Homemade Pretzels - Similar to Auntie Anne's from the Mall!

I stumbled upon this recipe on Pinterest and just had to try it.  It was surprisingly easy and the kids loved them!  Mike thought they tasted more like bagels than pretzels...probably because I didn't roll the dough thin enough before shaping.  These were a fun weekend treat and they disappeared before I could share them with friends.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 3 ounces butter, melted
• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
• Cooking spray
• 3 quarts water
• 3/4 cup baking soda
• 1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
• Coarse sea salt

Directions:

1. Combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes for the yeast to begin activating.
2. Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. (picture below)
3. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.
4. Oil a bowl with cooking spray, add the dough and turn to coat with the spray.
5. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour. (pictures below)
6. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
7. Bring the water to a boil in a large roasting pan over high heat and SLOOOOOOOOLY add the baking soda. (Important: If you dump it in all at once, you will get an overflowing chemical reaction that results in an hour of clean up and a stove that still doesn't work properly. Don't ask me how I know this.)
8. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface.
9. Divide the dough into 8 pieces.  Equal pieces will cook more evenly, but mine were all different sizes and turned out just fine. (picture below)
10. Roll each piece into a long rope and form into the shapes that you want*.
11. Boil the pretzels in the water solution in batches. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon.
12. Place pretzels on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching.  
13. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt.
14. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.
15. Add additional toppings immediately after they come out of the oven.

* Next time I make these, I will shape the dough into thinner sticks instead of into pretzels. My whole family seemed to like the crispy outer edges more than the soft inside...including me, which was a shock!

Visual references:

This is as the dough pulls away from the edges of the mixing bowl.

BEFORE the rise

AFTER the rise

Notice the scraping tool that I use to cut through the dough easily...LOVE that thing.

On their way into the oven.

DONE!