Soft Beer Pretzels

Name: Soft Beer Pretzels
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 8 pretzels.
Ingredients: 1 bottle (12 ounces) amber beer or nonalcoholic beer; 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1-1/2 teaspoons salt; 4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 10 cups water; 2/3 cup baking soda; TOPPING:; 1 large egg yolk; 1 tablespoon water; Coarse salt, optional

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 1 hour + rising Bake: 10 min. YIELD: 8 pretzels.

I'm always looking for new ways to combine fun flavors, and what goes together better than beer and pretzels? Not much that I can think of. That’s why I put them together into one delicious recipe. —Alyssa Wilhite, Whitehouse, Texas

Ingredients

1 bottle (12 ounces) amber beer or nonalcoholic beer
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
TOPPING:
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
Coarse salt, optional

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, heat beer to 110°-115°; remove from heat. Stir in yeast until dissolved. In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, yeast mixture and 3 cups flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).
2. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 425°. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide and shape into 8 balls. Roll each into a 24-in. rope. Curve ends of each rope to form a circle; twist ends once and lay over opposite side of circle, pinching ends to seal.
4. In a Dutch oven, bring water and baking soda to a boil. Drop pretzels, 2 at a time, into boiling water. Cook 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain well on paper towels.
5. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolk and water; brush over pretzels. Sprinkle with coarse salt if desired. Bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove from pans to a wire rack to cool.

Nutrition Facts

1 pretzel: 288 calories, 4g fat (2g saturated fat), 16mg cholesterol, 604mg sodium, 53g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 2g fiber), 7g protein.