Pretzel Buns (or Rolls)

Coat a bowl with nonstick spray.

Whisk together flour, sugar, yeast, and 1 tsp. kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer; add 1⅓ cups water and butter. Fit mixer with dough hook.

Mix dough on medium speed until combined and dough pulls away from sides of bowl, 3–4 minutes. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and slightly sticky.

Place dough into prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Line a baking sheet with parchment; lightly coat with nonstick spray.

Punch down dough, divide into six (for buns) or eight (for rolls) even pieces, shape into smooth balls, pinch seams, then roll to seal; transfer to prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.

For buns, flatten six dough balls into 6-inch disks and roll each into logs, pinching the ends and seams to seal. On a clean, dry work surface (no flour or oil), use two hands to drag each log toward you to seal the seam and smooth the surface. The buns should be about 6 inches long. Place buns on same baking sheet, cover, and let rest 15 minutes. (For rolls, no additional shaping is needed after dough pieces are shaped into smooth balls, pinched closed, rolled to seal, and covered with plastic wrap; let rest 15 minutes, then follow procedures, below.)

Preheat oven to 400°.

Boil 8 cups water in a pot; stir in baking soda and 1 Tbsp. kosher salt. Drop 2–3 buns or rolls into the boiling water for 30 seconds, then flip and boil 30 seconds more; transfer to same baking sheet. With scissors or a sharp knife, cut ½-inch-deep slashes diagonally or lengthwise in each bun or roll. Repeat boiling and cutting with remaining portions of dough.

Whisk together egg and 1 Tbsp. water, then brush on buns or rolls; sprinkle with pretzel salt.

Bake buns or rolls until dark brown, 18–20 minutes; transfer to a rack to cool.