Making Soft Pretzels

Cooking with Kids
Recipe from Taste of Home, photos by Stephanie Felzenberg

Baking encourages children to be creative using all of their senses. Seeing their friends and family eat what they helped to bake improves their sense of achievement and self-esteem. These soft pretzels from Taste of Home can be made salty or sweet -- your choice.


What You Need:
• 3 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup warm water (120° to 130°)
• 1 Tablespoon softened butter or vegetable oil

Topping:
• 3 Tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• Kosher salt
• Coarse sugar
• 2 Tablespoons butter, melted, optional
• Cinnamon-sugar

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, salt, water and butter; beat until smooth (mixture will be slightly sticky). Sprinkle with 1-2 Tablespoons water if dough is dry. Cover and let rest in a warm place 30 minutes.

2. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly greased surface; divide into six pieces. Roll each piece into a 24-in. rope. For topping, combine water, sugar and baking soda in a shallow bowl.

3. Shape each rope into a pretzel and dip into the baking solution. Sprinkle pretzels with coarse salt or coarse sugar. (We made some of the pretzels into shapes of letters. See the "S" pretzel above).

4. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter. Dip in cinnamon-sugar, if desired.

Reference: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Easy-Soft-Pretzel