Pretzel Hot Dog Buns (Laugenstangen)

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5 from 1 vote

Pretzel Hot Dog Buns (Laugenstangen)

Make pretzel hot dog buns, aka Laugenstangen in Germany, at home with a few staple ingredients. No lye required!

Prep Time13

Cook Time17

Resting Time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American, German

Servings: servings

Calories: 421kcal

Author: Caro Jensen

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups milk lukewarm
7 g instant yeast
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter unsalted, softened, cubed

Water Bath

4 cups water
3 tbsp baking soda

Topping

2 tbsp sesame seeds white

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer or a large spoon, combine all ingredients, and knead the dough until you have a homogenous dough ball (3-5 minutes).
1 1/4 cups milk, 7 g instant yeast, 4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp salt, 1/4 cup butter
Place the dough into a large clean bowl and cover it with a damp tea towel, plate, or plastic wrap. Let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. It will significantly increase in size.
Preheat the oven to 400F (200C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Form 8 hot dog buns and add them to the baking tray. Rest them for another 30 minutes.
To make the baking soda water, bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the baking soda one tablespoon at a time (Note 1) and bring it to a boil again. Reduce to a simmer and add the hot dog buns to a ladle one by one. Boil them in the baking soda water for 30 seconds each, turning them halfway. They will float at the top. Transfer them back to a lined baking tray.
3 tbsp baking soda, 4 cups water
Add your topping of choice. I add sesame seeds but coarse salt is a common choice as well. Score them three times along the top at a 45 degree angle with a sharp knife.
2 tbsp sesame seeds
Bake the hot dog buns for 17 minutes until they've reached the dark brown pretzel color. Remove them from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack if you have one. Serve with a generous lashing of butter while warm (Note 2).

Notes

Note 1: Be careful when adding the baking soda to the boiling water as it initially will bubble up. Add 1 tablespoon at a time.

Note 2: Pretzel hot dog buns are best enjoyed warm and I recommend eating them within a day as they easily get stale.

Storage: You can bake the pretzel buns ahead of time. Just store them in a bread basket or plastic bag once cooled to prevent them from getting stale. Reheat them briefly in the oven or under a grill. For longer storage, freeze these pretzel rolls unbaked (after the baking soda bath) or baked for up to 3 months in a freezer-proof container.

Nutrition