Soft Pretzel Rolls

In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the warm water, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add 3 Tbs. of the melted butter, the flour and kosher salt. Attach the dough hook and knead the dough on medium-low speed until smooth, about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Line a baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper and brush with oil. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, then cut it into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 8 inches (20 cm) long. With each rope positioned horizontally, bring the 2 ends up and toward the center as if forming an oval, cross one end over the other and tie into a loose knot, tucking the ends underneath to create a roll. Place the rolls on the prepared baking sheet.

Preheat an oven to 425°F (220°C).

Fill a large, wide saucepan with 7 cups (56 fl. oz./1.75 l) water, stir in the baking soda and bring to a boil over high heat. Gently drop 2 or 3 pretzel rolls at a time into the boiling water (be careful not to overcrowd them). Boil for just under 1 minute, turning once with a large slotted spoon or spatula. Return the boiled pretzel rolls, top side up, to the baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart.

Sprinkle the pretzel rolls with coarse salt. Bake until beautifully browned, about 15 minutes, rotating the pan about halfway through. Remove from the oven, brush the rolls with the remaining 3 Tbs. melted butter and continue baking until deep golden brown, 2 to 5 minutes more.

Serve the rolls warm with big spoonfuls of mustard. Makes 6 pretzel rolls.

Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen