Health By Al

These are such a fun treat! My favorite desserts are the ones that are salty and sweet, so I love that this one can be both. These are best eaten right out of the oven, so I make as many bites as we are going to eat then, and refrigerate the dough that we aren’t using that night. (It can last in the fridge 1-2 days).

Ingredients: Serves 5-6

Pretzels:

• 1 & 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 Tablespoon cane sugar
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 & 1/4 teaspoons yeast
• 2 & 3/4-3 cups flour
• 5 cups water
• 1/4 cup baking soda

Toppings:

• avocado oil or vegan butter
• flakey sea salt
• cinnamon
• cane sugar

+ parchment paper

Directions:

1. Combine the 1 1/2 cups warm water, sugar and sea salt in a bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time (you may not need it all-add enough that you can knead the dough without it sticking to your fingers).
3. Knead the dough 5 minutes.
4. Place the dough in a well-floured bowl and cover it with a damp dish towel. Let it rise for 1 hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Bring the 5 cups of water and the baking soda to a boil on the stove in a medium-sized pot.
7. Place the dough onto a floured surface and break it into 2 in.x 2in. pieces (using flour to prevent sticking and rolling them into balls)
8. 10-12 at a time, place the pretzel bites into the boiling water for 1 minute. Remove them from the water and place them onto the lined baking sheet. 
9. Bake 10-12 minutes until a few of the tops start to brown & then broil for 1-2 minutes until all the tops are golden.
10. Serve brushed with olive oil or vegan butter and sprinkle with flakey sea salt or a cinnamon/sugar mixture.