To start in a large mixing bowl or a bowl of a stand mixer weigh out the starter and water using a kitchen scale. Mix this together to form a slurry. Then add in the flour and butter. Using the dough hook attachment, Danish hook, or your hand mix to form a shaggy dough, about a minute.

After you are done kneading the dough let the dough rest again for another hour and then perform one set of stretch and folds before covering the dough with plastic wrap and placing it in the fridge.

Take one side of the dough with both hands and pull upward and fold to the center. Then take and repeat that on all four sides of the dough.

The dough can do its bulk fermentation and proof in the fridge for 8-12 hours or overnight.

The next day take the dough out of the fridge and using a clean kitchen shears, flatten the dough ball and cut the dough into 8 pieces.

Take a piece of dough at a time and roll it on a clean work surface. Roll them into a short log. Once you have all eight pieces roll into a log let them rest for 10-15 minutes.

After the rest take a log at a time and roll them until they are about 30 inches long. You want them to be fairly thin and very long. Repeat with all 8. Place them all on a large, parchment lined, baking sheet to rest for 1 hour and rise.

When the hour is up, prepare, in a large pot, the boiling water and baking soda. Then preheat your oven to 425 degrees. While you are waiting for the water to boil simply take your kitchen shears and cut the logs into equal pieces about 1-2 inches in length.

When the water has boiled using a slotted spoon work in batches placing the pretzel bites in the boiling baking soda water and then removing them, after 30 seconds, onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Depending on the size of your baking sheet you may need to bake them on two sheets or two separate batches. Once they are done boiling, brush the pretzel bites with egg wash (optional) and sprinkle them with pretzel salt or sea salt. (I don’t salt the pretzel bites that will be used for cinnamon sugar pretzel bites.)

Egg Wash: If you are doing the optional egg wash, prepare it by whisking the egg yolk and water in a small bowl. Then, using a pastry brush, brush the pretzels with the egg wash before sprinkling with salt.

Bake at 425 degrees on convection if you have it for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and with a turner transfer the pretzel bites to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce or once cooled make them into cinnamon sugar pretzel bites.

Makes about 120 pretzel bites.