baking with kids: soft pretzels

Good morning!

I’m excited to begin a regular series called Baking with Kids. I’ll share some of our favorite recipes we like to bake together and ways your kids can get involved in the process.  The time spent in the process of baking and enjoying the outcome will be some of your best spent time with your children during your week.

Today I’m sharing an exciting recipe that children love to participate in: soft pretzels.

Soft pretzels are so exciting for children because they get to help shape the dough into pretzels.  It is a 100% hands-on recipe.

Baking with Kids Tip:

• Get into the habit of expecting your children to wash their hands and have their hair pulled back before joining you at the kitchen counter to bake.  This will make their involvement in the kitchen much easier, whether planned or spur the moment, to have hands clean and ready to knead, stir, or shape without needing to remember while their hands are in dough.  

There are a few ways to make homemade pretzels.  One is simply to bake the pretzel in the oven and the other is to immerse in a bath before baking.  I prefer the results of the latter.  The pretzels turn out just like the ones you’ve had at a baseball game or carnival.  These soft pretzels are best eaten right after being baked.  They are so chewy!

I like using a bread machine to make the dough so my kids and I can begin the pretzels together at the dough stage.  If you don’t have a bread machine, here is an excellent, simple dough recipe you can make by hand without the bread machine mixing for you.  My recipe makes 12 decent size pretzels–just enough to enjoy after they come out of the oven and again, warmed, the next day for a snack.  And just think, you probably have all the ingredients on hand to make some soon!

{recipe from The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook}

soft pretzels

for the dough:

1/2 c. water

1 c. milk

4 c. bread flour

1 TBSP malt powder, preferably, or sugar

1 1/4 salt

2 1/4 tsp yeast or 2 3/4 tsp bread machine yeast

for the pretzel bath:

2 quarts of water

2 TBSP baking soda

for the topping:

1 egg white beaten with 1 TBSP water

About 2 TBSP course kosher or sea salt

1. To make the dough, place all ingredients in the bread pan according to manufacturer’s instructions.  Program for the dough cycle; press Start.

2.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.  When the machine beeps at the end of the cycle, turn the dough out onto the work space and divide in 12 equal portions.

3.  With your palms, shape each portion into a 20-inch rope.  To form a pretzel shape, hold both ends of the rope and bring both ends around into the center to form a large loop.  Twist the ends together once, about 3 inches from the ends.  Bring the twisted end up and over the loop and attach it to the bottom center of the loop.  It will look like a heart with three sections.

Once you have it down, show your children how to do it.  For the younger kids, I handed them the already rolled out 20 inch rope to begin twisting into a pretzel.  Don’t let the ends of the pretzels rope hang too far off from the looped pretzel.  Those ends will tend to cook faster.

4.  Carefully transfer to your baking sheet.  Let rest, uncovered, at room temperature for 30 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven for 400 degrees.  Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large, deep pan and add the baking soda.

6.  When the 30 minutes are up, with a large spatula, carefully lift a risen pretzel, then lower it into the boiling water.  You can boil a few at a time.   Leaving the water at a low rolling boil, boil for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until puffy.  Remove with a slotted spoon, hold over the pan to drain, then place back on the baking sheet 2 inches a part.  Repeat with all the pretzels.

7.  Brush each pretzel with the egg glaze and sprinkle with the salt.  This is a great step that children can do.  I gave each child a handful of course salt to sprinkle after I brushed on the egg wash.

8.  Bake one sheet at a time, in the center of the oven, for 16-20 minutes, until deep golden brown.  Cool the pretzels on a rack.  Eat them warm or store at room temperature for up to 3 days, wrapped in a single layer of foil.

Your children will be so pleased with the outcome.  They are beautiful, golden pretzels with a wonderful chewy bite to them.  Let your kids serve them warm on a platter or in a bread basket to serve each other or share with a playdate or neighbor.

the sleepy time gal