Homemade Philly Soft Pretzels with Cheese

Preheat the oven to 475℉.

Mix yeast, warm water, melted butter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Stir until the yeast bubbles and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Add 2 ½ cups of flour and ¾ cup of shredded cheese. Mix well.

Add more flour as necessary until the dough comes together.

Take the dough and place it on a clean surface, then proceed to knead it for 5 minutes.

Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with a fresh kitchen towel, and keep it in a warm area of your kitchen. Let the dough rise until it has doubled in size, which should take about 15-20 minutes.

Heat 4 cups of water until it boils, then add baking soda and stir until dissolved. Take it off the heat and let it cool down to a slightly warm temperature.

Divide pretzel dough into 8 equal pieces and then form them into pretzel shapes.

To make pretzels, first roll each dough segment into ropes that are 1" thick. Then, form each rope into a U-shape and twist both ends twice at the top. After that, flip the twisted edges to the bottom of the U-shape and press the dough together firmly to hold it in place.

Dip the shaped pretzels in warm baking soda water for 2 minutes, and then transfer them to a baking sheet that has been lined.

Spread the remaining cheese over the pretzels and bake them until they turn golden brown, which should take around 8-10 minutes.