In your mixer add the yeast, sugar and the milk, let bloom for 5-10 mins
Add the salt and oil and mix
Add 2 C flour and mix until smooth
add 1/2 C at a time only adding until the dough cleans the bowl as it mixes. Don't add it all if you don't need it all
Now knead it with the dough hook until the dough is quite smooth and springy and stretches without ripping
Oil a bowl and place the dough inside, cover it with a towel, and let rise in a warm place until it's more or less doubled in size, about an hour.
roll out the dough and cut into strips
twist the strips and set on parchment paper, let it get poofy - about 10 mins
preheat the oven to 425 F
in a wide pot, bring the water to a boil and add the baking soda
Drop 3 or 4 pretzels at a time into the boiling water, boil for 30 seconds, then fish them with a slotted spoon or skimmer and lay them on the baking sheet (on parchment paper or silpat mats).
mix the egg and water together and brush over the pretzels
bake them for around 12 minutes, they should be deeply golden and dry to the touch when they're done.
cinnamon sugar
mix the sugar and cinnamon together
roll in the melted butter then the cinnamon sugar
cream cheese dip
beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla
slowly add the powdered sugar until it's the thickness you want. Add a Tbsp of milk if the dip is too thick