Pretzel Buns

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the yeast, oil, milk, water, salt, and 2 cups of the flour.
2. Gradually add the rest of the flour until a soft dough is formed and it clears the sides of the bowl. You may not need all the flour. The dough should be soft, but not sticky.
3. Once the dough starts to clear the sides of the bowl while mixing, knead for 4-5 minutes, about double that if kneading by hand.
4. Move the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning it to oil all sides and cover with plastic wrap.
5. Let rise for 1.5-2 hours or until doubled.
6. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled counter and divide into 16 pieces, rolling each into a roll shape. (Here’s a great tutorial on this!)
7. Place the rolls on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper, and let them rest for 20 minutes, while you prepare the water bath.
8. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
9. In a large pot, combine the water, sugar, and baking soda, and bring to a boil.
10. Once the water is boiling, place 3-4 rolls at a time in the boiling water with a slotted spatula.
11. Boil for 30-60 seconds per side and then remove to the same parchment lined baking sheet. The longer you boil them, the chewier they will be.
12. Repeat with the remaining rolls.
13. Using a sharp knife (I find a good serrated one works best, although I've read plenty of times to use a sharp, straight bladed knife, but haven't personally found that to work as well!), cut an “X” in the top of each roll, about 1/4 inch deep, trying not to deflate the roll.
14. Sprinkle with coarse or kosher salt, and bake for 20-22 minutes until golden brown. They taste best fresh, but keep quite well in a sealed plastic bag for a up to 3 days. They freeze well for up to 3 months.