CopyKat Auntie Anne's Pretzels

I love Auntie Anne's pretzels, but the cost makes me cringe (though if I'm at the mall I usually cave since they're so nummy).. well I buckled down one day and decided I was going to figure out how they were made (it's a Superpower of mine)... I searched the net for a few soft pretzel recipes and made the first batch that sounded good... once I tasted it I compared it to an Auntie Anne's I had left over from the day before... I was able to pick out a few of the missing ingredients or which were more prominent and think my final recipe got pretty darn close. 
  
Auntie Anne's Pretzels: Copycat Recipe 

2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 tablespoons (2 packets) active dry yeast
6 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons fine salt

1/3 cup baking soda
3 cups warm water
Coarse salt
 8 tablespoons butter, melted in a shallow dish

Warm up the milk in the microwave or on the stove for just about one and a half minutes. It should be about 110º. If it's too hot it will kill the yeast. You should be able to comfortably keep your finger in it. Stir in the yeast and let it sit for about 3 minutes. Add the butter and sugar. Add the flour about 1 cup at a time and the add the fine salt. Kneed for about 10 minutes with a stand mixer, or by hand. Put it in a greased bowl and cover with greased cling wrap. Let rise for 1 hour in a moist, warm place until doubled in size (I stick mine on the front of the stove wrapped in a towel, don't put it at the back or it will start to bake). Preheat the oven to 450º. Punch down dough and divide into 12 lumps (I like to divide it in half, then divide each half into three, and then divide each remaining one in half again). Roll them all out as thin as you can. Combine the warm water and baking soda in a wide bowl. Form the dough into pretzel shapes, then dip in the baking soda water. Place on a greased baking sheet.. Bake for about 7-11 minutes or until browned. Dip each in the melted butter while hot and sprinkle with course salt. Serve with cheese sauce or mustard or whatever tickles your fancy.