1Add 1 1/2 cups of warm water, 2 1/4 teaspoons of traditional dry active yeast, and 2 tablespoons of sugar (brown or white) to an electric mixing bowl.
2Mix well and let sit on the counter for about 5 minutes until frothy.
3Add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 cup of oil to the mixture.
4Start incorporating 4 cups of all-purpose flour, adding 2 cups initially and mixing in the electric mixer.
5Continue mixing until the dough is soft, stretchy, and doesn't stick to the bowl or your hands.
6Grease a bowl, transfer the dough into it, cover, and let rise on the counter for about 1 hour.
7After 1 hour, dump the dough out and divide it into about 12 pieces, weighing approximately 80 to 90 grams each.
8Roll out each piece of dough into skinny logs about 24 inches long.
9Shape the logs into pretzels by crossing them twice and folding them up.
10Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
11Prepare a pot of very hot water and add some baking soda until the water is slightly murky.
12Soak each pretzel in the hot baking soda water for about 20 seconds on each side.
13Place the dipped pretzels onto the lined cookie sheet and try to transfer them to the oven right away.
14Scramble an egg and brush each pretzel with the egg wash.
15Sprinkle the pretzels with coarse salt.
16Bake the pretzels in the preheated oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for exactly 8 minutes.
17Once removed from the oven, optionally brush the pretzels with a little butter to soften the dough.
18Let the pretzels cool slightly.
19For the beer cheese dip, melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a pan.
20Add 3 tablespoons of flour to the melted butter and whisk together to form a roux.
21Add 1/2 cup of milk and 2/3 cup of beer, whisking well.
22Season the sauce with 1 tablespoon of onion powder, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard.
23Add 1 cup of grated cheese, including Monterey Jack with jalapeno and a cheddar or mozzarella, and whisk until the cheese is melted.
24If the dip is too thick, add extra milk.
25Serve the warm pretzels with the beer cheese dip.
Ingredients
1.5 cups warm water
2.25 teaspoons traditional dry active yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
0.5 teaspoons salt
0.25 cup oil
4 cups all-purpose flour
baking soda
1 egg
coarse salt
butter
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
0.5 cup milk
0.66 cup beer
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup grated cheese
Monterey Jack with jalapeno cheese
cheddar or mozzarella cheese
Equipment
electric mixing bowlgreased bowlscaleovencookie sheetparchment paperpan
Tips
Using baking soda in hot water is crucial for the pretzel's taste and texture.
Try to get pretzels into the oven immediately after dipping in baking soda water to prevent sticking.
Brushing with butter after baking is optional but can soften the dough slightly.
For beer cheese, use roughly equal parts butter and flour to start the roux.
Adjust the amount of cheese and milk in the beer cheese dip to achieve desired consistency and flavor.