It's easy to make bakery-quality pretzel rolls with that perfect salty, chewy brown crust. Perfect for use as a dinner roll or for sandwiches, sliders, or burgers.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons softened butter.
Pour in 1 3/4 cups warm milk and add 4 cups of flour. Knead on low speed until combined, then increase to medium speed. Gradually add the remaining flour as needed, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be tacky but able to form a ball.
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel, and let it rise until double in size, about 1 hour.
Once risen, divide the dough into 12 equal portions and shape each into a ball. Let the rolls rest for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with nonstick spray. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.
Stir 1/2 cup baking soda into the boiling water. Working in batches of 2-3 rolls, transfer the dough balls to the boiling water using a slotted spoon. Boil each roll for 1 minute, then flip and boil for an additional 30-60 seconds. Remove from the water and place the rolls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch of space between each.
Using a sharp knife, score two parallel slashes on the top of each roll. Brush the tops with the beaten egg white and sprinkle with coarse salt.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the rolls are a deep golden brown.
Remove from the oven and allow the pretzel rolls to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool.