Pretzel Bites

1-1/2 c. warm water
2-1/4 tsp. yeast (1 package)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1-1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. bread flour (I like King Arthur)
3 c. all-purpose flour
10 c. water
2/3 c. baking soda
4 Tbsp. butter, melted

Pour 1-1/2 c. water into bowl of mixer. Sprinkle yeast, brown sugar and salt. Stir to dissolve. Add flours and mix on low until incorporated. Knead dough until it pulls away from sides and is smooth and elastic 5-6 minutes. Add flour as needed.

Oil the inside of a bowl and turn dough into bowl. Cover and let rise for 1 hour. Combine 10 cups of water and baking soda in large pot and stir to dissolve. Start heating so it will be at a low boil once the dough has risen. Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into 8 balls. Roll each ball into a long rope. Use kitchen shears to cut into eighths. Drop pretzel bites into the soda solution. Typically if you drop 8 in at the time the first one is ready to pull out by the time you drop the last one in. Pull them out as they float to the surface and place on prepared parchment-lined baking sheets.

Bake 450 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter after removing from the oven. Remove from baking sheet to cool.

You can use to make full pretzels but I like making the bites. You can also wrap pretzel dough around cocktail sausages to make yummy pigs-in-a-blanket.