The past few weeks, I've been thinking a lot about the time I spent abroad. Let's face it, I'm still abroad, and I still experience things I haven't before, but I was specifically thinking about my time in Europe. It was a grand time. Food-wise, a highlight of mine was the amazing soft pretzels I could get pretty much everywhere. They were as big as my head, and delicious. When I got home, I made some for myself, but a few days ago, I really hit the jackpot when I decided to play around with the recipe some more. 

I had some Earth Balance left over from my cupcake making days, so I figured, why not? 

The result was the softest, buttery, delicious pretzel to come out of my oven to date. I decided to share with the rest of you - because I'm really nice like that. 

I always thought making pretzels would be a lot more complicated, but such is not the case! I remember the first time I tried a soft pretzel. I also remember that there were none left the next day. Seriously, every time I've made them in the past, those lucky enough to nab one, scarf it down pretty quickly. Imagine my surprise then when these turned out better that the former attempts. These are not as big as my head, but the flavour sure is!

The secret to that beautiful brown pretzel is baking soda - baked on a baking sheet and then added to the bubbly pot of boiling pretzels. Mhm. Without it, it is just not the same. 

Anyway, enough from me. I bet you are drooling as much as I am ... ;-)

The Most Delicious Vegan Soft Pretzel

What You Need:

• 4 cups All Purpose Flour

• 1 ½  cups Warm Water

• 2 ¼  tsp Active Dry Yeast

• 1 TBSP Organic Cane Sugar

• 2 tsp Sea Salt

• 4 TBSP Earth Balance

• Olive Oil  

• 2/3 cups Baking Soda

• 10 cups water

• Coarse Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

What to Do:

1) Mix warm water, yeast, sugar and salt in large bowl. Let sit 5 minutes till foamy

2) Add melted vegan butter. Stir in flour one cup at a time.
 
3) Knead on counter until elastic dough forms. 

4) Grease bowl and let rise 1 hour.

5) (Baking Totally Optional) Twenty minutes before dough is done rising, spread baking soda on baking pan lined with parchment. Bake in oven at 300 degrees F until ready to boil pretzels.

6) Once dough has risen, divide it into 8 equal parts. To twist pretzel into shape, roll the dough into long ropes. Hold at each end making a U shape, create a twist, and press ends down. 

7) Boil water. Carefully add the baking soda. 

8) Gently put pretzels in boiling water and let them "bathe" for 30 seconds. Put pretzels on parchment lined pan. Sprinkle with coarse pink himalayan sea salt.

9) Bake in oven at 450 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, until perfectly golden brown!

10) Allow to cool and enjoy either plain, or with some dipping sauce!

Do you love soft pretzels as much as I do?

Going to be trying these out? I want to know how it turns out! I will always find you when you use #MapleAlps!