Mmmm Pretzel Rolls

I saw this recipe a while ago on Craftster.org and have been wanting to try it. I love soft pretzels and the idea of trying them in place of hamburger buns was quite intriguing to me. Since I have been on a bread making kick and want to try everything I can in the bread machine I knew I had to try these. The poster on Craftster and I both used the recipe you can find here http://stresscake.wordpress.com/2010/03/21/one-of-my-favorite-things-pretzel-rolls/

If you use a bread machine add all the ingredients in the order listed (or by your machines specifications) hit the dough cycle then start at the shaping step.

I used my machine....

For the dough:

1 1/2 cups warm water (110F or warm to the touch)

1 Tbsp active dry yeast (1 packet)

2 tsp sugar

4 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp kosher salt

4 Tbsp unsalted butter


For the Poaching and Glazing:

1/4 cup baking soda

Large saucepan of water

1 egg lightly beaten

Pretzel or kosher salt



1. Combine water and yeast in a bowl of a standing mixer and let rest 5 minutes until foamy



2. Add remaining dough ingredients and mix with the dough hook until thoroughly combined, the dough comes together and is rather silky not sticky to the touch



3. First rise-cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size



4. Punch down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface



5. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper



6. Cut dough into 18 peices



7. Shape-Take a piece of dough and and form a ball by pulling the sides toward the center and pinch together to seal. Do this twice to each ball



8. Place ball pinched side down on the counter and lightly cup your hand around the ball and rotate your hand in small circles. This should form a nice shape



9. Space evenly on the prepared baking sheets pinched seams down

10. Second Rise- cover with a towel or light layer of plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes until doubled

11. Preheat oven to 425F and place racks on lowest and middle positions

12. Poaching- In large saucepan bring 2 quarts of water to a low boil. Ad the baking soda and reduce heat to low simmer

13. Carefully slp the rolls into the liquid seam side down, poach for 30 seconds then turn over and poach for an additional 30 seconds

14. Remove with a slotted spoon and return to prepared pan

15. With a pastry brush glaze each roll with egg being sure to coat all exposed sides

16. Top each roll with salt (don't use table salt!)

17. Cut a slash or X on the top of each roll

18. Bake rolls for 10 minutes. Rotate the pans, top to bottom, front to back. Bake for an additional 6-10 minutes

-makes 18

These rolls are best eaten the same day or you can freeze them tightly wrapped. Reheat in the microwave in a damp paper towel for 30 seconds.

I used my rolls as a substitute for hamburger buns and I halved the recipe. They were really good!