Gwen's Soft Pretzels

I made a new friend today, who recently moved here from NY, where she owned a bakery.  Her name is Gwen and she makes a KILLER soft pretzel!

Dough -
61 ounces all-purpose flour or approximately 17 cups
4 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons canola oil
4 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons instant yeast (instant is better than active)
4 cups water

Topping - (the topping is what replaces 'boiling' and gives them the brown color and the 'snap')
3/4 cup water
8 teaspoons sugar
8 teaspoons baking soda

Optional - pretzel salt, cinnamon sugar, melted butter

Mix and knead the dough ingredients together until dough is cohesive and fairly smooth.  It should be slightly sticky; if it seems dry, sprinkle it with water.  Cover dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Turn dough out onto light greased surface, fold over a few times to gently deflate it (get the air out, but don't knead), then divide into 4 ounce pieces. Roll each piece into 18 to 24 inch ropes.

In shallow bowl, mix together the topping ingredients. Shake rope into a pretzel, then dip into topping. Sprinkle with salt if desired. Bake in a 400* oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove from oven and brush with melted butter, dip in cinnamon sugar is desired.

*Do not use table salt for topping on pretzels. Use only pretzel or coarse salt, as table salt will soak in while baking.

*This recipe can be halved or quartered, as desired.

*If not measuring flour by weight, hold back 2 cups flour and used to achieve desired consistency.

Everything Topping
Sesame seed
Poppy seed
Minced onion
Minced garlic
salt

For 1/2 recipe of dough:
30.5 ounces all-purpose flour or approximately 8.5 cups
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons salt
1.5 tablespoons instant yeast (instant is better than active)
2 cups water

These Pretzels Are Making Me Thirsty!!

People in my office are crazy about their pretzels.

These pretzels are making me thirsty!

After a few months of pretzel rods in the break room, my coworker showed up this week with a homemade concoction.  People were going nuts over them.  They were gone by the time I made my way over, so I got the recipe and made some last night.  They're super easy and pretty fantastic.  My favorite pretzels are the Snyder's Ranch Pretzel Bits.  These taste even better and are much healthier and cheaper.  There are so many possible variations to this recipe....cinnamon/sugar, chili/lime, buffalo, parmesan/garlic....

Ranch Sourdough Pretzels

1 box Snyder's Sourdough Pretzels
1/2 - 3/4 cup olive oil [or canola oil]
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dill weed

Break the pretzels into halves or thirds, so they're big chunks that will absorb the oil.
Stir everything together in a large bowl.
Let sit for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Place on cookie sheet and bake at 200 for 20-25 minutes.
Store in airtight container...or just eat them all instead.