Buttery Soft Pretzels

Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F.)
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 4 cups hot water
• 1/4 cup kosher salt, for topping
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

  Directions:

1. In small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water.
2. Let stand until creamy and foamy, about 10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center, add the oil and the yeast mixture.
4. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7-8 minutes.
5. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
6. Preheat oven to 450 F. In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water. This is really fun for the kids to watch, it will bubble up like a volcano!
7. When risen, turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. We put the plastic wrap over the dough not being used to keep it moist.
8. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. We just make sticks, about the length of my finger. Much easier for the kids to make. Pretzel fingers? hmmmm....
9. Once all the dough is shaped, combine your baking soda to your hot water to create a bath for your pretzels. Dip each pretzel into the bath and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt. We didn't have kosher salt but we do have a salt grinder and it was perfect for these.
10. Once all the dough is shaped, combine your baking soda to your hot water to create a bath for your pretzels. Dip each pretzel into the bath and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt. We didn't have kosher salt but we do have a salt grinder and it was perfect for these.
11. Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, until browned.
12. Now for the good stuff. Immediately after removing from oven, brush tops of pretzels with melted butter. 

Source:  Chocolate, Chocolate and more