Description
This copycat recipe recreates Auntie Anne’s famous soft pretzels with a golden crust and a fluffy interior, paired perfectly with a rich cheddar dipping sauce. Made from scratch using basic ingredients, these pretzels offer a delicious homemade twist on a popular snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Baking Soda Bath:
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
Toppings and Finishing:
- Coarse salt, for sprinkling
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted (for brushing)
Cheddar Dipping Sauce:
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup milk or cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Activate the yeast: Warm the milk to about 110ºF, ensuring it’s not too hot to kill the yeast. Stir in the active dry yeast and let it sit for 3 minutes until frothy.
- Mix dough ingredients: Add melted butter and brown sugar to the yeast mixture. Gradually add flour 1 cup at a time, then add salt. Mix until combined.
- Knead the dough: Using a stand mixer with dough hook or by hand, knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add flour as needed if sticky.
- First rise: Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, moist place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking soda bath: Remove dough from oven if using to keep warm. Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a bowl, combine warm water and baking soda, set aside.
- Shape pretzels: Punch down the dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 12 to 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into thin logs and shape into pretzels.
- Baking soda bath dip: Dip each pretzel into the baking soda water bath briefly, then place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake: Bake pretzels for 7 to 11 minutes until they develop a golden brown crust.
- Brush with butter: Immediately brush the hot pretzels with melted butter for a shiny finish and additional flavor.
- Prepare cheddar dipping sauce: In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour to make a roux and cook for a minute. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth and warmed. Add shredded cheddar and stir until melted and sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Serve warm pretzels with the cheddar dipping sauce for a delicious snack or appetizer.
Notes
- Use warm milk to properly activate yeast but avoid overheating to prevent killing yeast.
- Kneading is essential to develop gluten, which gives pretzels their chewy texture.
- The baking soda bath is crucial for achieving the characteristic brown crust and slight pretzel flavor.
- Brush pretzels with butter right out of the oven to keep them soft and add richness.
- The cheddar dipping sauce can be customized with spices like paprika or garlic powder for extra flavor.
- Leftover pretzels can be refrigerated and reheated in an oven to refresh their texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pretzel with 2 tablespoons cheddar sauce
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
