I have this embarrassing salad bar practice. You’re going to think I’m silly (or else you’re going to leave me a comment saying, “I DO THAT EXACT SAME THING!” and make me feel a little better. No pressure.)
See, I’m a little shy about how much salad dressing I eat. I was never one of those mostly-veggies-with-a-spritz-of-lemon-juice salad people. I was (am!) one of those bacon-cheese-and-crouton salad people, where the dressing has to touch every leaf with its creamy goodness. But I can never quite shake the feeling that the person behind me at the salad bar is watching me pour my bleu cheese dressing with thinly veiled disgust, silently tabulating the calories I’m about to consume.
To deal with this uncomfortable situation, I developed a little pantomime routine in which I dump as much salad dressing as I want on my salad before giving a little gasp and jerking the bottle up as if to say, “Oops! Of COURSE I didn’t mean to pour that much salad dressing — it just came out so fast!” Then I snap up my salad and hastily head to my seat.
I’m sure the lemon-spritzers in line behind me think I’m disappointed that my salad got drenched and that I’m really only eating it because I hate to waste food . . . right?! Okay, maybe I’m not fooling anyone.
The truth is, while I eat reasonably all week, I go all out on the weekends. And I can eat a lot. Like, enough so that more than one waitress has been driven to exclaim over the amount I have consumed (they better be glad I don’t believe in docking tips). Like, enough that I can almost always out-eat any fully grown, healthy, hungry man around me.
In college, the impressive amount I could eat would become glaringly apparent in the dining hall, where most gals were ordering half a grapefruit for breakfast and my plate was overflowing with bacon and eggs. And a waffle. With, like, butter and syrup and stuff. This disparity produced lots of food embarrassment. For some reason, perhaps especially as a woman, I always feel like I should be, um, daintier or something.
Sometimes, though, a certain food compels me to stop caring about what other people are thinking. Recently, that food was Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Dogs. I first saw them in the Dallas airport on a layover. I was reserved, ordering only one along with a couple of other small snacks.
But my first bite of that buttery, yeasty pretzel wrapped around a juicy hot dog was a surreal experience — and I don’t think it was just the medicine I take for my flight anxiety. I was hooked. I talked about the pretzel dogs throughout my entire weekend trip, and when I found myself flying back home to Charlotte through Dallas, I was prepared.
As soon as we touched down, I hastily disembarked and headed straight for the nearest Auntie Anne’s. There, I immediately threw caution and food embarrassment to the wind, ordering 3 pretzel dogs and a big soft pretzel on the side to, um, balance out my meal. And cheese sauce. I was in pretzel dog heaven.
Clearly, the next step was to figure out how to make pretzel dogs at home in Charlotte. I found the following recipe and, while not perfect, it’s pretty darn close, not to mention pretty darn easy!
The baking soda solution I dipped my pretzels in didn’t seem strong enough to give them a nice deep brown color, so I tweaked it below. I also had a lot of fun with flavors. I made soft pretzels, pretzel dogs, cheddar pretzel dogs, and jalapeno pretzel dogs. And all bashfulness aside, over the course of a weekend, I ate almost every single one of them myself.
Do you ever feel any food embarrassment, or are you an unabashed eater?
Soft Pretzel Dogs
Recipe by: Adapted from CDKitchen
Yields: 8 pretzel dogs and 5-6 pretzels
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup bread flour
3 cups regular flour
2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons baking soda
3 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
8 Nathan’s all-beef hot dogs (do yourself a favor and don’t use anything but Nathan’s!)
Toppings:
cheddar cheese
jalapeno slices (wear gloves to handle, and don’t touch your eyes!)
coarse salt, to taste
4 tablespoons butter (melted)
Directions:
Place warm water in mixing bowl and sprinkle yeast in, stirring to dissolve. Add the sugar and salt and stir. Add the flour and mix until combined. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic (this took a few minutes on high speed with my KitchenAid mixer equipped with a dough hook). Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it. Place it in a warm area to rise at least 1/2 an hour.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. When dough’s almost finished rising, prepare a baking soda water bath. I used one that I don’t think was strong enough (from the original recipe) to brown the pretzels appropriately, so I’ve poked around and found a better one for you. Mix the warm water and baking soda and continue to whisk periodically as you work with your dough.
