These Yummy Vegan Pretzels Are Making Me Thirsty

Italian spices and nutritional yeast baked right in!

I've had a craving for unsalted "buttery" pretzels for a while, especially hot and freshly baked from the oven. 
At a movie theater, the server made me one, but it sorely lacked. Bland and flavorless, I almost cried, wishing for that $5 back. He went through all that work so of course I wasn't going to complain in his face.
Still, why does unsalted and vegan equate to crispy, tasteless dough?
Twisted Sisters Pretzels
Research led me to this cutesy blog called Peas And Thank You. Featuring a deliciously interesting recipe written by a humorous vegan mama, not only is this a keeper, so is the site. My mouth is already drooling at the thought of Triple Chocolate Zucchini Cake....
Mmmmhmmmmmm chocolate.
Ahem!!
Oh yes.
Pretzels.
Back to pretzels.
Well, lots of work involved in the creative process of pretzel making, but in the end, it's all worth it.
Funnily enough, I used olive oil instead of Earth Balance.

Yummy Vegan Pretzels

3/4 cup warm water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 flour
8 cups water
2/3 cups baking soda
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Mix warm, sugar, and salt together in a bowl. Sprinkle yeast on top and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Add the olive oil.

Gradually stir in the flour. This is at 1 cup added.

2nd cup of flour.

After last remaining 1/2 cup, knead the dough for 5 minutes more, adding more flour if needed. Or kneaded? ;)

In an oiled bowl, set the dough, cover, and let rise for an hour.

Olivia aides in the only part she can- the waiting period!

Cut dough into 4 sections. Mine weren't equal. Also at this point place water and baking soda on the stove and preheat oven to 450 degrees!

Remembering Auntie Annie's in the mall, I tried to make the best shape possible. Obviously need to see a Pretzel Jedi Master.

Four wannabe looking like pretzels raring to go.

Once water is at a boil, gently place in one pretzel at a time, leaving them in for 30 seconds.

Once they are on a greased cookie sheet, place desired seasonings on top.

12-15 minutes later, pretzel glory awaits!

Drizzled extra virgin olive oil on top.

Mmmmmmmhmmmmmmm!!!!
Not bad for a first try.
These pretzels are sooooooo good, especially with the seasonings on top. Better than anything at the movie theater. Hot, soft, & "buttery," the texture was all there.
Impressed with how they turned out.
Seriously, there were a few cringeworthy moments, but I'm so very happy with the final results.
Poor Olivia.
Since my kitty usually misses out on the good stuff, I didn't eat it in front of her, preferring to devour my hot salvation in the corner and immediately washing my hands clean from seasony, olive oil aftermath.
Now she'll never know!  ;)