Pretzel bites

Dough:
2-1/2 C. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 t. salt
1 t. sugar
2-1/4 t. instant yeast
7/8 - 1 C. warm water

Topping:
1 C. boiling water
2 T. baking soda
coarse kosher or pretzel salt
6 T. unsalted butter melted

To make dough by hand, or with a mixer: Place all of the dough ingredients into a bowl, and beat until well-combined.  Knead the dough, by hand or machine, for about 5 minutes, until its soft, smooth and quite slack.  Flour the dough and place it in a bag, and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

While the dough is resting, prepare the topping: Combing the boiling water and baking soda, stirring until the soda is totally dissolved.  Set the mixture aside to cool to lukewarm or cooler.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare a baking sheet by spraying it with vegetable oil spray, or lining it with parchment paper.  

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, and divide it into six equal pieces.  Roll the six pieces of dough into 12-15 inch ropes.  Cut each rope crosswise into about 12 pieces.

Pour the cooled baking soda solution into a pan large enough to hold the bites.  Place the bites into the solution, gently swishing them around, and leave them there for a couple of minutes.  Transfer them to a greased or parchment lined baking sheet, and top with coarse salt.

Bake the bites for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove them from the oven, and roll them in the melted butter.

Place on a rack.  If you're not going to enjoy them immediately, store the bites, well-wrapped, at room temperature.  Reheat briefly before serving.