Your Daily Dish: Hot Dog Buns

Take a bigger bite out of life! Every day is a holiday with BiteMeMore.com.

Hot diggity! We know this is a day honouring our 4-legged friends (we will be doling out extra treats) but thought we’d enjoy a treat of our own…these easy, homemade hot-dog-hugging soft pretzel buns. They’re perfect with cheese dogs, chili dogs, Dagwood dogs, steamed dogs, roller dogs, foot long dogs…

Ingredients

1 ½ cups warm water
1 tbsp sugar
1 package dry active yeast (not rapid-rise)
2 tbsp melted butter
4 cups flour
1 tsp kosher salt

16 cups water
½ cup baking soda

1 egg, lightly beaten
Coarse salt (one size larger than kosher salt)

Directions

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine warm water and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let stand 5-10 minutes, until the yeast becomes frothy. Add the melted butter, flour and salt. Mix on low speed until well combined. Increase the speed to medium for 5 minutes, until the dough becomes pliable. Remove dough from the bowl and place in a large greased mixing bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, approximately 45 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a bowl. Divide dough into 8 pieces and roll each piece into a 7-inch log. Cover logs with a cloth for 10 minutes to rest the dough.
3. Using a large pot, over medium heat, bring 16 cups of water to a boil. Add baking soda. Gently add 2 logs to the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds. Using a flat slotted spoon, remove from water and place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining logs. Cut 3 shallow diagonal slits on the top of each pretzel roll. Brush the tops of each roll with egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake 12 minutes, until golden brown. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve same day.

Yield: 8 buns

Bark up the right tree with this easy, adorable and tail-wagging Puppy Party.

Whether it’s cruising the aisles at the Dollar Store or experimenting at the stove, we believe that every day can be a holiday.