1. Make the dough: Start by whisking together your warm milk, brown sugar, and sea salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top, and let it sit for about 5 minutes until it starts to get foamy—that’s how you know it’s alive and ready to go!

2. Knead the dough: Add your flour and melted butter to the yeast mixture. Now, you can either use a spoon and your hands to mix and knead the dough for about 4 minutes, or use a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. The dough should come together and feel smooth, but if it’s sticking too much, sprinkle in a little more flour until it’s manageable.

3. Let it rise: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with a damp towel, and let it rise for 20-30 minutes. This is when the magic happens! The dough should about double in size.

4. Prepare the water bath: While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 450°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Then, in a large stockpot, bring your water and baking soda to a boil.

5. Shape the pretzel bites: Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly oiled surface. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, and roll each piece into a rope about 3/4-inch thick. Then, cut each rope into 1-inch pieces—these will be your pretzel bites!

6. Boil the pretzel bites: Carefully drop the pretzel bites into the boiling water, about a dozen at a time, and let them boil for 30 seconds. This step gives the pretzels that unique chew and helps them develop their color in the oven.

7. Egg wash and salt: Transfer the boiled bites to your prepared baking sheet, brush them with the egg wash, and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

8. Bake to perfection: Bake the pretzel bites for about 12-14 minutes, or until they’re golden brown to your liking. If you want to go the extra mile, brush them with melted butter right when they come out of the oven. Trust me, it’s worth it!