Homemade Soft Pretzels

In a small bowl, mix together the yeast and the first amount of sugar. Add the warm water. Allow mixture to stand for 5-10 minutes until foamy.

In a large bowl, combine flour, second amount of sugar and the first amount of salt. Add oil and combine. Add the yeast mixture and use a stand mixer to thoroughly mix dough together. Add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of water if needed. Knead for about 5-7 minutes. Form into a ball and lightly oil the ball. Place dough ball in a large bowl and place a towel over the top. Allow dough to rest in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.

In a medium bowl, mix baking soda and hot water together. Preheat oven to 450 F.

Once dough has doubled in size, form it into a log shape. See related blog post for step-by-step photos. Cut log into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long snake and then form into a pretzel shape. Dip pretzels in the baking soda/water mixture and place on a greased baking sheet (6 pretzels per sheet). Sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake in the heated oven for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter.

Adapted from Buttery Soft Pretzels recipe on allrecipes.com.