Mozzarella Stuffed Pretzels for 4

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup warm water (between 110-115 deg F)

• 1/2 package Rapid Rise yeast

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 tsp pretzel (or bagel or margarita) salt (any coarse food grade salt)

• 2 cups all purpose flour and a little more for dusting

• 3 Tbsp softened unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup baking soda

• 4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

• 2 oz grated parmesan cheese

• Egg wash consisting of 1 beaten egg and 1 Tbsp water

• Warm marinara sauce for dipping

• Optional topping:
  

  • 1 Tbsp melted butter

  • 1 oz grated parmesan cheese

  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary

  • pinch of garlic powder

  • pinch of black pepper

  • pinch of table salt

Directions

• Combine water, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Let stand for 10 minutes, or until mixture begins to foam.

• Add the flour, butter, yeasty water, and knead on medium-speed for 12 minutes.

• Cover dough with a warm damp cloth and place in a warm area of your house to rise for an hour, or until dough has doubled in size.

• Combine the shredded mozzarella cheese and parmesan in a small bowl. Place the bowl in the freezer until needed.

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

• Divide dough into 4 equal rounds.

• Roll each round out into a 16" rope.

• Roll each rope out so it's 4 inches wide.

• Remove cheese from freezer. Add 2 Tbsp of cheese filling evenly along the rope. Don’t overstuff because it will just explode the pretzel during baking.

• Tightly roll the dough back into rope, jelly roll style, pinching the edges together.

• Make a U shape with each rope of dough, holding the ends.

• Cross the ends over each other, pinching ends onto the bottom of the dough. Note: You do not have to make a pretzel shape. They will cook the same and taste the same if you make something like a knot. The idea is to give room for them to bake on the same pan and be easy to hold and eat.

• Add 6 cups water and the baking soda to a large pot and bring to a boil.

• Place pretzels one at a time into the boiling cooking liquid. Cook for just 30 seconds each, flipping after 15 seconds. Remove pretzels with a slotted spoon, allowing any excess water to drip back into the pot before transferring to prepared baking sheet.

• Once all pretzels have been boiled, brush the tops of each with egg wash.

• Place pan in the oven and bake for 16-18 minutes. They should be brown.

• Remove pan from oven, turn oven off, and allow pretzels to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before touching.

• If using the topping:
  

  • In a small bowl combine the cheese, rosemary, garlic powder, pepper, and salt.

  • Brush the top of each pretzel with melted butter, then sprinkle on topping.

• Serve warm with warm marinara sauce for dipping. They can be refrigerated and warmed up in a microwave, even frozen and last a long time in the freezer if sealed up well.