Big Soft Pretzels

Originally in the 1996 cookbook

Ingredients

1 tbsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
5-5 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup instant dry milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Lightly grease 2 large baking sheets.
3. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in lukewarm water.
4. Blend in eggs and oil.
5. Add dry ingredients and mix well.
6. Knead about 5 minutes until dough is smooth.
7. Roll pieces of dough into ropes about 1/2 inch in diameter and 18-24 inches long.
8. Form into pretzel shapes.
9. Place on prepared baking sheets.
10. Brush tops of pretzels with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt.
11. Bake immediately for 12-15 minutes, until brown and crisp.

Makes 12-15 large pretzels

Note
For a chewier pretzel, Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Drop pretzel-shaped dough into a pan of boiling water. When dough floats to top of water, brush with egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake about 30 minutes.

For an even chewier pretzel, eliminate eggs, oil and dry milk. After forming shape, dip into a soda water solution and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake as directed.