Pretzel Rolls

Jan Rood-Ojalvo
Recipe by
Jan Rood-Ojalvo

This recipe, which comes from the Garden City Jewish Center's cookbook Sharing Our Favorites, has enlivened birthday parties, provided baking projects at my children's elementary school, been a bestseller at our local little league field, and welcomed company at dinner parties. They are crusty and chewy with big crystals of salt – unusual enough to be remembered, satisfying enough to always be a special treat. No matter how often we bake them, they are instantly devoured. I keep bags of frozen dough to be defrosted overnight, then kept in the fridge to bake on demand whenever we are in the mood – which is often!

Ingredients
1 package dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
5 to 5 1/2 cups flour
4 tablespoons melted butter
pretzel salt (or extra coarse salt)
Directions
  1. In large bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook (or by hand), mix yeast, water, sugar, and flour until dough forms a ball. (Add water or flour, as needed.)
  2. Knead until smooth and elastic.
  3. Divide into 32 equal pieces. Working with 1/4 of dough at a time (keep remaining dough under inverted bowl to remain moist), roll each into a rope, tie into a knot, and place 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet. 
  4. Brush each roll with melted butter, then sprinkle with salt. Let rest 10 minutes, until slightly puffy.
  5. Bake in preheated 425°F oven about 15 minutes or until golden.

Variations

Try topping these with cinnamon sugar, sautéed garlic or garlic powder, or sesame, poppy, or caraway seeds. With the exception of the cinnamon sugar, always include some salt.