Almost Famous Soft Pretzels Auntie Annes Copy Cat Food

ALMOST-FAMOUS SOFT PRETZELS

Steps:

• Make the pretzels: Warm the milk in a saucepan until it's about 110 degrees; pour into a medium bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let the yeast soften, about 2 minutes; stir in the brown sugar and 1 cup flour with a wooden spoon. Dice 2 tablespoons butter and soften; stir into the mix. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups flour and the fine salt to make a sticky dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if needed, until smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and grease a large baking sheet. Punch the dough to deflate it, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface. (If the dough seems tight, cover and let rest until it relaxes.) Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Roll and stretch each piece with the palms of your hands into a 30-inch rope, holding the ends and slapping the middle of the rope on the counter as you stretch. Form each rope into a pretzel shape.
• Dissolve the baking soda in 3 cups warm water in a shallow baking dish. Gently dip each pretzel in the soda solution, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with the coarse salt. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Prepare the sauce: Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, brown sugar and vinegar in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
• Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a shallow dish. Dip the hot pretzels in the butter, turning to coat; place on a wire rack to let excess butter drip off. Serve the pretzels warm with the sweet mustard sauce.
• Illustration by Jason Lee

COPYCAT AUNTIE ANNE'S SOFT PRETZELS

Steps:

• Add the warm water to a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the surface. Let the yeast "bloom" then stir in the sugar and salt. Add the flours slowly while stirring until it forms a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place back in the bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let rise for 30 minutes in a warm, draft free location. While the dough is rising, prepare the water bath by mixing the warm water and baking soda. Stir well. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet. When the dough has risen, pinch off pieces of the dough and roll out into a long, thin (1/2-inch thick or less) ripe. Shape into a pretzel shape, or other desired shape. Dip the pretzel in the warm baking soda solution and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the pretzels from the oven and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle the hot pretzels with the coarse salt. For cinnamon-sugar pretzels, dip the pretzels in melted butter then coat in blend of ground cinnamon and sugar.

AUNTIE ANNE'S PRETZELS - COPYCAT

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve.
• Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic.
• Let rise at least 1/2 hour.
• While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 tbsp baking soda.
• Be certain to stir often.
• After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape.
• Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet.
• Allow pretzels to rise again.
• Bake in oven at 450 for about 10 minutes or until golden.
• Brush with melted butter.
• Toppings: After you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt.
• Or for Auntie Anne's famous Cinnamon Sugar, try melting a stick of butter in a shallow bowl (big enough to fit the entire pretzel) and in another shallow bowl make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
• Dip the pretzel into the butter, coating both sides generously.
• Then dip again into the cinnamon mixture.
• Notes: The longer and thinner you can make the dough rope, the more like Auntie Anne's they will be.

AUNTIE ANNE'S COPYCAT PRETZELS

Steps:

• Grease a baking sheet.
• Sprinkle yeast onto lukewarm (about 115 degrees) water in a mixing bowl and stir to dissolve.
• Add sugar and salt and stir to dissolve.
• Add flour and knead dough (in bowl) until smooth and elastic.
• Cover and let rise at least 1/2 hour.
• Mix the bath of warm water and baking soda in a shallow bowl and stir often.
• Divide dough and roll into a long, thin rope, the thinner the better. 1/2" thick is great if you have the skill and patience. This gets easier with practice.
• Shape into a pretzel (make a u-shape, twist, then bring ends down to form shape), dip into water bath and place on greased baking sheet.
• Allow pretzels to rise again (I prefer to keep them covered during the rise).
• Bake in a preheated, 450 degree oven for about 8 minutes. Bake ONLY until JUST golden. If they are overcooked, they are tough.
• While they are baking, melt butter and whisk a little bit of honey into the butter (I use about a tablespoon for 4 pretzels but you can use whatever you prefer).
• When pretzels are almost done, brush each one with the butter/honey mixture and return to the oven for about a minute.
• You can sprinkle on cinnamon sugar just after brushing on the butter, or skip the honey and sprinkle with parmesan cheese, garlic salt, coarse salt, or whatever topping you like.
• These can also be made into tasty pretzel sticks.

AUNTIE ANNE'S PRETZELS COPYCAT

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise at least 1/2 hour.
• While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 tbsp baking soda. Be certain to stir often.
• After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet. Allow pretzel to rise again. Bake in a 450 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted butter and enjoy.
• Toppings:
• After you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt.Or for Auntie Anne's famous Cinnamon Sugar, try melting a stick of butter in a shallow bowl (big enough to fit the entire pretzel) and in another bowl, make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Dip the pretzel into the butter, coating both sides generously. Then dip again into the cinnamon mixture.

