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Pretzel sandwich rolls are great as dinner rolls, hamburger buns or just a great snack.
Pretzel Sandwich Rolls
Have you ever grabbed these beauties from the supermarket bakery? I know I have since they don’t bake them often in my store.
However, skip the supermarket and the pricey price and make these pretzel rolls at home. They’re easy and they taste every bit as good as the store-bought kind.
They have a wonderful texture and taste plus they’re good keepers so they’ll last several days–if they last that long!
I find these rolls quite versatile. I’ve used them for sandwiches, hamburgers and even dinner rolls if the main course is something rustic.
Rolls That Need A Bath
Unlike most yeast rolls, these pretzel sandwich rolls require a bath before baking.
Just like when you make soft pretzels, the need to be bathed in a baking soda and water mixture. The baking soda is responsible for the dark brown color they become. Baking soda is a browning agent as well as a leavening in baked goods.
The boiling water bath is also responsible for the texture which is a lot like bagels. And if you’ve ever made bagels, you know you have to boil them before baking them.
It’s important not to work with too many rolls at one time in the soda bath. Limit yourself to three rolls at a time at the most.
Decorate
In order to get the nice slits you see in the pic–or the ones you see in the store–you’ll need a very sharp knife or better yet, a razor blade.
Of course it’s not totally necessary to make the slits or criss-crosses on the tops of the rolls, but they look so awesome if you do.
The action has to be quick and the blade has to be super sharp so the rolls don’t deflate so make sure you are very careful when you do this.
The Recipe
Pretzel Sandwich Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water about 105 F to 110 F
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tsp sugar
- 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour about 15 1/2 ounces, lightly spooned into cup
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Bath:
- 2 1/2 to 3 quarts water
- 1/4 cup baking soda
Instructions
- Combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let the mixture stand for about 15 minutes, or until slightly foamy.
- Stir in the olive oil, the 3 1/2 cups of flour, and the salt. Using the dough hook, knead on medium-low speed for about 10 minutes. The dough will be stiff, but add small amounts of water, about 1/2 teaspoon at a time, if necessary.
- Gather the dough up into a ball and place in a large oiled bowl. Turn the dough to coat thoroughly with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about an hour, or until doubled.
- Heat the oven to 400F/200C. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Fill a large, deep pan with the water . Stir in the baking soda. Bring to a boil.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface and flatten slightly. Cut into 6 uniform pieces. Form each piece into a smooth ball, sealing at the bottom by pinching. Place on prepared pan. Let rolls rest for 15 minutes
- Working with 3 rolls at a time, drop them into the boiling water/soda mixture. Boil 30 seconds one side then flip and boil 30 seconds on the other side. Remove with slotted spoon to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining rolls.
- Using a very sharp knife or razor blade, make 1/2-inch/1.25cm deep crosses on the top of the rolls.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until rolls are a deep brown color.
