Pretzel Buns with Grilled Hot Dogs

Facebook conversation:

Me: Just remembered I committed to making pretzel buns today. Hmmm, suppose I should actually check out the recipe now.

Friend: Or just head over to Metro Market and pick up a dozen.

Me: Too easy. I need to see if they're really as easy to make as Food Network tells me they are. Plus if I can pull off pretzel buns, then I can try big, soft, chewy pretzels and completely kiss my waistline goodbye.

My friends, consider my waistline obliterated.  Because if I can make these so completely and utterly distracted as I was at the time, you can TOTALLY pull these off!

Pretzel Buns with Grilled Hot Dogs
Recipe from Jeff Mauro

1 cup milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
1 packet active dry yeast, or 2 1/4 tsp
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 large cloves garlic, minced or grated
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup bread flour
1/2 cup baking soda
Pretzel salt or coarse ground sea salt, for sprinkling
8 beef hot dogs

1.  In a small saucepan, heat the milk, 1/2 cup water, sugar and honey to 105 to 110 degrees F. Add to the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the water mixture and wait for at least 10 to 15 minutes until the yeast blooms.

My Observations: Be aware that 105-110 is just barely above body temperature.  So unless your 10 month-old is super fussy and refusing to nap like he totally should be doing, DON'T WALK AWAY.  If you overheat the milk, don't panic.  Just turn off the heat and let it cool off a bit.

No thermometer?  Use your own judgement.  If it feels warm, you're fine.

2.  In a separate saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and garlic and cook until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

3.  Combine the all-purpose flour and bread flour in a mixing bowl.


4.  Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the blooming yeast, and then add in the melted butter and garlic mixture. Mix on medium speed until the dough has come together and is smooth and elastic in texture and pulling away from the sides of the bowl, 5 to 7 minutes.

My Observations: Not having a fancy schmancy mixer with a dough hook is no excuse to avoid this recipe.  It just means we get to burn more calories as we use the "dough hooks" God gave us!

My dough hook

Keep kneading until it looks like this; sticky, but not totally clinging your hands anymore

5.  Line 2 baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board and form into a ball. Cut into 4 equal pieces, and then cut those in half to form 8 equal pieces. Using your hands, roll each piece into a ball and place onto a prepared baking sheet. Cover with a dish cloth and let them rest in a warm place for 12 to 15 minutes.

Cute little dough balls

6.  Once rested, lightly dust your work surface again and roll the balls into 7-inch logs. Place back onto the prepared baking sheet, cover, place back in the warm spot and let rest for an additional 30 minutes.

If you want hamburger buns, leave them as balls instead

7.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place one oven rack high and one low.


8.  In a large pot, bring 8 cups water to a boil, and then add the baking soda. In batches, place the dough in the water and cook for 30 seconds on each side.

My Observations: No picture of the water itself because apparently adding baking soda to boiling water causes the water to bubble VIOLENTLY.  It'll calm down but just stand back a little as you carefully add the baking soda.

Like bagels, boiling in seasoned water before baking creates that outer chewiness

9.  Using a slotted spatula, remove the logs and place onto the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle the logs with pretzel salt as they come out of the water, to ensure the salt sticks. Then cut 3 diagonal slits on top of the bread, not too deep.

Or you can misread the recipe and only do two slits. That's ok.

10.  Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, rotating between the top and bottom racks of the oven halfway through the cooking.

I could just snack on these as is.

I mentioned I was distracted when I made these... that may or may not have been an understatement.  My intention was to make these during Kieran's morning nap, as we had plans to be out later in the day.  Oh the best laid plans of mice and men, right?

Well, my morning didn't go as I wanted, but I thought "hey, I can adjust.  I'll just get these started during lunch and finish them off while the boys nap this afternoon."  You really can start laughing anytime now.  It's ok.  Lunch was hectic, as our earlier outing took longer.  And with the added stress of Gavin's sassy behavior, plus Kieran's crankiness from a growth spurt and teething, I was really getting frazzled.

And of course, on this day of all days, when I had something I NEEDED to accomplish and I DESPERATELY needed a break from my kids, my beloved boys randomly decided they were not tired and refused to nap.  That's right.  I measured, kneaded, boiled, and baked all to the tune of Kieran fussing about every 10-15 minutes.

But you know what?  The buns turned out REALLY REALLY GOOD.  They are soft and chewy, a little bit sweet initially, the way a pretzel should be, but toward the end of the bite there's this fantastic garlic taste.  AWESOME with the smokey, grilled hot dogs!  Add some fries and some kind of vegetable or fruit salad and you have truly spectacular summertime meal.

Now if you'll excuse me I need to go find some giant pretzel recipes to try.  I can feel my waist expanding already in anticipation.