Amazing Soft Pretzels

These taste like Auntie Anne's pretzels!!! I found the recipe on allrecipes.com and then tweaked it according to reviews and our preferences. I actually made the dough in my breadmaker (directions below) as I was out yesterday afternoon and wanted the dough ready when I came home.

The original recipe & instructions are HERE if you aren't making them in a breadmaker, but still reduce flour to 4 cups!
Soft Pretzels

In a bowl, combine these and let sit approx 10 minutes until foamy.
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar (I used Sucanat)
1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

Combine the following dry ingredients in a separate bowl:
5 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1/2 whole wheat & 1/2 unbleached white)
1/2 cup white sugar (I used Sucanat)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Pour yeast mixture and vegetable oil into breadmaker; then add the dry ingredients. Set on dough cycle (1 1/2 hours) and let run full cycle. You may need to let it sit another hour or two until dough doubles in size.

Remove dough & shape into pretzels (or pretzel sticks as I chose to do) while waiting for water to boil. When water boils, add baking soda and then dunk each pretzel in this solution and place on greased baking sheet. Top with salt or cinnamon/sugar or garlic...whatever you choose. ;o)

1/2 cup baking soda
4 cups hot water

Bake at 400*F for 8 minutes (possibly a minute or two longer, but check bottoms of pretzels as they burn easily). You can brush baked pretzels with melted butter.

These freeze well (as I read from other reviews) but I haven't had the chance to freeze them yet since our family of 5 devoured all but one pretzel stick last night! :o)