In a small mixing bowl, add yeast to 1 cup of warm water. Let sit for a moment or two, then stir to dissolve.

Add sugar, salt, and flour to yeast and water mixture. Stir to combine then as dough starts to come together, knead by hand for about 5-7 minutes.

Once dough becomes like elastic and only slightly sticky (I added a few pinches of extra flour as kneading) transfer to a larger bowl that has been rubbed down lightly with oil. Cover and let rise until dough has doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.

After dough has risen, dump it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 8 equal portions. Hand roll each section into a rope about 1 & 1/2 feet long. Now try your best to make that classic pretzel shape! It's best to lay it down, start with a U, and bring the ends in wrapping them around each other in the middle. Once you have all your pretzels laid out, cover them and let them puff up for about 20 minutes.

Prepare your water bath. You'll need a wide, deep pot. Bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add brown sugar and baking soda. When you add the baking soda it will foam and nearly double in size. Reduce to simmer.

Add pretzels to your water bath one at a time to avoid crowding. You'll probably only be able to fit 2 or 3 in at a time. Simmer each side for 30 seconds. Remove from pot, set aside on a greased baking sheet, and repeat with the rest!

Now once your pretzels are all boiled, make your egg wash. Brush each pretzel liberally. While you begin this process, preheat your oven to 450°F.

Top your pretzels however you wish. I stuck with kosher salt, while my fiance made a few with cinnamon sugar and a few with garlic and black pepper.

Bake for 12 minutes at 450°F or until your desired level of golden brown beauty has been achieved!