• Gather all ingredients. Melt the butter in short bursts in the microwave and set it aside to cool slightly.

For the Dough:

• Whisk the flour, instant yeast, brown sugar, and salt together in a large bowl to combine evenly.
• Pour the warm water and the melted butter into the dry ingredients and stir until a shaggy mass forms.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes by hand or roughly 6 minutes using a stand mixer with a dough hook. Shape into a ball when finished.
• Lightly oil a clean bowl, place the dough inside, cover with a cloth, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

For the Bath & Oven:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F and grease a baking sheet with butter or use a silicone baking mat (avoid parchment). In a large pot, combine 10 cups of water with the baking soda and bring to a rolling boil.

Shaping and Boiling:

• Turn the risen dough onto a clean surface and divide it into eight equal pieces. Keep the pieces covered with a towel so they don't dry out.
• Working with one piece at a time, roll it into a rope about 24 inches long. Form a U shape, cross the ends over each other and fold them toward the curve, pressing the ends to adhere about 4 inches apart to create the classic pretzel shape.
• Use a slotted spoon to lower two pretzels at a time into the boiling baking-soda bath. Boil for 30 seconds, flip, and boil another 30 seconds so both sides are coated.
• Remove the pretzels with the slotted spoon and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all pretzels have been boiled.

Baking:

• While the pretzels are still damp, sprinkle them evenly with pretzel or coarse salt. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they develop a deep brown color.
• Transfer the baked pretzels to a rack to cool slightly before serving warm.