Inspiration and base recipe from Smitten Kitchen…with a few little tweaks. We weren’t sure how these would turn out….but the verdict was that they are awesome. There are only 2 left on the plate!

Ingredients (note: one adaptation was to halve the original recipe)

Makes 20 mini soft pretzels

• 1 Cup warm water (100-110 degrees)
• 2 Tablespoons quick yeast (the kind you use with bread machines–this is an adaptation in amount–doubled it to make the rise quicker) and ingredient–she called for active dry yeast)
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 2 1/2 Cups pastry flour
• 1 T baking soda
• 1/2 jalapeno chopped finely (use more if you want it spicier)
• 

The method

1) Combine the water, yeast and sugar. Whisk and set aside for 10 minutes. It will froth and rise.

2) Add the flour to the yeast. Mix well. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside. (anywhere from 1/2 hour to 1 hour). It will double or triple.

3) While it is rising, line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray. (this saves you from scrubbing the pan later).

4) Punch down the dough (to get rid of bubbles). Mix in the jalapenos.

5) Pinch off pieces of dough to make a long thin rope. Sprinkle flour over the top  of the dough as needed. (my dough was sticky).

6) Place the rope of dough on a cookie sheet. Make a  twisted heart shape(a pretzel shape)…repeat.

7) Heat up a large saucepan with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium. Add 1 Tablespoon salt and 1 Tablespoon of baking soda. be careful. (the water level rises quickly)

8) Add 3-4 pretzels into the saucepan. Poach about 1 min on each side. Remove and place on a cookie sheet.

9) Preheat an oven to 450. Place cookie sheets in the oven and bake til golden brown. (15 mins).

Serve with honey mustard and any other sauce you wish.