Bring a bit of Ireland into your home!  The Best Soft Guinness Stout Pretzels – Irish Beer and Pretzels combined into one!  It doesn’t get much better than this!  I was motivated to find a special treat to serve on St. Patrick’s Day. Soon after I served them to the family, they were GONE! I guess that proves that these babies are YUMMY! Easy to make, these pretzels were a breeze to throw together. Enjoy, and Sláinte!

Here’s what you need:

1. 1 tall can of Guinness Stout
2. 4- 4 1/2 cups of plus a little extra for dusting
3. 1/4 oz active dry yeast
4. 3 tablespoons of butter, melted
5. 2 tablespoons of
6. 1 tablespoon of
7. 2 1/2 quarts of water
8. 2/3 cup

For the coating

1. 1 egg
2. 1 tablespoon of water
3. Coarse

Here’s what you do:

1. In a pot, heat the Guinness but do not boil it.  Allow the Guinness to cool (110-115°F).
2. Add the yeast to the beer, and stir until it is dissolved.
3. Add together 3 cups of flour, butter, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl.  Then add the beer/yeast mixture to the bowl and mix for until smooth.  Add more flour until the dough becomes slightly firm, but sticky.
4. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5 minutes.
5. Allow the dough to rise in a greased bowl, located in a warm place, for about an hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 425°F.  Divide the dough into 6-8 pieces.  Roll each piece into a 20-24″ log on a floured surface.
7. Bend each end of the log to form 2 circles, overlapping the circles, to create the shape of the pretzel.
8. Boil 2 1/2 quarts of water with 2/3 of a cup of baking soda in it.  Drop the pretzels in, and boil them for about 30 seconds.  They will float.
9. Remove the pretzel from the water, and place on a cookie sheet.
10. Brush the pretzels with a mixture of 1 beaten egg and 1 tablespoon water.  Add the coarse salt to the top.
11. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown.  Allow to cool and ENJOY!  Serve with a spicy brown or dijon mustard if desired!

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