Ingredients
Scale
For the pretzels:
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees F)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 10 cups water
- 2/3 cup baking soda
- 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)
- Sea salt, for sprinkling
For the filling:
- 1 cup marshmallow creme
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (2 oz) cream cheese, softened
Instructions
- Combine water, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer; let sit 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add flour, salt and butter; stir to combine. Using a dough hook, knead dough on medium speed 5 minutes until smooth, elastic and slightly tacky (alternatively, you can turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand 10 minutes until smooth, elastic and slightly tacky).
- Shape dough into a ball and place in a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place 1 hour until doubled.
- When dough is nearly doubled, combine water and baking soda in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Make the filling: Stir all filling ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.
- Punch down fully risen dough. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a round biscuit or cookie cutter to cut out circles of dough. Re-roll out scraps as needed.
- Spoon a tablespoon or so of filling into the center of half the dough circles (you may not use all the filling). Top with another dough circle to form a pie; use fingers or fork tines to seal the edges. Transfer pies to a lightly floured baking sheet or platter.
- Place about 3 hand pies at a time in the boiling water bath; boil 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, remove pies and transfer to a parchment paper or silicone mat-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pies, placing pies about 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
- Lightly brush tops of pies with egg wash, then sprinkle with sea salt. Bake 12 to 14 minutes until golden brown and puffed. Cool slightly on a cooling rack before serving.