Do-it-yourself Pretzel Rolls

Who can resist the chewy, salty goodness of a comfortable pretzel? With these do-it-yourself pretzel rolls, you get all that scrumptious pretzel taste and texture, however in a roll kind! It’s excellent to function a dinner roll or use for sliders, burgers, and sandwiches. The rolls have that flaky, chewy, golden-brown exterior and a comfortable crumb inside with the basic pretzel chewiness. If you happen to thought these store-bought pretzel rolls had been good, you might be about to be in heaven.

Pretzel lovers must also try our well-known soft pretzel recipe in addition to our bacon-cheddar pretzel bites.

Not like a typical dinner roll, the dough will get a fast boil in baking soda water proper earlier than baking. This step is what offers them that signature deep brown crust and chewy texture. They style like one thing straight from a bakery but this recipe is easy sufficient for learners to simply make at dwelling.

Ingredient Notes

• Brown Sugar: The sugar feeds the yeast and helps the crust brown. The small quantity of molasses provides somewhat taste as nicely.
• Instantaneous Dry Yeast: You should utilize lively dry yeast in the identical quantity. You’ll simply want so as to add 10 to fifteen minutes to the rising time.
• Milk: Use entire, 2%, or 1%. It ought to be warmed to 100-110°F which we do within the microwave. The milk ought to be heat to the contact, like bathtub water.
• All-purpose Flour: Bread flour can be used for a fair chewier roll.
• Baking Soda: The baking soda is crucial for the boiling step that offers these rolls their deep brown, chewy crust. No substitutions right here—it’s the key to that pretzel magic!
• Coarse Salt: You’ll typically discover it labeled as kosher salt, coarse salt, or pretzel salt. If you happen to don’t have coarse salt, you should utilize flaky sea salt, however keep away from tremendous desk salt, because it gained’t be fairly the identical and your rolls will simply find yourself seeming salty.

No Stand Mixer? No Downside!

Making pretzel rolls by hand is less complicated than you would possibly assume, and also you’ll nonetheless get that excellent chewy texture. Begin by combining your substances in a big mixing bowl, stirring with a sturdy spoon (a wood spoon works nice) till the dough turns into too thick to stir.

When the dough will get too powerful to combine, it’s time to knead by hand. Frivolously flour a clear floor, then switch your dough onto it. Utilizing the heels of your palms, press the dough away from you, then fold it again over itself. Rotate the dough 1 / 4 flip and repeat the method. Proceed kneading for about 5-7 minutes till the dough is easy and elastic. It ought to really feel cheesy, however not sticky. Hand kneading helps develop the gluten, giving your pretzel rolls that deliciously comfortable and chewy texture. It might take somewhat elbow grease, however the finish result’s price it!

The Science Behind Boiling

There’s science concerned in pretzel-making and it’s all about boiling the dough earlier than baking. Whenever you boil the dough in a baking soda resolution, it units off a chemical response on the floor of the dough. The baking soda is alkaline, which modifications the pH of the dough’s exterior, serving to it kind that signature deep brown crust when baked. For this reason pretzels—and these pretzel rolls—have a darker, extra caramelized look than common bread.

Boiling additionally gelatinizes the starches on the floor of the dough, making a chewy exterior that contrasts completely with the comfortable crumb inside. This similar approach is used to make bagels as nicely. That is the way you get that signature chew.