Soft Giant Pretzels -- The Snack I Made Because Cornbread Night Deserved a Sequel

Nora is walking. Not continuously, not confidently, but she will stand and take four or five steps before sitting down carefully, and she does it with the expression of someone who has decided that this is simply what she does now and anyone who is surprised by it was not paying sufficient attention. Ryan follows her with his hands slightly raised, ready to catch her when she goes sideways, and she goes sideways and he catches her and she looks up at him with an expression that I believe is gratitude but might also just be "this floor is cold."

Owen watched Nora walk for a while and then went back to army-crawling with renewed purpose. He has decided that his locomotion system is adequate for his needs. He is not wrong. He gets everywhere he wants to get. He is simply the more methodical of the two, building a solid foundation before introducing new variables.

Parent-teacher conferences this week. Twelve families in four hours. I have notes on every student and I know every name and I remember specific things about each family from last year if I had them, and the families who are new to me, I have been listening to their kids all month learning the shape of their family in the things the kids say and don't say. I love these conversations. I find them exhausting. I walk out of them feeling used up and worthwhile and hungry, in that order.

Chili on Thursday: Aldi ground beef, two cans of kidney beans, a can of diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, garlic. Box cornbread to go with it because I love box cornbread and I am not embarrassed about this. The cornbread came out golden and sweet and I ate two squares over the sink before the rest of the family got any, which is my prerogative and I will defend it.

Cornbread from a box on a Thursday after four hours of parent-teacher conferences is one kind of comfort — fast, golden, unapologetic. But the weekend had a slower rhythm to it, with Nora practicing her steps across the kitchen floor and Owen methodically making his rounds, and that kind of Saturday calls for something you make with your hands. These soft giant pretzels were exactly that: a little effort, a lot of reward, and the kind of thing that makes the whole house smell like you meant it.

Soft Giant Pretzels

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes (plus 1 hour rise time) | Servings: 8 pretzels

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110–115°F)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 teaspoons fine salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 10 cups water (for boiling)
• 2/3 cup baking soda (for boiling bath)
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• Coarse sea salt or pretzel salt, for topping

Instructions

1. Activate the yeast. Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir gently and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
2. Make the dough. Add the melted butter, salt, and flour to the yeast mixture. Using the dough hook, mix on medium speed for 5–6 minutes until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is sticky, add flour one tablespoon at a time.
3. Let it rise. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
4. Shape the pretzels. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and grease lightly. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope about 22 inches, then shape into a pretzel by forming a U, crossing the ends twice, and pressing them down onto the base.
5. Prepare the baking soda bath. Bring 10 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Carefully add the baking soda — it will bubble up. Reduce to a steady boil.
6. Boil the pretzels. Working in batches, lower each pretzel into the boiling water for 30 seconds per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on the prepared baking sheets.
7. Add egg wash and salt. Brush each pretzel with beaten egg and sprinkle generously with coarse salt.
8. Bake. Bake for 12–15 minutes until deep mahogany brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Best eaten warm.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 310 | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Carbs: 54g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 890mg