These were pretty easy to make and holy cow they are delish! They have some spice to them but you could substitute the pepper jack cheese for just jack cheese and leave out the cayenne if your not a spice fan. Also, the day after I make these if I have left overs, I slice them and make them into turkey sandwiches. Yum.
Pepper Jack Pretzels
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 Tblsp active dry yeast (2 packets)
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup for rolling out
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 Tblsp sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
3/4 cup grated dry jack cheese (or manchego)
2 large eggs
3 cups grated pepper jack cheese
2 Tblsp milk
2 tsp dehydrated onion flakes
2 tsp kosher salt
Preheat oven to 425. Cover 2 large baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
In a 2 cup glass measuring cup, combine the warm water and yeast. Stir and let sit 10 minutes, until it foams. (I always add a tsp of sugar to help it activate).
In a food processor fitted with the plastic dough blade, pulse the flour, sea salt, sugar, cayenne, granulated garlic, and 1/2 cup of the dry jack cheese for three 5 second intervals. (I don't have a processor so I just mixed it by hand.) Add 1 egg and the yeast mixture. Pulse for three 10 second intervals, or until the dough comes together.
Turn the dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead 10-12 times, adding more flour if sticky. cut the dough in half and set half aside.
Use a rolling pin to roll out 1 dough ball into a 12 by 17inch rectangle, about 1/8inch thick. Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the pepper jack in a stip down the middle (the short way). Fold one third of the dough over the cheese and sprinkle with another 3/4 cup of the pepper jack. Fold the last third over and pinch the edges of the dough closed. Roll the dough into an 11 by 15inch rectangle. Cut the dough into nine or ten 1 1/2 by 15 inch strips. They do not have to be perfect don't worry.
Pinch the cut edges of the strips together. Roll each strip into a cigar shape, 18 inches in length. Form each strip into a pretzel shape and place the pretzels 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.
Repeat with the second ball of dough.
Beat the remaining egg with the milk. Brush the formed pretzels with the egg wash and then sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/4 cup dry jack, the onion flakes and the kosher salt.
Bake for 16-18 minutes, until nicely browned.
Let cool and serve warm or room temperature. Store at room temp, lightly covered. EnJOY!