Once your dough is risen, spray cooking spray over a spot on your counter and turn the dough out onto it. Use a sprayed pizza cutter to slice off a strip of dough. Roll it, starting from the middle and working outward with greased hands, into a thin rope — the thinner you get it, the more like Auntie Anne’s pretzels it’ll be. I even gently picked it up and let gravity help me lengthen it every now and then. For inspiration, watch this awesome video from the folks at Auntie Anne’s on shaping, dipping, and baking pretzels.
Form your strand into a pretzel shape OR wrap it around a hot dog OR wrap it around a hot dog and strip of cheese OR wrap it around a hot dog with a strip of cheese and some jalapenos. When you wrap it around the hot dogs, just slightly overlap the dough so there aren’t many gaps. Now dip the pretzel into your soda solution and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter and serve immediately with hot mustard or Cheez Whiz (tastes just like Auntie Anne’s cheddar dip!) for dipping.
P.S. Don’t forget about the Cheesecake Challenge! Choose any one of 9 cheesecake recipes to prepare within the next month. Email a photo to me by 4/5/2011 to be featured on Willow Bird Baking! Get more details about the challenge here.
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86 Comments on Soft Pretzel Dogs (an homage to Auntie Anne’s Pretzels)
1Pingbacks & Trackbacks on Soft Pretzel Dogs (an homage to Auntie Anne’s Pretzels)
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Kristen
March 8, 2011 at 3:59 pm (14 years ago)You crack me up! Three cheers for the pretzel dog AND to massive amounts of salad dressing!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 8, 2011 at 4:00 pm (14 years ago)Hip hip HURRAY for salad dressing! 😀 Thanks, Kristen!
Meggie Wallace
March 8, 2011 at 4:05 pm (14 years ago)These look delicious!!!!!!!! I’ve never had anything from them (aside from samples) but yum! Will have to try these, for sure 🙂
I just tend to have my gorge days. It’s not usually only subject to weekends, but just 2 days (or more, depending on my mood) in general where I just gorge out on what I want, and can’t help it. Like the strawberry bread sitting in the kitchen right now….. It’s a compulsion!!!! Too darn delicious to pass by!
Mmmm bacon on a salad… .. TONS of dressing. That’s right, you speak my language. I’m no bunny rabbit
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 8, 2011 at 4:14 pm (14 years ago)YUM strawberry bread! That’d be difficult for me to resist as well!
Thanks, Meggie 🙂 Definitely swing by Auntie Annie’s. LOVE their pretzels.
atouchofrojo
March 8, 2011 at 4:05 pm (14 years ago)I’ve never made pretzels. Probably because I hate them. I don’t really hate them. I just highly dislike them. But when I go to Auntie Ann’s, I love the cinnamon raisin ones and love dipping them in cream cheese. So, seeing this recipe actually inspires me to make some of my own. But with a twist of course. Thanks for sharing. However, on to the previous comments you made about the salad buffet situation. We’re in the same boat, so don’t feel alone. I always feel like people are calculating my every move. Maybe it’s because I do the same to others. I mean c’mon, like you don’t stare at someone who’s put 10 lbs of cheese on their salad? I know I do. But I don’t want them judging me! I want to swirl 1,000 Island Dressing all over my salad with a touch of Balsamic Vinaigrette or French Dressing (sorry did that just turn your stomach?) and not have anyone say anything. But I feel that once I return to my seat, they serve their salad and sit and gossip about me to their friends. Or maybe that’s just me who does that?
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 8, 2011 at 4:15 pm (14 years ago)I’m not a huge fan of pretzels in general either, but something about the buttery yeastiness of Auntie Annie’s has me totally smitten!
Also, I’m TOTALLY inadvertently judging your 1,000 Island – Balsamic combo. HAHA, just kidding, just kidding! 😀
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 17, 2011 at 6:53 am (14 years ago)Yum — I got a cinnamon sugar pretzel and dipped it in cream cheese like you said. Delicious!!
mommajcooks
March 8, 2011 at 4:22 pm (14 years ago)Yum, yum, yum!
These look so delicious and fun…definitely going to make these with my kids!
Also, I’ll never forget a very good guy friend in high school telling me that one of the reasons he liked me so much was my huge appetite! I’ve never eaten “like a girl!” Haha!
Sadly, now, I have to watch what I eat and portions. It catches up with me now…aging stinks!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 8, 2011 at 4:34 pm (14 years ago)Nice! So much for eating like a girl! Psh! 🙂
terry
March 8, 2011 at 4:24 pm (14 years ago)I love to divide my salad dressing into 3 sections. one for blue cheese, one for ranch, and the other for russian. I don’t care who is watching, I pile it on and enjoy…when you get older you will realize that you only live once.
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 8, 2011 at 4:34 pm (14 years ago)HA, I love this comment, Terry! In part because it’s a great philosophy — and in part because you gave me new salad dressing ideas 😉
Kristina @ spabettie
March 8, 2011 at 4:42 pm (14 years ago)good LORD these look good. I so want to make them… I have been meaning to TRY pretzels with gluten free flour… Hmm…
oh my, that happens to me all the time, pouring too much dressing on my salad – it comes out SO fast!! 😉 yep. I love dressing, and I do feel like everyone is looking at me as I add… a lot. and if nobody sees me? I’ll still add more stuff on top to hide some of the dressing… more edamame and hard boiled egg… YUM.
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 8, 2011 at 4:45 pm (14 years ago)Ooh, the camouflage technique! I love it! Yes, more hard boiled egg, please!
Thanks, Kristina 🙂
Maggie
March 8, 2011 at 4:49 pm (14 years ago)I bet these are delicious, I love the kind wrapped in crescent rolls!
I can sympathize with you on the salad dressing thing. There used to be a salad place here in DC that would mix everything together for you, and would always ask if you wanted your dressing light, medium, or heavy. I’d say heavy, and then ask them to add even more.
I certainly don’t eat salads when I’m trying to eat healthy. Bring on the croutons!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 8, 2011 at 4:56 pm (14 years ago)Whenever I’m on a health food kick, I’ll think of salads and immediately reject them for this reason — ha!
Taylor
March 8, 2011 at 5:27 pm (14 years ago)These look delicious ! I think the cheddar pretzel dog is my favorite!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 8, 2011 at 6:01 pm (14 years ago)Thanks, Taylor!
Megan
March 8, 2011 at 5:42 pm (14 years ago)Oh, I always eat what I want. Bring on the bacon! I don’t go to salad bars very often, but at home I fluctuate between a healthy veggie-loaded salad and one with bacon, croutons, cheese, and creamy dressing. I feel ya!! The pretzel dogs look tasty!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 8, 2011 at 6:02 pm (14 years ago)Thanks, Megan! Evvvvery now and then I’ll go for a veggie-loaded, melon-on-the-side summer salad. But then I’m back to bacon 🙂
Kaitlin
March 8, 2011 at 6:35 pm (14 years ago)I’m not a huge salad dressing fan, but I can totally relate to your food anxiety. I can eat obscene amounts of food too, and I’ve also surprised the hell out of my fair share of waitresses (who do they think they are saying anything, anyway?). What makes me most uncomfortable is when I’m eating with my friends, family style, and consuming the same amount of food as them just isn’t enough for me. I hate digging in for seconds when no one else is… It sounds so silly to type it all out, but I guess that’s just how I feel!
On that note, kudos to you for going all out! Auntie Anne’s Pretzels are AMAZING. You could wrap their dough around a shoe and I’d still eat it 😀
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 8, 2011 at 7:00 pm (14 years ago)Oh, I know exactly what you mean! For some reason, I always seem to be hungrier than friends I’m with! And I think this entire post should be a lesson to all waitresses: NO comment is the best comment! Ha!
I agree, by the way, that an Auntie Annie’s Pretzel-wrapped shoe would be one tasty shoe 😉
Barbara Bakes
March 8, 2011 at 6:56 pm (14 years ago)I haven’t craved a hot dog in a long time, but I’m craving one now!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 8, 2011 at 7:01 pm (14 years ago)Thanks, Barbara! Those Nathan’s dogs are amazing!
R
March 8, 2011 at 7:16 pm (14 years ago)Oh I’m exactly the same!! I have an uber appetite that can match any man’s appetite, and I sometimes feel a bit self-conscious about it. Especially when around friends that eat like birds (and one of these friend’s is male). But I suppose that comes with enjoying food – so long as we don’t go overboard with ourselves.
I don’t really remember what food makes me lose my self-consciousness (perhaps a moist chocolate cake, or a brownie?), but I definitely believe that being around certain types of people helps with it. When around people that equally enjoy food, one always feels much more comfortable.
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 8, 2011 at 7:22 pm (14 years ago)That’s true, R! There are those certain friends that love to pig out right along with you, and no one pays much attention to how much anyone’s eating! Love that!
Em
March 8, 2011 at 7:56 pm (14 years ago)I’m so glad I’m not the only female who can out-eat the males around her! My cousin recently said that the only problem with being in a same-sex relationship is that she no longer has a male to ‘hoover up’ the leftovers from a meal, and I was a bit shocked that she thought that was the male’s job (Isn’t it just whoever is hungry? ARE WE EVEN RELATED?)
I remember on year 11 camp, it was an 8-day intensive of hiking and canoeing, and I was the only girl who ever ate seconds. The boys would always give me first pick of the leftovers because they were so impressed. One of the days, a girl just didn’t eat dinner because it was roast and she didn’t like roast or roast vegetables. Um…? It was food! I was all over that!
That being said, don’t understand your salad dressing love. But I respect it.
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 8, 2011 at 8:07 pm (14 years ago)LOL @ “ARE WE EVEN RELATED?” And I agree about food — any food! Can’t believe someone would pass up an entire dinner because she didn’t like it. To each his own, but it’s not how I roll!
You know, I don’t think I really love salad dressing so much as I love the effect that LOTS of it has on a salad stuffed with other goodies. Ha 🙂
Joanne
March 8, 2011 at 8:57 pm (14 years ago)Aww you are so cute! Although if I ever see anyone do that with salad dressing at the next salad bar I frequent, I’m totally going to look at them skeptically.
I would have probably gotten four pretzel dogs. At least. And when I make them…I might eat a whole batch. We’ll see.
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 9, 2011 at 12:22 am (14 years ago)Ha, I’ve made you a salad bar skeptic! I love it! 🙂
Yuleidy
March 8, 2011 at 10:51 pm (14 years ago)I am a ranch dressing addict, so I completely understand how you feel. I eat it with almost anything including pizza. The only difference is there is no shame in my game 🙂
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 9, 2011 at 12:23 am (14 years ago)Yesss, no shame! I remember EVERYone in middle school dipped pizza and fries in ranch dressing for lunch. Ha!
Lauren at Keep It Sweet
March 9, 2011 at 7:21 am (14 years ago)You are so funny! Those people behind you in line are probably just jealous because your salad will taste so much better! One of my pet-peeves is when waiters comment on how much you eat. It never makes anyone feel good about their eating so just keep your mouth shut!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 9, 2011 at 3:37 pm (14 years ago)Agree! Waitresses, PLEASE take note!!
Andrea@Thin Thighs & Sweet Potato Fries
March 9, 2011 at 9:32 am (14 years ago)YUUUMMMM!!! I love soft pretzels! I’m not even much of a hot dog eater, but these little pretzel dogs sound genius! I wonder if I can find a way to healthify this! *wheels turning* 😉
I have always been a pretty shameless eater, but I will say that since becoming interested in health and nutrition, I do sometimes feel that when eating with family members or friends, they are paying much more attention to what’s on my plate than in the past (maybe it’s in my head?) so while I genuinely love eating foods that are good for my body, this has also caused me to feel an extra sense of responsibility to practice what I preach, thereby not always eating as much (or as shamelessly) as I would sometimes like!
P.S. Your cheesecake challenge definitely has me wanting to do some shameless eating! 😉
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 9, 2011 at 4:21 pm (14 years ago)Oh I know you could! I see turkey dogs entering the picture 🙂
You make a good point that it’s a double edged sword. Whether people are taking notice because you’re eating a ton or taking notice because they know you’re a healthy eater, it FEELS like there’s a lot of “taking notice” going on 😀 Maybe we should all promise to stop looking at other people’s plates. HA.
Sara
March 9, 2011 at 2:08 pm (14 years ago)Those pretzels look delicious, they make me think back to when my mom used to that with some sort of Pillsbury goodness and now I totally want to make my own pretzels and pretzel dogs.
Also I think shame (or maybe just having to share) makes me hungrier, while I’m at home my eating habits vary, but when I’m eating out if I get my own stuff I inevitably have to get a doggie bag but if I eat at a buffet or share with friends I tend to go MOAR and try to pretend I wasn’t eyeing anybody else’s plate. I’m pretty sure nobody actually cares but I feel judged.
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 9, 2011 at 2:10 pm (14 years ago)I know, I know! Am I just paranoid?! Or are people looking at me?! 😉
Thanks, Sara!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking
March 9, 2011 at 2:09 pm (14 years ago)Julie, these look delicious! What a fun spring/summer treat. I’ll have to try these sometime! Thanks for sharing.
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 9, 2011 at 2:11 pm (14 years ago)Thanks, Georgia!
Diane
March 9, 2011 at 2:51 pm (14 years ago)I LOVE Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Dogs. I had my first one this past summer at the Perimeter Mall in Atlanta and I was in HEAVEN.
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 9, 2011 at 3:13 pm (14 years ago)I know just what you mean, Diane! I wasn’t expecting them to be as awesome as they were!
Allison
March 9, 2011 at 6:50 pm (14 years ago)Oh my god, those pretzel dogs look AMAZING.
I have absolutely ZERO salad bar shame. I pile on the cheddar cheese and croutons with my ranch dressing. If I want to eat a salad, it’s going to be delicious!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 9, 2011 at 7:38 pm (14 years ago)Amen! Thanks, Allison 🙂
Jennifer
March 9, 2011 at 7:37 pm (14 years ago)The Auntie Annie’s pretzel dogs ROCK. You HAVE to try a plain one with the sweet mustard dip sometime. I have one every dang time I go to the mall…. and I seem to be there a lot lately….. coincidence??? Probably not…
And I don’t care who’s lookin…. I NEED dressing on at least 97.854% of the components of my salad. Just cuz.
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 9, 2011 at 7:38 pm (14 years ago)AGREE. I think that’s my EXACT percentage, too! Salad twins 😀
You’re right — I have to try the plain pretzel with the mustard dip! I’m afraid to branch out (plain with cheese is my thang, or the recently discovered pretzel dogs) for fear of missing out on my faves. But I just have to do it!
Jennifer
March 9, 2011 at 7:59 pm (14 years ago)No, not plain pretzel… plain pretzel DOG with sweet mustard…. I was not very clear about that.
It’s my favorite combo!!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 9, 2011 at 8:00 pm (14 years ago)Oh I gotcha! I’m schedule to head to the mall this coming Friday, so I’ll have to run by Auntie Annie’s!!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 17, 2011 at 6:52 am (14 years ago)I tried it, Jennifer — you’re right! That sweet mustard dipping sauce is perfect for the pretzel dogs! Yum! Thanks for the recommendation.
Brandi
March 9, 2011 at 11:56 pm (14 years ago)I only put a teensy-tiny but of salad dressing, but only because I don’t particularly like it all that much.
Cookies are my primary “all-you-can-eat” food. If I make a couple of batches, I usually have to give them away right away, otherwise ALL the cookies are gone (to my belly) in a day or two. *blush*
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 10, 2011 at 12:07 am (14 years ago)Mmm, cookies! I know what you mean. They’re so small and pop-in-your-mouthable, too!
Rick
March 10, 2011 at 12:10 am (14 years ago)Julie,
These look great, especially the jalapeño dogs. As for salad bars, I figure you are paying for it and you can fix your salad any way you’d like. Same goes for how much one eats. Why do some restaurants advertise all you can eat and then are really slow in bringing more food to the table. I hate that.
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 10, 2011 at 12:11 am (14 years ago)Thank you!! Oh, I’m with you on the all you can eat thing! I figure they hope you’ll fill up 🙂
Amanda
March 10, 2011 at 11:10 am (14 years ago)Oh yes, constant food embarrassment especially since I’m short, which equates in people’s minds with eating like a bird. Screw that, when I’m hungry, I’m hungry and I’ll eat until I’m satisfied.
I’m more of a lemon spritzer then a dressing glopper, but my lemon spritzed salad usually breaks the “don’t eat anything bigger than your head” rule. Mmm, veggies.
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 10, 2011 at 11:14 am (14 years ago)HA, oh no, that’s a rule?! I think I break that all the time. Eep. 🙂
Whitney
March 10, 2011 at 2:48 pm (14 years ago)I’m just so glad to hear someone else takes flight medication! I have to confess that I’ve never had an Auntie Annie’s (one in the CLT airport?), but I love all things bread and hot dogs, so I’m definitely making these!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 10, 2011 at 2:52 pm (14 years ago)Oh, man, I am a MESS on an airplane without it. A MESS, I tell you. And even with it if the dose isn’t high enough. Eep.
I’m not sure if there’s an Auntie Annie’s in the CLT airport (something I NEED to find out before my next flight), but there’s one at Northlake Mall, Concord Mills, and probably a few others! You must try them!
Betty @ scrambled hen fruit
March 11, 2011 at 1:59 am (14 years ago)Okay, now you’ve got me wanting one of those pretzel dogs…I guess it’s the mall for me this weekend. (Or I could always make them myself and then have a really good excuse to eat way more of them than I should.) When I was younger I could eat pretty much anything I wanted without any ill effects. Ever since I passed the big five-oh though, the pounds pack on too easily for me to eat whatever I want. I do still indulge on occasion though. 🙂
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 11, 2011 at 8:07 am (14 years ago)I think I’m going to the mall today for just this reason, Betty 😀
Q
March 11, 2011 at 8:39 pm (14 years ago)you realize it’s auntie annes.. not annies… right?
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 11, 2011 at 10:35 pm (14 years ago)Funny story — just an hour or so ago, I went there again and as I was clamoring on about “Auntie Annie’s,” my friend was like, “I think it’s Auntie Anne’s.” haha!
Changed it 🙂
Maranda
March 12, 2011 at 1:18 pm (14 years ago)Yum, yum, YUM!!! I usually get the soft pretzel bites with nacho cheese. SO good! I’ve never tried the pretzel dogs though. I’ll have to next time. I wish we could go together. I would order 3 dogs an pretzel bites with cheese and you would understand. The Hubble usually makes me share the pretzel bites with him and he thinks that’s enough. Silly boy!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 15, 2011 at 6:09 am (14 years ago)Amen. I can’t wait to try those pretzel bites!
Rachel
March 15, 2011 at 1:39 am (14 years ago)Fact: when I was a kid, I’d eat croutons in ranch dressing. Like, as a meal from the salad bar. Obviously. So no judgment here! 🙂
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 15, 2011 at 6:09 am (14 years ago)I love it! Only the good stuff . . . 🙂
Hayley
March 19, 2011 at 12:29 am (14 years ago)This post made me LOL! While I don’t even bother to look embarrassed at the amount of salad dressing I put on my salad (enough to prompt my husband to ask “Would you like salad with your dressing?”), I also feel like perhaps I should be daintier when it comes to my food intake.
Perhaps I shouldn’t be reaching for a 5th slice of pizza when the rest of my table-mates are groaning about how FULL they are after eating just three. But dammit, I’m at the gym (almost) every day, and I eat (mostly) well ALL WEEK! I shouldn’t HAVE to feel bad. Weekends are my happiest food times, and I’m so glad that I’m apparently not the only one 🙂
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 19, 2011 at 12:33 am (14 years ago)AMEN! 🙂 I definitely ate 5 slices of pizza the other day, so I’m feelin’ ya! We’re good most of the time, and who’s to say we shouldn’t be able to splurge a little sometimes?
M
March 24, 2011 at 10:59 am (14 years ago)Just made these – SO good! I got twelve pretzel dogs and four medium size pretzels out of my dough…don’t think they’re going to last long!
I dipped mine in an egg wash after the baking soda so that gave it a slightly more even colouring than the ones in the photo. I made plain and ate them with a bowlful of cheese sauce…don’t know if that’s better or worse than a bowl of salad dressing!
Thanks for the recipe – will definitely be making these again.
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 24, 2011 at 11:04 am (14 years ago)Hurray! I’m so glad you’re enjoying them. I love them so much — wish I had some more.
Great idea with the egg wash — must try that next time. Thanks!
Monica H
March 28, 2011 at 11:13 pm (14 years ago)This totally remind me that I have a box of Auntie Anne’s pretzel mix in my pantry. score! Yes they totally sell the mix so you can make them at home. Oh and I love pretzel dogs too although when I go there I get suckered in to the cinnamon sugar ones. yum!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
March 28, 2011 at 11:14 pm (14 years ago)I’ve seen the mix!! I need to buy some! Yum!
Julia
April 13, 2011 at 3:03 pm (14 years ago)I found your blog today, and I love your different recipes! When I stumbled upon this one I knew I had to let you know about the most wonderful pretzel dogs I have EVER had.
If you are ever in the Annapolis, MD area you HAVE to stop by the Amish Market. They are open thurs, fri, and sat, and they make the absolute best pretzel dog I have ever eaten. When I went to school in massachusetts I dreamed about these pretzel dogs, it is that serious. You would absolutely fall in love. Look, I can’t even stop talking about them.
Thanks for your fun recipes!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
April 13, 2011 at 3:06 pm (14 years ago)Oh my goodness! How crazy is it that I’m considering a road trip . . . ?!
Kristina BUrkey
February 3, 2012 at 3:57 pm (13 years ago)Hello!
Do you bake the pretzels AND pretzel dogs for the 7-10 mins? cook hot dog first?? I want to make on Valentine’s Day!
Thanks!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
February 3, 2012 at 4:01 pm (13 years ago)Hi Kristina! What a fun Valentine’s Day treat! Bake both for the same amount of time — hot dogs are fully cooked, so they just need to get heated through — so don’t cook them first 🙂
Kristina Burkey
February 9, 2012 at 1:25 pm (13 years ago)Thank you!! I will report back 🙂
rissie
February 5, 2012 at 1:49 pm (13 years ago)My husband doesn’t even like pretzels, and he loved these pretzel dogs! I did boil the hot dogs first t to get some of the sodium and fat out-he’s got to watch his salt intake. But they were delicious! even he said this recipe is a”keeper”! Thank you for sharing it!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
February 5, 2012 at 11:48 pm (13 years ago)Hooray! I’m so glad you all enjoyed them, Rissie!!
Kristina Burkey
February 10, 2012 at 1:09 pm (13 years ago)Ok me again….did you dip pretzel and hot dog into baking soda bath?? Together? Sorry for the dumb questions… I don’t cook at ALL so things that are obvious to cooks are not obvious to me. Thanks for the help!!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
February 10, 2012 at 1:19 pm (13 years ago)No, please ask away!! I did dip it once it was rolled, but I tried to mostly get the pretzel part soaked if that makes sense 🙂
Kristina Burkey
February 14, 2012 at 1:43 am (13 years ago)ok just ONE more question…the measurement of water at the top of the recipe is for the dough, and the one further down is for the baking soda bath, right?
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
February 14, 2012 at 1:47 am (13 years ago)Correct! 🙂
Kristina Burkey
February 17, 2012 at 1:04 pm (13 years ago)SUCCESS!! I was rushed so I would make a couple corrections (to myself) for next time but they were great! My husband was totally surprised and loved them! Thanks for the help!!!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
February 17, 2012 at 1:11 pm (13 years ago)HOORAY!!! I’m so glad to hear it! Congratulations! 😀
Pam
July 4, 2013 at 2:16 am (11 years ago)Looking at this due to your LJ post as I’ve got some veggie dogs in my fridge. Wondering if a barley malt bath would work better for the pretzels that the baking soda (that’s what one uses for bagels at least). Might take away that faint metallic taste, too.
Patricia
March 16, 2015 at 12:56 pm (10 years ago)If I am not mistaken, you forgot to include instructions on adding the 3T of softened butter.