Soft Pretzels with Chipotle Cheese Dip

These are better than Auntie Anns Pretzels, just sayin.

Pretzel Ingredients:

3 cups bread flour

1 tbs brown sugar

1 tbs Land O Lakes unsalted butter (melted and cooled)

1 package Active Dry Yeast

1 1/4 cup warm water

1 tsp salt

1 egg(for egg wash)

9 cups water

1/4 cup baking soda

1/4 cup Mortons course sea salt

Chipotle Cheese Dip Ingredients:

2 tbs butter

1 tbs flour

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili powder

1 tbs chipotle peppers in adobe sauce (you will find this in the latin food aisle of any grocery store, next to the canned jalapeños)

1 1/2 cup whole milk (warmed)

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (shred your own from a block of cheese, the pre shredded has a chemical on it that helps it last longer and makes the cheese dip a weird texture)

Directions:

Combine yeast, and warm water to a mixing bowl, let sit for 1 min.

Stir in the brown sugar, butter and salt. Add the dough hook attachment to your kitchenmaid mixer and secure the bowl with the yeast mixture in place. Slowly start pouring the the flour. 1/2 a cup at a time as the dough hook is turning. After all cups of flour have been poured in touch the dough, if it is still sticky, add in another 1/2 cup of flour. Mix well with the dough hook. remove dough from bowl. Knead on floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Cover; let rest on floured surface 10 minutes. 

While the dough is rising, you will need to start boiling your 9 cups of water and baking soda.

Using a knife or pizza cutter, divide into 8 equal sized pieces. Roll each piece to 20-inch rope. Cover and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes until risen slightly. To shape into pretzels: Curve ends of each rope to make a circle; cross ends at top. Twist ends once and lay over bottom of circle.

Once your baking soda and water is boiling, place each pretzel into the water, one at a time. Let boil in water for 20-30 seconds. No more or it will start tasting metallic.

Place each pretzel after boiling on a silicon baking mat on a baking sheet. I have tried parchment paper, and even greased parchment paper and every time it sticks! The silicon mat is your best bet for no sticking.

Brush with beaten eggs then bake at 400°F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven; brush again with eggs. Sprinkle with salt, cheese, poppy seed, or sesame seed. 

Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes or until done. Remove pretzels from baking sheets; let cool on wire racks.

Cheese dip directions:

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Once melted, sprinkle with flour and make a paste. Pour in warm milk and whisk until there are no more lumps. It should start to get thick, you will need to reduce the heat to low. Add in the shredded cheese, garlic powder, chili powder and 1 tbs of adobe sauce (the sauce the the peppers are in) and 1 of the chipotle peppers (diced fine) Stir well and completely mixed. Pour cheese sauce into a small bowl and dunk your salty pretzel in this amazing cheese dip!