A Cindy Pascale Recipe
Easy Pretzel Buns
Pretzel buns are all the rage now and for good reason! They make a hamburger or brat extra special.And don’t be intimated to try to make your own. This recipe is approachable and does not need any special equipment like a standing mixer needed – a handheld mixer works well.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warm water-warm to the touch
- 2 1/4 tsp instant dry yeast (1 standard packet). See note in step 4 for different directions depending on the type of yeast used.
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 3/4-4 cups flour (plus more for work surface)
- course salt for sprinkling on top of buns
Baking Soda Bath
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 9 cups water
Instructions
- 1. Whisk yeast and warm water together. Allow to sit 1 minute.2. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Reserve the rest of the butter for step 6.3. Mix together salt, brown sugar, melted butter. Slowly add 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Mix with wooden spoon or dough hook attached to stand mixer until dough is thick. Add ¾ cup more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. If it is still sticky, add ¼ – ½ cup flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Poke the dough with your finger. If it bounces back, it is ready to knead.4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough for 3 minutes and shape into a ball. (At this point, the dough or a portion of the dough, can be frozen. Freezing directions are below). Place in a large greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise until it nearly doubles in size. If you used instant yeast, this will take about an hour. If you used active dry yeast, this will take 2 – 3 hours. Tip: I preheat my oven to 200 degrees F and turn it off. Place the dough in the oven and shut the door.5. Once risen to nearly double the size, punch dough down to release any air bubbles. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and with a sharp knife, cut dough. If you want buns, cut into ½ cup size balls. If you want rolls, cut into 1/3 cup size balls. Shape into buns/rolls or brat buns.6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.7. Bring water and baking soda to a rolling boil in a large pot. Drop 1 – 2 pretzel buns into the boiling water. Using a slotted spoon, take buns out after 20 – 30 seconds. Any longer than that, and your pretzel buns will have a metallic taste. Let the excess water drip off and place onto prepared pans. Using a sharp knife, score a couple of slits into the top of each.8. Melt the remaining butter. Lightly brush each roll with melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt.9. Bake for 22 – 26 minutes or until they are a deep golden brown on all sides.Freezing directions:Pretzel buns freeze well, up to 2 months. Rewarm in microwave.The prepared pretzel dough can be refrigerated for up to one day or frozen in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight. Bring to room temperature, then follow the recipe at step 4 and let the dough rise. Continue with the rest of the recipe.HAPPY EATING!!
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