Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and grease with a bit of butter.

2. In a medium bowl for the stand mixer, whisk the yeast into warm water. Allow the mixture to sit for 1 minute. Whisk in salt, honey, and melted butter.
3. Slowly add 3 cups of all-purpose ʻulu flour, 1 cup at a time. Mix with a dough hook until the dough has thickened. Add ¾ cup or a bit more until the dough is no longer sticky.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 1 minute. Shape into a ball. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Make a bath for the pretzels by adding baking soda and water in a large pot and bringing to a boil.
6. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 12 even sections (like a pizza), each should be about ⅓ of a cup size.
7. Roll dough sections on a floured counter top into 12-inch ropes. (Dough may be fragile and crack but repairs well) Form a circle with most of the dough, leaving a few inches of overlap, twist at the overlap, fold over and press into a pretzel shape about four inches across.
8. Once water and baking soda has reached a boil, drop 1-2 pretzels into the boiling water for 20-30 seconds, no longer. Lift pretzel out of water with a slotted spoon and drip off as much excess water as possible. Place the pretzels onto the prepared baking sheet. *If desired, you may pause at this point and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
9. (optional) If using an egg wash, mix egg and water, lightly brush on the tops of the pretzels. Sprinkle with paʻa kai and repeat for all pretzels.
10. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown, rotating halfway through.
11. Remove from the oven and serve warm.