In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together warm beer or water, pumpkin puree, extra-virgin olive oil, honey, and yeast until well combined. Add flour, salt and chopped sage.
Attach the hook attachment to the mixer and knead the dough on medium-low speed for 10 to 15 minutes. If the dough is sticky, add a small amount of flour. If it seems dry, add a bit more beer or water. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and is tacky, but not sticky.
Cover and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside
Evenly divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, then cover to prevent them from drying out
Working on one piece at a time, gently pull, stretch, and roll the dough ball into a 22-inch long rope, tapering the ends.
Form the rope into a U-shape. Crisscross the ends together twice, then flip the top over onto itself to form a pretzel shape. Gently press the ends into the sides of the pretzel to secure.
Place the pretzels onto your prepared baking sheets at least 2 inches apart. Cover and let them proof for 20 to 30 minutes.
While the pretzels are resting, in a medium sized pot over medium/high heat, bring 6 cups of water and 4 tablespoons of baking soda to a gentle boil.
Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg well with a fork, and set it aside.
Carefully lower one pretzel at a time, top side up, into the baking soda bath and boil for 30 seconds. Spoon the boiling water on top of the pretzel as it floats in the bath.
Remove each pretzel with a flat slotted spatula or large slotted spoon, letting any excess liquid drip off, then place it back onto the baking sheet.
Brush the tops with the beaten egg and sprinkle with salt.
Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. The pretzels are ready when they are golden brown. Immediately transfer the pretzels onto a wire rack to cool.
In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour, garlic powder and onion powder, and cook for 3o seconds.
Slowly whisk in the milk and cook until it thickens and the mixture is smooth.
Reduce the heat to low, then whisk in the smoked gouda, cheddar, hot chili pepper spread and mustard until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. If the sauce thickens too much, whisk in a bit more milk. Serve immediately and enjoy!
If you can’t find smoked gouda, you can use all cheddar cheese add ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika.
Servings 8