Step 1

Combine warm water, brown sugar, and yeast in a bowl, mix, and let sit for 5 minutes.

Step 2

To your brown sugar-water-yeast mixture, now add the butter, flour, salt, and beer, and mix in a stand mixer with a dough hook until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Form the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl.

Step 3

Roll the dough around in the bowl until all sides of the dough are oiled. Cover with a towel and let sit in a warm place for 1 hour, until dough has doubled in size.

Step 4

In the meantime, mix together the spinach artichoke dip.

Step 5

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Really, that’s it!

Step 6

Once the dough has doubled in size, cut it into 8 equal-sized pieces.

Step 7

Roll out each piece into a rope and roll it out flat with a rolling pin until they measure about 3” x 12”.

Step 8

Place the spinach artichoke dip along the center of each, for the entire length (except for about 1 inch on each end).  

Step 9

Roll up the dough to surround the dip, pinching the dough together tightly so no dip escapes. Lightly roll it into a rope and form a pretzel shape by turning each of the ends toward the middle. Gently pinch the ends of the dough to the center, so the ends stay in place.

Step 10

Preheat oven to 425?.

Step 11

On the stove, boil a pot of water. Once it has reached boiling, slowly add baking soda to the water a little bit at a time. Each time you add some baking soda, you’ll see the water fizz up (this is the reason to take it very slowly).  

Step 12

Once the baking soda is incorporated into the water, using a slotted spoon or strainer spoon, gently place each pretzel into the water and let boil for 30 seconds each, occasionally bathing the tops of the pretzels with the water.

Step 13

After boiling for 30 seconds each, lift each pretzel out of the water using the slotted spoon and place onto a baking sheet. Make an egg wash with 1 egg and a few drops of water, and whisk.

Step 14

Brush each pretzel with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt. 

Step 15

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Enjoy!