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1
Combine water, sugar, yeast, and butter in a stand mixer with the dough hook.
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2
It may seem odd but this way you only use the dough hook the entire time.
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3
Let it sit for 5 minutes to let the yeast bloom.
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4
While the yeast blooms, oil a medium sized bowl with a bit of vegetable oil and set aside.
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5
Add salt and flour into the yeast mixture and combine at low speed until incorporated.
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6
Increase speed to medium to continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl (about 3-5 minutes).
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7
If the dough still looks too wet, add a tablespoon of flour at at time.
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8
Remove dough from the bowl and knead into a ball on a floured surface.
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9
Put the dough ball into the oiled bowl and pat some oil on top of the ball.
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10
Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for about an hour until the dough doubles in size.
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11
Preheat oven to 425 F. Oil baking sheets.
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12
Bring the quarts of water to a boil in a large pan or pot (you dont need it deep, you need it wide) and add the baking soda.
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13
Be careful here!
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14
Hot water plus baking soda equals lots and lots of hot bubbly action.
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15
Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a floured surface.
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16
Divide into 8 pieces and roll each piece into a long skinny rope about 22 inches long.
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17
At this point, you can chill it after dividing it into 8 pieces, to allow for easier rolling.
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18
Cut the ropes into 1 long bites (or how ever big you want themnote that they will puff up).
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19
Boil the bites in the baking soda bath for about 30 seconds.
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20
Make sure you dont crowd them in the pot or they will stick together.
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21
They puff up in the baking soda solution.
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22
Remove bites with a slotted spoon and let them dry out a little bit before placing them on the oiled baking sheets.
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23
Make sure they do not touch.
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24
Repeat cooking the rest of the bites.
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25
Combine egg and water in a small bowl.
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26
Brush the bites with the egg wash and sprinkle liberally with salt.
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27
Bake for about 10-12 minutes.
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28
The source says 15-18, but ours were on the burnt side of toasty at the 15-minute mark.
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29
Keep an eye on them and pull them out if you think theyre getting too brown.
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30
Make the cheese sauce while the bites cool.
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31
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
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32
Stir in flour and cook for a minute.
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33
Slowly stir in milk and let it warm until slightly thickened.
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34
(Our milk mixture didnt thicken but we let it go until it simmered.)
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35
Remove from heat and mix in the cheese until the sauce is smooth and the cheese is all melted.
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36
Season with salt and pepper to taste if desired.
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37
Serve warm mini pretzel bites and cheese sauce!
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38
Source: Two Peas and their Pod.
