Auntie Anne's Pretzels

from Even More Top Secret Recipes
These were gone in less than 24 hours, then Eric wanted to make them again the next day. We really liked them!



Pretzels:
1 ¼ c warm water
1 Tbsp + ¼ tsp yeast
3 ¾ c flour
¾ c + 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
2 tsp vegetable oil

Bath:
4 c warm water
½ c baking soda

Topping:
¼ c butter, melted

Salted Pretzels:
Kosher or pretzel salt
Cinnamon + Sugar:
½ c sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Dissolve yeast in warm water in small bowl and let sit a few minutes.

Combine flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add water/yeast and vegetable oil, stir. Knead dough 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface or in mixer. Dough will be smooth when ready. Place into a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let sit in a warm place about 45 minutes or until doubled in size. When dough has risen, preheat oven to 425.

Make a bath for pretzels by combining baking soda and warm water and stir until soda is mostly dissolved.

Divide dough into 8 equal portions. Roll or stretch each portion until 3’ long. Pick up dough parallel to your body and twist the very ends around each other. Lay dough down with loop nearest you, fold ends down and pinch to seal (should be shaped like a pretzel).
Holding pinched ends, dip each pretzel into bath then move to a paper towel to blot excess liquid.
Arrange pretzels on 2 sprayed baking sheet. Sprinkle any pretzels with salt as desired (do not coat with cinnamon/sugar yet if baking those).
Bake one sheet at a time for 8 minutes, spinning each sheet halfway around, halfway through baking time. Bake until golden brown.
Remove from oven and cool a couple minutes, then brush with melted butter.
For cinnamon/sugar pretzels, combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl, then sprinkle over generously buttered (unsalted) pretzels.

submitted by Dalyce