Homemade Pretzel Rolls

Have you ever tried Amish soft pretzels? I'm telling you, they're even better than your regular soft pretzel. They're not as dense and tough on the outside, and even more fluffy and soft on the inside. 

One of the first recipes I shared was a homemade soft pretzel recipe, but I'm going to replace that with this one - it's that good! The original recipe is Alton Brown's (that's why it's so good!), but I've adjusted it slightly after getting feedback from my family. 

My adaptations include skipping the boiling process altogether - it didn't change the crust all that much, and the baking soda flavor was still detectable even though I reduced the amount of baking soda added (baking soda doesn't taste good). 

I'm also reducing the amount of salt added to the dough. I skipped adding pretzel salt to the top to begin with, and the rolls were still too salty for my taste, especially when paired with my Slow-Cooker Korean Shortribs (recipe coming soon!). 

stay tuned for my Slow-Cooker Korean Shortrib recipe!

Recipe: Homemade Pretzel Rolls
Adapted from: Alton Brown
(makes 4 rolls)
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14 g yeast
11 g salt (I'd reduce this to 5 grams)
1/2 cup warm water (110-115 F)
1/2 tsp sugar

208 g flour
19 g unsalted butter, melted

egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon water)
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Combine the yeast, salt, sugar, and warm water. Let the yeast proof for 10 minutes.

Mix the flour, butter, and yeast mixture in a large bowl.
Use your hands to knead the dough into a ball. (This dough will be very soft and easy to work with!)

Place the dough in the same large bowl, cover the dough, and let it rise for 1 hour in a draft-free environment (I placed it in my oven that's been turned off).

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, and shape into rolls. Place the rolls onto a greased baking sheet/foil. Let it rise for another 30 minutes.

Cut slashes on top of the dough (about 1/2" deep cuts). Brush the tops with egg wash.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Bake the rolls for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 F and bake for another 8 minutes, or until dark golden brown in color.