just a bite!

One of my favorite snacks from childhood was a soft pretzel. We often had them in the freezer for a treat and we could pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds, drown it in salt, and enjoy. Last year I wondered if I could easily make soft pretzels myself, and I found this recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod. This weekend I decided I needed a relatively low calorie, salty snack with a side of nostalgia. So, while it's a stretch for a typical baked goods blog, they are technically a baked treat and are delicious, which seems qualified enough for me.

By the way, these are really easy to make. It would also be easy to spruce up with different flavors, and I could also see kids making shapes with the dough to make their own pretzels. (Maybe that's because next time I want to make shapes myself...)


First you get the yeast started with some brown sugar, butter, and water.

Add in the other ingredients after it's had time to activate, and use the dough hook to mix it around.


Eventually the dough will start to pull away from the side of the bowl.


Put it in an oiled bowl in a warm place and let it sit for an hour. It will go from this:


To this:


Chop the dough into 8 pieces, and roll into logs.


Cut into one inch bites.


Then prep your baking soda solution by boiling some water and adding a whole bunch of baking soda.


It will foam like crazy when you add it in.


Get your bites ready, dunk for 30 seconds, and fish them out.

Prepare the egg wash and place the little wet bites on a sheet tray to go in the oven.


Salt generously!


After about 10 minutes (in our HOT oven), you get these delightful snacks, which are warm, golden brown, and hard to resist.