Pretzels, Mac & Cheese and other recipes from Feed Yourself Camp 2026
1 dough, 1 sauce… endless recipes
Soft pretzel and baked mac & cheese recipe plus how to turn the dough into other delicious bakes and why bechamel is one of the most important sauces to know how to make!
BMK MASTER DOUGH: SOFT PRETZELS
Makes 8 large pretzels or about 32 pretzel bites.
DOUGH
300g (2½ cups) all-purpose flour
6g (1 teaspoon) table salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
7g (2¼ teaspoons) instant yeast
198–215g warm water (¾ cup to 1 cup)
OPTIONAL FINISHES
Coarse pretzel salt
(3 tablespoons) melted butter
Cinnamon sugar or other toppings
MAKE THE DOUGH
Combine the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, and warm water. Mix until a dough forms. If dry flour remains, add more water 1 teaspoon at a time. The dough should feel soft and smooth but not sticky.
Knead for 5–8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes.
SHAPE
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 65g each.
HOW TO FORM A PRETZEL
Roll one piece of dough into a rope about 20–24 inches long. Keep the center slightly thicker and roll the ends a little thinner.
Place the rope on the counter in a U shape, with the curved part closest to you and the ends pointing away from you.
Cross the ends over each other.
Twist the crossed ends around each other one more time.
Bring both ends down toward the curved bottom of the U.
Press each end firmly onto the lower sides of the pretzel so it stays attached during the baking-soda bath and baking.
If the rope keeps shrinking back, let it rest for 5 minutes, then continue rolling. If the ends will not stick, lightly dampen them with water before pressing them onto the dough.
PRETZEL BITES: Roll the dough into ropes and cut into approximately 1-inch pieces.
CHOOSE A PRETZEL BATH METHOD
METHOD 1: SIMMERING BAKING-SODA BATH
10 cups water
⅔ cup baking soda
Combine the water and baking soda in a large, wide pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a controlled simmer.
Lower the shaped dough into the bath in small batches.
Simmer for 20–30 seconds.
Remove with a large slotted spatula and allow the excess water to drain.
RESULT: This method begins setting the dough’s exterior before baking. It produces a darker, firmer, chewier, more defined pretzel crust and a stronger traditional pretzel flavor.
METHOD 2: WARM BAKING-SODA SOAK
2 cups boiling water
4 tablespoons baking soda
Stir the boiling water and baking soda together in a shallow pan.
Allow the solution to cool until warm and safe to handle.
Place the shaped dough in the solution for 2 minutes. Spoon the solution over any exposed areas.
Remove with a slotted spatula and allow the excess water to drain.
RESULT: This method produces a softer, more bread-like exterior with a milder pretzel flavor. The pretzels may be lighter in color and less chewy, similar to a soft, buttery mall-style pretzel.
BAKE
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet or silicone baking mat. If using parchment, grease it well because the alkaline solution can cause sticking.
Place the treated pretzels on the prepared baking sheet.
Add coarse salt or other toppings immediately.
Bake for approximately 10–14 minutes, beginning to check at 10 minutes. Remove when deeply golden brown. Pretzel bites may finish sooner.
Brush with melted butter after baking, if desired.
THE DIFFERENCE TO REMEMBER
The baking soda raises the pH of the dough’s surface, creating pretzel flavor and encouraging browning.Without the bath, this becomes regular bread dough.
The simmering bath adds heat, which begins setting the exterior before baking. This creates more chew and a stronger crust.
The warm soak provides the alkaline treatment without heat-setting the exterior. This creates a softer result.
MAKE IT YOUR OWN
Savory: Add garlic powder, dried herbs, Parmesan, shredded cheese, or everything-bagel seasoning.
Sweet: Skip the coarse salt. Brush baked pretzels with melted butter and coat with cinnamon sugar.
Stuffed: Wrap the dough around cheese, pepperoni, or another low-moisture filling. Seal the edges completely before dipping.
BAKED MAC AND CHEESE
Makes enough for four round pans measuring 7 inches across and 1½ inches deep.
PASTA
454g (1 pound) dry elbow macaroni
Salt for the pasta water
CHEESE SAUCE
57g (4 tablespoons) butter
30g (¼ cup) all-purpose flour
946g (4 cups) whole milk
454g (about 4 cups) freshly shredded cheese
½ teaspoon mustard powder, optional
¼ teaspoon garlic powder, optional
Salt and pepper to taste
BREADCRUMB TOPPING
1 cup breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons melted butter
COOK THE PASTA
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the pasta and cook about 2 minutes less than the package directions. The pasta will continue cooking in the oven.
