"Pretzel stand" type pretzels

I love hot soft pretzels. yum! but they cost so much at those stands in the mall. I found a way to make them at home and not only do they taste just as good but you can make them for half the cost!

Needed

Pretzel Dough:
1 cup warm water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

For boiling/baking process:
10 cups water
2/3 cups baking soda
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp. water
Kosher salt

To spread on baked pretzels:
3 Tbsp. melted butter
Cinnamon Sugar for sprinkling pretzels

Make them!

In the bread machine pan (No bread machine? See below for traditional directions),

place the pretzel dough ingredients in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the dough cycle and press start.
After 5 minutes, check to see that the dough has formed a nice ball, not sticky or dry.
Add 1 to 2 Tbsp. of water or flour if needed.

** Traditional method (no bread machine):

In a bowl, combine the yeast, warm water, and sugar. Let
it sit until it is foamy. When it is foamy, add the flour
to the bowl. Form a dough and knead it on a lightly
floured surface until it is elastic and smooth (5-8
minutes). Place in a greased bowl and cover for 45-60
mins or until doubled. Then continue with the rest of the
recipe.

When the cycle is finished, place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into eight equal portions. Roll each piece into a 24-inch “U” shape and then form into pretzel shapes.

In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water and 2/3 cups baking soda to a rolling boil.
Drop pretzels, one at a time, into the boiling water. Boil for 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon and place on prepared baking sheets. (I use and LOVE my Silpat Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat on my baking sheets, but you can also use parchment paper.)

Next, beat one egg yolk with one tablespoon of water. Brush this mixture on each pretzel and then sprinkle each with a little Kosher salt.
Bake at 425 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until dark golden brown.
Remove from oven and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.

Alternatives to try:
Leave them plain with just a little bit of melted butter
Sprinkle with garlic salt
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning
Try with a marina, nacho cheese, or ranch dip