It's nearly impossible not to associate the smell of a barbecue with the fresh, warm beginning of summer: burgers, hot dogs, pasta and potato salad, colorful vegetables, and delicious condiments. Among all these, one of the most important elements is often overlooked—a buttery grilled bun, essential for a complete cookout. And when it comes to buns, nothing beats the salty, airy pretzel bun—both the best and easiest homemade choice.
We all know the alluring aroma of famous soft baked pretzels, now imagine combining that with your backyard BBQ; it's guaranteed that the whole neighborhood will want to join in!
Elevate your grilling game and become the ultimate hostess with these super simple, made-from-scratch, gut-friendly Flourish Pretzel Rolls.
Ingredients:
2 and 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted (reserve the rest for later)
1 teaspoon salt
3 and 3/4 cups Flourish flour, divided
1/4 cup baking soda
Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the yeast and warm water. Let it sit for 1 minute to activate the yeast. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of butter (set aside the rest for later).
- Whisk in the salt, brown sugar, and melted butter.
- Gradually add 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time, to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or use a dough hook attached to a stand mixer until the dough becomes thick.
- Add 3/4 cup more flour to the dough until it is no longer sticky. If it still feels sticky, add an additional 1/4 to 1/2 cup of flour as needed. To check if the dough is ready, poke it with your finger—if it bounces back, it's time to knead.
- Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead it for 3 minutes until it forms a smooth ball. If desired, at this point, the dough can be frozen. (For freezing instructions, refer to the notes below.)
- Grease a large bowl, place the dough in it, and tightly cover it with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm environment for about 1 hour or until it nearly doubles in size. An effective method is to preheat your oven to 200°F (93°C), turn it off, place the dough inside, and shut the oven to create a warm environment.
- Once the dough has risen, gently punch it down to release any air bubbles. Transfer it to a lightly floured surface and use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to divide it into approximately 1/3 cup sections, resulting in about 12 sections. Shape each section into a ball.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) and prepare your baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Alternatively, you can use a 9x13-inch baking pan.
- In a large pot, bring 9 cups of water and the baking soda to a boil. Carefully drop 1-2 pretzel rolls into the boiling water and let them cook for 20-30 seconds. Be cautious not to leave them in the water for too long, as they may develop a metallic taste.
- Use a slotted spoon to lift the pretzel rolls out of the water, allowing excess water to drain off. Place the pretzel rolls onto the prepared baking sheets or close together in the baking pan. Use a sharp knife to score a couple of slits into the top of each roll.
- Melt the remaining butter and lightly brush each roll with the melted butter. Sprinkle coarse sea salt over the rolls.
- Bake the pretzel rolls for 22-26 minutes or until they turn a deep golden brown on all sides.
- Once baked, remove the pretzel rolls from the oven and serve them warm. For storage, place the pretzel rolls in an airtight container or a zip-top bag. They can be stored for up to 3 days, but note that they may lose a bit of their softness over time.
Freezing instructions: After kneading the dough and shaping it into a ball (Step 4), wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight before continuing with Step 5.