Buttered Pretzels

Dough Ingredients: 

Water Bath:

Topping:

1. Combine all dough ingredients in mixer. Mix until well-combined
2. Knead the dough for 5 to 8 minutes 
3. Put the dough in a lightly-greased, covered bowl and let rise for 30 minutes 
   
   
4. Combine the boiling water and baking soda. Mix until dissolved.
5. let cool to lukewarm or cooler. Pour into a 9" square pan (or similar vessel) 
   
   
6. Divide the dough into 8 pieces (I might try bigger pieces next time. Maybe 4 or 6)
7. Let rest on a greased work surface for 5 minutes
   
   
8. Roll the dough into long ropes (~30 inches long) and twist into a pretzel 
9. Place 4 pretzels at a time into the cooled water mixture. Spoon some water over the top and let sit for two minutes
10. Prepare baking sheet by covering with parchment paper or lightly greasing
11.  Transfer soaked pretzels to baking sheet
    
    
12. Sprinkle pretzels with salt
13. Bake for 8-9 minutes at 475F
    
    
14. Remove pretzels from oven and brush with butter (it will seem like a lot, just keep going until the butter is gone)
15. Let pretzels rest a few minutes to absorb the butter