Here is a clone of that famous pretzel I can hardly ever resist when we’re doing our “day at the mall” shopping. It took a lot of practice to get comfortable with the twisting of the dough to create the traditional knotted pretzel. But even if they look a little rustic compared to the chain variety, they still taste great. Have fun with this one!
1 ½ cups warm water
2 (¼-ounce) packages quick-rise yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 cup bread flour
3–4 cups all-purpose flour
Baking Soda Bath
2 tablespoons baking soda
2 cups warm water
¼ cup butter, melted, for serving
Sea salt, for serving