Pretzel Buns

Recipe is adapted from this one. Makes 8 buns sized for your typical 1/4 lb burger or normal hot dog.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2.5 tsp/1 package active dry yeast (make sure it's not expired)
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water, approximately 110° F
  • 3 tbsp salted butter, melted
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups water
  • 1/4 cup baking soda
  • salt for topping (pretzel salt or other coarse salt is ideal)

Instructions

  1. Heat the water and combine with the yeast and brown sugar (regular sugar will work but may give a slightly different flavor.) Allow to activate for about 10-15 minutes (until foamy.)
  2. Melt 2 tbsp of butter and add to the activated yeast mixture, along with the flour. The remaining butter will be saved for brushing the buns after boiling.
  3. Mix until well combined. If the dough is too wet to knead, keep adding a bit more flour until it's dry enough. Keep in mind that the dough may become stickier again as you knead it. If you'd like to add flavorings such as hot peppers, do it now.
  4. Knead until the dough is smooth and feels somewhat stretchy/shapeable, about 5 minutes.
  5. Return the dough to the bowl and leave to rise for about an hour, when it should have doubled in size. Cover the bowl with something to prevent the dough from drying out and to keep insects away.
  6. Preheat the oven to 420˚ F. Grease 2 baking sheets or line them to prevent sticking.
  7. Bring 4 cups of water and the baking soda to a boil in a large pot. Make sure you have enough water for the bun to be immersed in your vessel. If your pretzel flavor ends up too strong, use less baking soda, and vice versa.
  8. If the dough is overproofed and feels too delicate to boil without deflating, you can punch down the dough before dividing to remove air bubbles. Divide the dough into 8 pieces, then shape each into a ball, or a rectangle (for hot dog buns.) They will expand after boiling, so it's ok if they seem slightly small.
  9. Place the pretzel buns into the boiling water + baking soda mixture, 1 or 2 at a time, and boil for approx. 30 seconds on each side.
  10. Remove the bun from the water using a large spatula or slotted spoon and return to the pan.
  11. Brush each bun with melted butter (with brush or fingers) and sprinkle with salt. You can add a few thin slashes with a knife to the top of each for flair (go smaller and shallower than you think.)
  12. Bake approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown in color.
  13. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. The pretzel buns are perfectly safe to eat for a couple days after, but the texture is best when eaten fresh.