ALMOST-FAMOUS SOFT PRETZELS (AUNTIE ANNE'S COPY CAT)

Steps:

• Warm the milk in a saucepan until it's about 110 degrees; pour into a medium bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let the yeast soften, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in the brown sugar and 1 cup flour with a wooden spoon. Dice 2 tablespoons of the butter and soften; stir into mix. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups of flour and the fine salt to make a sticky dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if needed, until smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until double in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and grease a large baking sheet. Punch the dough to deflate it, then turn out onto a lightly flour surface. (If dough seems tight, cover and let rise until it relaxes.) Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Roll and stretch each piece in the palms of your hands into a 30 inch rope, holding the ends and slapping the middle of the rope on the counter as you stretch. Form each rope into a pretzel shape.
• Dissolve the baking soda in the water in a shallow baking dish. Gently dip each pretzel in the soda solution, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet; sprinkle with coarse salt.
• Bake until golden, 10-12 minutes.
• Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter in a shallow dish. Dip the hot pretzels in the butter, turning to coat; place on a wire rack to let excess butter to drip off. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce or cream cheese.

AUNTIE ANNE'S PRETZELS COPYCAT

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a small bowl or cup. Let sit for a few minutes.
• Combine flour, powdered sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add water with yeast and vegetable oil. Stir with a spoon and then use your hands to form dough into a ball. Knead the dough for 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface. (Dough will be nice and smooth when ready). Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover it, store in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until dough rises to double in size.
• When dough has risen, preheat oven to 425°F.
• Make a bath for the pretzels by combining the baking soda with the warm water and stir until baking soda is mostly dissolved.
• Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 8 even portions. Roll each portion on a flat non-floured surface until it is about 3 ft long. Pick up both ends of the dough and give it a little spin so the middle of the dough spins around once. Lay the dough down with the loop nearest to you. Fold the ends down toward you and pinch to attach them to the bottom of the loop. The twist should be in the middle.
• Holding the pinched ends, dip each pretzel into the bath solution. Put each pretzel on a paper towel for a moment to blot the excess liquid. Arrange the pretzels on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. If you want salt, sprinkle pretzels with kosher salt or pretzel salt. DON'T salt any pretzels you plan to coat with cinnamon sugar. You will likely have to use two baking sheets and bake them separately. Bake the pretzels for 4 minutes and then spin the pan around and bake for another 4-5 minutes or until the pretzels are golden brown.
• Remove the pretzels from the oven and let them cool for a couple of minutes. If you want to eat some now, brush them with melted butter first before serving.
• If you want the cinnamon sugar coating, make it by combining the 1/2 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush the unsalted pretzels with melted butter. Sprinkle a heavy coating of the cinnamon sugar on the pretzels over a large plate.
• Makes 8 pretzels.

SOFT PRETZELS - LIKE AUNTIE ANNE'S

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt and yeast in medium bowl. Blend well.
• Heat 1 cup water and Crisco in small saucepan to 100 - 110 degrees.
• Add liquid to flour mixture and blend at low speed until moistened.
• Beat 3 minutes at medium speed.
• Stir in by hand an additional 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 cups of flour or until dough pulls cleanly away from sides of bowl.
• Knead in 1/2 - 3/4 cup flour, on a floured surface, until dough is smooth and elastic.
• Put dough in greased bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap and a cloth towel.
• Let rise in a warm (80-85 degrees) until light and doubled in size. About 45 minutes.
• Spray 2 cookie sheets with no-stick spray.
• Punch dough down and seperate into 12 pieces.
• Roll each piece into a 16-inch rope.
• Form into pretzel shape.
• Place on greased cookie sheets and cover.
• Let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.
• Adjust oven rack to top position.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine 6 cups water and baking soda in a shallow saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Slowly drop pretzels into water, one at a time, cooking 15 seconds on each side.
• Remove from water with a slotted spoon and return to greased cookie sheet.
• Sprinkle with pretzel salt, sesame seeds, etc.
• Bake for 8 minutes.
• Brush with melted butter.
• Bake an additional 2 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove from cookie sheet and brush generously with remaining butter.

LEGIT SOFT PRETZELS -- JUST LIKE AUNTIE ANNE'S

Steps:

• Warm up the milk in the microwave or on the stove for just about one and a half minutes, to about 110º.
• Stir the yeast into the milk and let it sit for about 3 minutes.
• Add the butter and sugar to the milk and stir to mix.
• Add the flour to the milk, about 1 cup at a time and add the fine salt as you add the flour. Mix w/ a spoon.
• Knead for about 10 minutes with a stand mixer, or by hand.
• Put kneaded dough in a greased bowl and cover with greased plastic wrap.
• Let rise for 1 hour in a moist, warm place until doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 450º.
• Punch down dough and divide into 12 lumps -- this is easiest if you divide it in half, cut each half into three lumps, then cut each lump in half.
• Combine the warm water and baking soda in a shallow dish (e.g. and 8x8 baking dish); stir/whisk until the baking soda is as dissolved as possible.
• Roll all 12 lumps of dough out as thin as you can -- they will shrink up quickly so getting the thinnest ropes possible is key.
• Form the dough into pretzel shapes, then quickly dip in the baking soda water. I found this works best when you roll out 2-3 pretzels, dip them, then put them on the baking sheet.
• Place rolled, dipped pretzels on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt.
• Bake for about 7-11 minutes or until browned.
• Dip each in the melted butter while hot.