Drain. Do not rinse.
MAKE THE ROUX
Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Do not let it brown.
Whisk in the flour.
Cook for about 1 minute, whisking constantly, until it forms a smooth paste and no longer smells like raw flour. Keep the roux pale.
TURN THE ROUX INTO BÉCHAMEL
Add the milk a little at a time, whisking each addition completely into the roux before adding more.
Once all the milk is incorporated, bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Whisk frequently until it thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon.
TURN THE BÉCHAMEL INTO CHEESE SAUCE
Reduce the heat to low or remove the pan from the heat.
Add the cheese one handful at a time, stirring until melted before adding more.
Stir in mustard powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper as desired.
Do not boil the sauce after adding the cheese. High heat can make it grainy or oily.
ASSEMBLE
Combine the cooked pasta and cheese sauce.
Divide evenly among four greased pans. Do not fill completely to the rim.
Combine the bread crumbs and melted butter. Divide evenly over the four pans.
BAKE NOW
Bake uncovered at 350°F for approximately 25–35 minutes, until hot and bubbling around the edges. Rest 5–10 minutes before serving.
TAKE-HOME BAKING DIRECTIONS
Cover and refrigerate promptly. Bake refrigerated mac and cheese uncovered at 350°F for approximately 35–45 minutes, until bubbling and heated to 165°F in the center. If the breadcrumbs brown too quickly, loosely cover the pan with foil.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN BREAD
START WITH THE MASTER DOUGH
300g bread flour
6g table salt
1 teaspoon sugar
7g instant yeast
198–227g warm water
WHAT EACH INGREDIENT DOES
Flour gives the bread structure.
Water hydrates the flour and affects whether the dough is firm, soft, or sticky.
Yeast produces gas and makes the dough rise.
Salt adds flavor, strengthens the dough, and helps control fermentation.
Sugar helps with browning and adds sweetness when used in larger amounts.
Butter or oil makes bread more tender and helps it remain soft longer.
Milk adds flavor, tenderness, and browning.
Bread flour produces a stronger, chewier dough.
All-purpose flour produces a slightly softer, less chewy result.
CHANGE THE DOUGH BY ASKING WHAT YOU WANT
WANT IT SOFTER?
Add 1–2 tablespoons butter or oil per 300g flour.
Good for sandwich bread, rolls, buns, and soft breadsticks.
WANT IT LIGHTER OR MORE OPEN?
Use the higher amount of water or add additional water 1 teaspoon at a time. Stop when the dough is soft and slightly tacky. More water can produce a lighter crumb, but it also makes the dough harder to shape.
WANT IT CHEWIER?
Use bread flour and leave out added fat.
WANT IT LESS CHEWY?
Use all-purpose flour or add 1–2 tablespoons butter or oil.
WANT MORE BROWNING?
Add a little sugar, milk, or an egg wash. Sugar also adds sweetness, so do not keep adding it only for color.
WANT WHOLE-WHEAT BREAD?
Replace up to half of the bread flour with whole-wheat flour. Expect to need approximately 1–2 tablespoons additional water. Add it gradually according to how the dough feels.
WANT MORE FLAVOR?
Add dried herbs, spices, grated hard cheese, garlic, seeds, or chopped fresh herbs. Begin with small amounts. You can always add more next time.
EASY CHANGES
FLATBREAD: Keep the base dough lean or add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Divide, roll thin, and cook on a hot skillet or baking stone.
PIZZA: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil if you want a softer crust. Stretch, top, and bake at the highest practical oven temperature.
FOCACCIA: Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the dough. Use the higher amount of water. Spread in an oiled pan, allow it to become puffy, dimple, add more olive oil, and bake.
SANDWICH BREAD: Add 2 tablespoons softened butter or oil and replace some or all of the water with milk. Increase the sugar to 1 tablespoon if a slightly sweeter, softer loaf is desired. Shape, place in a loaf pan, and let it rise until puffy before baking.
DINNER ROLLS OR BUNS: Add 2 tablespoons butter or oil. Shape into balls, let rise until puffy, and bake.
GARLIC KNOTS OR BREADSTICKS: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil if desired. Shape, bake, and brush with garlic butter afterward.
