These soft, homemade pretzel buns have that traditional pretzel taste and are perfect for sandwiches and burgers or enjoyed plain. The recipe yields 8 buns, with a dough that includes bread flour, water, yeast, and butter, among other ingredients.
1: Combine all dough ingredients except for butter. Knead until no dry spots remain.
2: Incorporate the butter and knead until smooth.
3: Shape the dough into a ball, place it into a bowl, cover, and let it proof for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
4: Divide the dough into 8 equal sections and shape them into balls. Gently flatten using your hand or a rolling pin.
5: Place the buns onto individual sheets of parchment paper, cover, and proof for 30-45 minutes or until they are noticeably puffy.
6: Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a well-ventilated area, whisk the water and lye together until the solution turns clear.
7: Using gloves, submerge each bun into the lye bath for a couple of seconds, then transfer the pretzel onto a lined baking sheet.
8: Score the tops of each pretzel and top with coarse pretzel salt.
9: Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pretzels are a deep golden brown color.
