Easy Homemade Pretzel Buns Recipe

Ingredients

• 4.5 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 6 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 cups warm milk
• 6 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 2 eggs eggs
• 0.25 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 4 cups water
• 0.5 cup baking soda
• 0.25 cup melted butter
• sea salt

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar with ½ cup of warm water (around 100 degrees F or 40 degrees C). Let sit for about 5 minutes, or until the yeast becomes foamy.
2. In the same bowl, add 3 cups of flour, milk, shortening, eggs, ¼ cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of oil, and 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat until smooth. Gradually add the remaining 3 cups of flour, ½ cup at a time, mixing by hand after each addition until the dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, approximately 5 minutes. Expect the dough to be sticky.
3. Lightly grease a large bowl with oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let it rise in a warm area (80 to 95 degrees F or 27 to 35 degrees C) until it doubles in size, about 1 hour. Punch the dough down.
4. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
5. Divide the dough into baseball-sized portions and roll each into a 6-inch "snake". Then, roll each snake into a spiral for added texture. Set aside.
6. In a bowl, mix 4 cups of hot water with baking soda (it's okay if the baking soda doesn't fully dissolve). Dip each bun into the baking soda solution, then transfer it to a baking sheet. Brush the tops of the buns with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool on a wire rack or brown paper bag before serving.

Nutrition

• Calories: 382 kcal
• Fat Content: 14 g
• Fiber Content: 2 g
• Sugar Content: 7 g
• Sodium Content: 2866 mg
• Protein Content: 10 g
• Cholesterol Content: 44 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 55 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 5 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g