Beer Pretzels - #BreadBakers

Bread baking never ceases to amaze me. You take the same ingredients, manipulate them a little differently, and then you are left with a wide variety of bread that look and taste different. I'm ready to admit that I prefer baking bread to baking cakes. It's just that I prefer eating cakes so I'll always need to cream some butter and sugar.

For this month's Bread Bakers, we're taking flour, yeast,  and water (ahem, beer) and turning them into pretzels. There's some butter in there too because I wanted soft pretzels. But Alton Brown (from whom I adapted this recipe) said if you left the butter out, added more beer/water to compensate, and baked a little longer, you'd have some great hard pretzels. See what I'm talking about? Easy manipulation; different product.

Lots of pretzel recipes below so keep on scrolling. Thanks to our host, Stacy!

 Beer Pretzels

Ingredients

22oz flour (by weight)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/4 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups beer
10 cups water
1/3 cup baking soda
1 egg yolk
1/2 tablespoon water

Mix together flour, sugar, salt, and yeast then add melted butter and beer. Knead about 6 minutes until dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl. Place dough in an oiled and covered bowl. Let rise at room temperature until doubled.

Preheat oven to 450F.
Line baking sheets with GREASED parchment paper.
Bring the water and baking soda to a boil.
Divide dough into 12 equal portions (approximately 3 ounces each). Roll each portion into a 24 inch rope. Shape the rope into a U, twist twice and then bend over to form a pretzel.
Dip each pretzel into the boiling baking soda solution for about 30 seconds. Drain then place on baking sheet.
Mix the egg yolk and half tablespoon of water. Brush over each pretzel.
Bake 12-15 minutes or until pretzels are dark, golden brown.
Hide them from your family so that you can eat them all.

Notes

• The pretzels will stick if the parchment isn't greased well. Also, drain well before placing on parchment. 
• The original recipe used 2/3 cup baking soda but some commenters said this made it bitter. You're welcome to try with the full amount.
• I used Red Stripe Beer. 

• Authentic German Pretzels from Sara's Tasty Buds
• Ballpark Pretzels from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Beer Pretzels from Passion Kneaded
• Buttery Pretzels from Ambrosia
• Cheddar Garlic Soft Pretzels from Palatable Pastime
• Cheese Jalapeño Stuffed Pretzel Rolls from Herbivore Cucina
• Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites from Cook's Hideout
• Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels from Hostess At Heart
• Double Soda Pretzels from Food Lust People Love
• German Pretzel Rolls from All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Honey Mustard Snack Pretzels from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Pretzel Dogs from Sneha's Recipe
• Pretzel Sticks from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Saffron Pretzel Rolls from The Schizo Chef
• Soft Whole Wheat Pretzels from What Smells So Good?
• Sourdough Soft Pretzels from Baking Sense
• Whole Wheat Pretzel Bites from I camp in my kitchen

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme.