Pretzels are a simple yeasted treat that have had many different symbolic meanings over the ages, from symbolizing the eternity of the marriage bond to representing children's arms bent in prayer. For many of us today, they recall memories of fairs, baseball games, movies and just a general sense of comfort and good feeling.
This dairy-free recipe uses just a hint of nutritional yeast and powdered garlic to give these soft pretzels a subtle cheesy flavor. For fast and fun snacks, double the recipe and freeze a batch in an airtight container. Pretzels will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Makes 8 pretzels
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 packet dry yeast (or 2 ¼ teaspoons)
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 ½ T. brown sugar
- 3 T. nutritional yeast
- 1 ½ t. salt
- ¼ t. garlic powder
- 8 cups water
- ¼ cup baking soda
- Coarse Salt For Sprinkling
Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven 400 F. Line a baking sheet with lightly oiled parchment paper.
2. In medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the yeast and warm water, mixing gently, and let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes or until foamy. Using a wooden spoon, mix in 1 cup of the flour and the brown sugar until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
3. Using a wooden spoon or a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, add the nutritional yeast, salt and garlic powder. Add in the remaining flour gradually until the dough pulls away from sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a clean, dry surface and knead until elastic. Return dough to bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
4. Bring the water and baking soda to a boil in a large sauce pan. [p/]
5. Turn the dough out onto a dry surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 24-30 inches in length. Twist the rope as you bring the ends toward one another like two arches, twist together the ends, and, with a small bit of water, attach the ends to the base. (See photo.)
6. One at a time, carefully place each pretzel in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove each with a slotted spoon and place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the pretzels with coarse salt and bake until golden brown, about 15-18 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
