 6mg1%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.