CINNAMON ROLLS: Add 2 tablespoons butter and increase sugar to 2–3 tablespoons. This creates a simple cinnamon-roll dough, although it will not be as rich or soft as a dough containing milk and eggs.
PRETZELS: Keep the original dough and use the baking-soda bath.
THE RULE TO REMEMBER
Change one or two things at a time. Pay attention to what happens, then decide what you would change in the next batch. Recipes are formulas you can learn from, not rules you are forbidden to change.
ROUX, BÉCHAMEL, AND CHEESE SAUCE
ROUX
A roux is fat and flour cooked together. It thickens sauces, soups, gravies, and fillings. For a basic white roux, use approximately equal amounts of butter and flour by weight. Measuring equal tablespoons is an easy home-kitchen shortcut, but it is not exactly equal by weight.
Melt the butter, whisk in the flour, and cook for about 1 minute. The goal is to remove the raw-flour flavor without browning the roux.
LIGHT ROUX: Strongest thickening power and best for béchamel and cheese sauce.
DARKER ROUX: Deeper, toasted flavor but less thickening power.
BÉCHAMEL: Béchamel is a white roux plus milk.
THINNER SAUCE: For each 1 cup milk, use approximately:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
MEDIUM, POURABLE SAUCE: For each 1 cup milk, use approximately:
1½ tablespoons butter
1½ tablespoons flour
THICK SAUCE: For each 1 cup milk, use approximately:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
If the sauce is too thick, whisk in more milk.
If the sauce is too thin, let it simmer longer. Remember that it will thicken more as it cools.
CHEESE SAUCE: Cheese sauce begins with béchamel. Once the béchamel has thickened, lower the heat or remove the pan from the burner. Add freshly shredded cheese gradually.
Begin with approximately 1 cup shredded cheese per 1 cup béchamel. Add more or less depending on how strong and thick you want the sauce.
Freshly shredded cheese usually melts more smoothly than packaged shredded cheese because packaged cheese contains anti-caking ingredients.
Good melting cheeses include cheddar, Monterey Jack, pepper Jack, Gruyère, fontina, Colby, and Swiss.
Parmesan adds strong flavor but works best when combined with a smoother-melting cheese.
Very aged, dry, crumbly, or low-fat cheeses are more likely to create a grainy or oily sauce.
Do not boil cheese sauce. Excessive heat can cause the proteins to tighten and the fat to separate.
CLASSIC MAC AND CHEESE
Use cheddar alone or combine cheddar with Monterey Jack, Gruyère, fontina, or Colby. Add mustard powder, black pepper, garlic powder, hot sauce, or paprika.
QUESO-STYLE DIP
Use Monterey Jack or pepper Jack for most of the cheese, with cheddar for flavor. Add diced green chiles, jalapeños, Rotel, cumin, cilantro, salsa, or smoked paprika.
A flour-thickened queso-style sauce will be creamy, but it will not have exactly the same texture as restaurant queso made with processed cheese or an emulsifying salt. Thin with milk as needed because it will thicken while sitting.
BEER CHEESE
Replace part of the milk with beer. Add sharp cheddar, mustard, garlic, and a little Worcestershire sauce. Add the beer gradually because too much can make the sauce thin or bitter.
BROCCOLI-CHEESE SOUP
Make a thinner cheese sauce. Add broth until it reaches soup consistency, then add cooked broccoli. Cheddar works well.
CHEESE SAUCE FOR VEGETABLES OR BAKED POTATOES
Make a medium cheese sauce with cheddar, Jack, or Gruyère. Thin with milk until it pours easily.
PARMESAN-GARLIC PASTA SAUCE
Add Parmesan, garlic, and black pepper to béchamel. This makes an easy creamy Parmesan sauce, but it is not traditional Alfredo. Traditional Alfredo is made with butter, Parmesan, and pasta water rather than flour-thickened béchamel.
CREAMY POT PIE OR CASSEROLE FILLING
Use béchamel without cheese or add a small amount of Parmesan. Add cooked chicken, vegetables, herbs, or other fillings.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Lumpy sauce: The milk was probably added too quickly. Whisk vigorously, use an immersion blender, or strain the sauce.
Too thick: Whisk in additional milk a little at a time.
Too thin: Simmer longer before adding the cheese.
Grainy or oily: The heat was probably too high after the cheese was added. Remove from the heat and whisk in a small amount of milk.
Bland: Add salt first, then consider mustard, pepper, garlic, hot sauce, stronger cheese, or another seasoning.