For this month’s “We Knead to Bake“ we are baking pretzels. The family loves pretzels and I was very excited to bake the same. We had the choice to bake crunchy or soft pretzels and the soft pretzels won the voting at home. This is my second attempt at pretzels and the first one was a few years ago. The major problem with that attempt was that the pretzels stuck to the wax paper and I had to slice a portion of the pretzels off. So, this time I was not taking any chances. 
I greased anything and everything that touches the pretzels 
. The pretzels turned out great, perfectly chewy and were all gone the same day. The shaping worried me a bit, but after shaping a couple it became a piece of cake.
Overall I am sure you will love these pretzels as much as we did. Off to the recipe. Recipe from here.
Soft Pretzel
Soft pretzels topped with sesame seeds.
Ingredients:
- bread flour - 3 1/4 cup (divided)
- salt - 1 tsp
- sugar - 1.5 tsp
- yeast - 2 1/4 tsp (instant yeast)
- milk - 1 cup (warm)
- water - 6 cups
- baking soda - 2 tbsp
- corn meal - 1 tsp (semolina can also be used)
- eggs - for brushing (milk can also be used)
- sesame seeds - 1 tbsp (Ellu)
Instructions:
Mix 3 cups flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Add milk and make a dough. Knead for about 6 - 8 minutes (add flour as needed if the dough feels too sticky) until the dough is soft and elastic. Place dough in an oiled bowl and allow to rise.
When the dough has doubled in volume, deflate it and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Then divide the dough into 12 pieces. Work on one piece at a time, keeping the others covered.
Take each piece and roll into a 18 inch long rope. Form the rope into a horse shoe shape. Cross one end of the rope over the other. Twist the rope again. Fold the ends over the circle forming the pretzel shape. Keep the pretzel on a greased baking sheet. Repeat for all pieces. Cover and allow to rise for about 15 - 20 minutes. They will rise only slightly.
Bring 6 cups of water and baking soda to a boil and then simmer. Lower a pretzel into the simmering water and cook on each side for 15 seconds. Repeat for all pretzels. Place pretzels on a greased wire rack to let the water drip out.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle some corn meal over it. Place the pretzels on the baking sheet and brush with egg / milk. Top with sesame seeds. Bake in a preheated 425F oven for 12 minutes. Serve with dip of choice.
1. I added a couple of extra tsp of milk to get the dough together.
2. All purpose flour can also be used.
1 year ago: Spring Onion Paratha
2 years ago: Rice Upma
PLEASE CLICK ON COLLAGES TO VIEW BIGGER IMAGES.
Pictorial
1. Mix 3 cups flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Add milk and make a dough. Knead well for about 6 - 8 minutes (add flour as needed if the dough feels too sticky) to form a soft and elastic dough.
2. Place dough in an oiled vessel and allow to rise. 
3. Dough has risen. It took an hour for me. Deflate the dough and let it rest for 5 minutes.
4. Divide dough into 12 pieces.
5. Work on one piece at a time keeping the rest covered. Roll each piece into a long rope that is about 18 inches long.
6. Form the rope into a horse shoe shape.Cross one end of the rope over the other.
Twist the rope again.
Fold the ends over the circle forming the pretzel shape. Keep the pretzel on a greased baking sheet.
7. Cover the pretzels and allow to rise again for about 15 - 20 minutes.
8. They will rise only slightly.
9. Bring 6 cups of water and baking soda to a boil and then simmer.
10. Lower a pretzel into the simmering water and cook on side each for 15 seconds. Repeat for all pretzels.
11. Place the cooked pretzel on a greased wire rack.
12. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle some corn meal over it. Place the pretzels on the baking sheet and brush with egg / milk. Top with sesame seeds. Bake in a preheated 425F oven for 12 minutes.
13. Out of the oven.
Pretzels ready.
Enjoy!
hi! ur pretzels looks so inviting and yummy. want to try the recipe and was wondering can i substitute bread flour with all purpose flour.
thanks
Thanks. Yes, you can use all purpose flour.
Hi, just wondering what kind of yeast you used? just regular dry yeast? thanks for the recipe I want to try it out today
I used instant yeast. I think you need to proof it first if using active dry yeast.
wow pretzels look so soft and delicious one
lovely presentation and pictorials 
loving it !!
Your pretzels look inviting. Soft – pillowy and so so good.
You made this look so easy! I’m so trying it soon, they look awesome
This looks soooo inviting.Great photo tutorial