Place the ½ cup water, milk, sugar, flours, salt, and yeast in the bread pan. Set the machine on dough. When the cycle ends, remove the dough to a lightly oiled surface.
To make the dough by hand:
In a mixing bowl, add the warm water and milk slightly and combine it with the sugar and yeast. Let the yeast proof for 5 minutes. It should bubble and foam.
Then add the flours and salt. Stir until you have a sticky dough but all the flour is incorporated.
Turn it onto a floured surface and knead until the dough becomes elastic. Set into a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow it to rise until doubled in bulk, about an hour.
To make the dough in a stand mixer:
Add the warm water and milk to the bowl of the stand mixer. Add the sugar and yeast. Let the yeast proof for 5 minutes. It should bubble and foam.
Add the flours and salt. Install the bread hook and knead into a smooth dough ball forms, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Place the dough ball in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow it to rise until doubled in bulk, about an hour.
Once the dough is ready:
Preheat the oven to 450°. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Bring the 8 cups water to a boil in a large stockpot.
Transfer the dough to a floured cutting board or smooth work surface. With a dough knife or sharp knife, divide the dough into 12 equal portions.
Roll each portion into a long snake, about 18 inches long. Shape the snake into a horseshoe. Twist the sides of the horseshoe, about halfway up, around each other twice. Flip the ends over onto the U of the horseshoe. Press to seal. Continue until all the pretzels are shaped.
Add the baking soda to the pot of water and continue to boil. Drop the formed pretzels, one at a time into the soda bath. Boil for about 30 seconds and remove to the prepared parchment with a slotted spoon. Sprinkle with coarse salt or everything seasoning, if desired.
Once all the pretzels have been “bathed,” bake them for 9 to 10 minutes or until golden. Remove them to a rack to cool.
Store cooled pretzels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freeze them for longer storage.
Notes
To make sweet pretzels: do not sprinkle salt or seasoning on the boiled bagels. Bake them plain. Once they come out of the oven, you can brush them with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sugar or cinnamon sugar. Allow them to cool slightly on a rack before serving.To make garlic herb pretzels: check out our recipe here.To freeze: Place the cooled pretzels in a ziptop freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw, wrapped, on the countertop at room temperature. You can reheat them in a warm oven for five minutes to freshen them.Nutritional values are approximate and based on 1 pretzel.