About 3 to 4 hours before you plan to make the dough, prepare a levain or feed your sourdough starter and let it sit covered at a temperature of around 77–80℉ until it doubles in size. If your starter is already active, you can skip this step.

In a mixing bowl, combine the active sourdough starter, all-purpose flour, and warm water.

Add the heated water, active sourdough starter, melted butter, salt, bread flour, and brown sugar to the mixture. Knead the dough in a stand mixer on low speed for 3 to 5 minutes, or by hand, until it becomes soft and smooth.

Transfer the dough to a bowl and allow it to rise until it has doubled in size. This should take about 4 hours at 80°F.

Once the dough has risen, bring a pot of water mixed with baking soda to a boil.

Preheat your oven to 450°F.

Punch down the dough and divide it into three equal sections. Roll each section into a long rope, about 20-22 inches in length, by pressing your palms down and gently rolling back and forth.

Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces and repeat the process with the remaining sections.

In batches, carefully add the dough pieces to the boiling water for 15 to 20 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove the dough balls and place them in a colander.

While the dough balls are still damp, sprinkle them with coarse pretzel salt.

Arrange the pretzel bites on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. If using parchment paper, lightly spray it with non-stick spray to prevent sticking.

Bake the pretzel bites for 10 to 13 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

Melt the remaining butter and toss the baked pretzels in it, adding more salt if desired.