Everything Bagel Pretzel Knots
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 10 Pretzel Knots 1x
- Category: Baking, German
- Cuisine: Snack
Description
It’s October, so my mind keeps drifting to German themed food. Brats and schnitzel, spaetzle and pretzels. I’ve been making A LOT of pretzel buns… both hamburger and hot dog. They are sooo good!
But after making all these buns, I realized I haven’t made actual plain pretzels. I got an itch, though, to make them a little different. Rather than sprinkle them with course salt, I decided to sprinkle them with everything bagel seasoning!
Pretzels are surprisingly easy to make. I always marvel at how the smallest tweak to the basics combination of yeast, flour, water, and salt can dramatically change the outcome. My bread loaves are yeast, flour, water, salt, and honey. Add olive oil to that and I have my pizza dough. Make a pot of water and molasses, I have bagels. Make a pot of water and baking soda, and I have pretzels! Isn’t that so neat?
I use a stand mixer to combine all of the ingredients. And like most of my doughs that need to prove, I turn the oven on for a minute or two to make it a nice, warm proofing oven!
So, I’m not going to lie… I set out to actually make pretzels in the traditional pretzel shape but I sucked at it! I just couldn’t make the shape. I think I succeeded at about two of them but then they merged when I boiled them! So, I said screw it and made pretzel knots instead! Pretzel knots are easy. It’s almost impossible to screw them up.
These are great with your favorite mustard. My husband likes to cut them in half, toast them, and smear them with cream cheese. To each their own!
Enjoy!
Ingredients
Pretzels
500 g flour
2¼ tsps active dry yeast
2 tsp salt
1 TB honey
3 TB melted butter
1¼ warm water (110°)
Everything seasoning
Water Bath
4¼ cold water
3 TBs baking soda
Instructions
Whisk the yeast and honey into the water. Let sit for about 5 minutes, or until frothy. Add the butter and whisk to absorb combine.
In a standing mixer with the bread hook attachment, mix the flour with the salt. Slowly add the water/butter mixture to the flour, pushing down the sides with a flat rubber spatula, as needed. Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to a lightly floured surface. The dough may be sticky; that’s okay. Knead the dough until it no longer sticks to your hand and forms a smooth ball. Place back in the bowl and cover with a towel. Place somewhere warm to proof for an hour, or until doubled in size.
Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it for a minute or two, working out any air bubbles. Divide into 10 equal pieces ~ about 100 grams each.
Roll out each dough piece into about a 16 inch long strand. Loop into a single knot with one end going through the center and the other end under and around. Repeat with all ten and then lay a towel over them to proof an additional 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425°. Line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
In a large pot, add the cold water and baking soda. Bring to a light boil on medium heat, whisking the baking soda in until fully absorbed.
When ready, work in batches of three or four. Place three or four knots into the water and cook for 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, gently flip over and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove from the water, letting the excess water drip off, then place on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining rolls. Sprinkle with desired amount of everything bagel seasoning ~ the more you use, the saltier it will be.
Bake one tray at a time for 16 minutes each. Remove and let cool or enjoy right away! Great with your favorite mustard or cream cheese.
Keywords: Pretzel, Pretzel Knot, Everything Bagel Pretzel
