Sesame Free Pretzel Buns

Soft on the inside, deeply bronzed and chewy on the outside, these homemade pretzel buns deliver that signature bakery-style crust you'd expect from a specialty shop — right out of your own oven. The secret is a two-step alkaline process: baking soda is roasted low and slow before it ever hits the water bath, which ramps up its alkalinity and gives each bun that unmistakable dark mahogany color and bold pretzel flavor. Store-bought pretzel products can be a minefield for anyone avoiding sesame, since seeds are a common topping and shared production lines are widespread — but here, you control every single ingredient from start to finish. The finishing touch is a beaten egg wash and a generous sprinkle of coarse salt, which bakes into a satisfying crunch with every bite. These buns are sturdy enough to hold up to a juicy burger or a thick deli sandwich without going soggy, but honestly, they're good enough to eat warm with just a little butter. The dough itself comes together with pantry staples — flour, yeast, butter, salt — so there's nothing obscure to track down. Once you've made a batch, it's genuinely hard to go back to anything from a bag.

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