Auntie Anne's

 Zach has an obsession with Auntie Anne's Pretzels. Perhaps you share the same sentiment toward these delectable treats; if so, you know they can only be found in Bel Air Mall in Mobile, so rather than driving 35 miles for a pretzel, we decided to try making them at home.  We got the following recipe from food.com. It's a copy cat of the Auntie Anne's recipe, and I have to say, we were thoroughly pleased with the outcome. Enjoy!

Love, Julie

Ingredients:

Servings: 4-6

•                1 1/2 cups water

•                1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 pkg.)

•                2 tablespoons brown sugar

•                1 1/4 teaspoons salt

•                1 cup bread flour

•                3 cups flour

•                2 cups water

•                2 tablespoons baking soda

•                coarse salt

•                2 -4 tablespoons butter (melted)

Directions:

Prep Time: 15 mins  Total Time: 25 mins

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. (I used the kitchen aid with the bread hook…easy)


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. You need to make your dough rope as thin as possible. We tried pretzel sticks, bites, and whole pretzels and the whole ones were our favorite, as long as the dough was not too thick.

Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet.


Allow pretzels to rise again.


Bake in oven at 450 for about 10 minutes or until golden.


Brush with melted butter.


Toppings: After you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt.