Gluten Free Soft Pretzels

If you want thick pretzel sticks, just cut your dough into the pretzel rods that you wand instead of forming the pretzel shape.

Ingredients

• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 
1-1/2 cups hot water
• 
1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 
Dash salt
• 
2 cups brown rice flour
• 1 cup tapioca starch
• 
1 cup potato starch
• 4 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 
1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 
1 cup vegan butter, melted (Earth Balance)
• 3 tablespoons sea salt or kosher salt
• Vegetable oil
• Waxed or parchment paper

1. In a large bowl, mix together the yeast, hot water, brown sugar and the dash of salt. Allow the mixture to rest for about five minutes.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch and xanthan gum. Add half of this mixture into the yeast mixture.
3. Using an electric mixer on a low speed, blend all the ingredients together until mixed. Combine the remaining flour mixture. Blend until combined, but try not to over mix.
4. Use the vegetable oil to lightly coat a bowl. Transfer the dough to the coated bowl and rub a bit of oil all around the dough. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for about an hour.
5. Preheat your oven to 550ºF.
6. In a small, shallow bowl, mix the baking soda with 1/2 cup of warm water.
7. Divide the dough into eight equal pieces and lay out a sheet of waxed or parchment paper. Use your hands to roll each piece of dough into a rope. The dough will be fragile. If it falls apart, gently piece it back together.
8. Shape the rope into a pretzel. If the dough of the pretzel feels dry, use a few drops of the water/baking soda mixture to moisten it.
9. Gently dip each pretzel into the water/baking soda mixture; then place them on a lightly coated baking sheet.
10. Bake for about seven minutes until the pretzels are lightly tanned (not brown).
11. Use a pastry brush to gently brush the butter on each pretzel. Sprinkle with the salt and serve immediately.

Want cinnamon-sugar pretzels?! When the pretzels come out of the oven, coat with a generous helping of cinnamon-sugar!