There’s nothing like the taste (or smell) of freshly baked pretzels. These warm mini nuggets are perfect for popping into little (or big) mouths. They can be served alone or with a side of Supereasy Hummus or Caramelized Onion Dip, making them a great midday snack, and ideal for the lunch box.
1 cup warm water (about 100°F)
½ tablespoon honey
One ¼-ounce packet active dry yeast
2 cups white whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling
2 teaspoons vegetable or canola oil
1 cup room-temperature water
2 teaspoons baking soda
Sesame seeds (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the warm water and honey.
3. Sprinkle the yeast over the water mixture and let sit for 10 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
5. Slowly add the flour to the yeast mixture. Using an electric mixer with a dough hook attachment (or mix by hand using a wooden spoon), mix for 5 minutes, or until the dough is combined and forms a soft ball, adding more flour if the dough is too sticky.
6. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl, rinse the bowl, and grease with the vegetable oil.
7. Return the dough to the greased bowl and turn it to coat it with oil.
8. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
9. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead two or three times to remove air bubbles.
10. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a 10-inch-long rope, keeping the dough covered with a kitchen towel when you’re not working with it. Cut each rope into 10 equal pieces.
11. Place the pretzel bites on the baking sheet, cover with a kitchen towel, and let them rest for 10 minutes.
12. In a small bowl, combine the room-temperature water and baking soda.
13. Dip the pretzel bites in the mixture, then return them to the baking sheet. Sprinkle the pretzel bites with salt or roll them in sesame seeds, if using.
14. Bake for 6 minutes, or until light golden brown.
TO FREEZE: After baking the pretzel bites place on a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes. Place in labeled ziplock bags or containers and freeze up to 4 months. To reheat place in a 300°F degree oven for 10 minutes.
JULI: My daughter loves your soft pretzels! Such a fun activity to have her help make them and shape them into letters and shapes; and I love knowing that they are nutritious!
SARAH: I made the soft pretzel dough for my son’s preschool class for snack. The kids had a great time rolling out their own little pretzels and sprinkling them with salt. When they came out of the oven all of the kids were so excited to take a bite of something they had a hand in making. Great recipe!