Preheat the oven to 170-degrees Fahrenheit and then turn the oven off while preparing the dough.

To bloom the yeast:

• Dissolve the yeast in ½ cup of warm water, brown sugar, and honey in a small bowl. Allow the mixture to sit for 5-7 minutes until it gets foamy. *Note - if this doesn't happen the yeast may no longer be active, or the water is too hot, and the pretzels won't rise.

To make the soft pretzel dough:

• Once the yeast is foamy, add the heavy cream, olive oil, and salt. Whisk to combine.
• Pour the yeast mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and add in two cups of the flour, stirring with a wooden spoon to form a rough, shaggy dough.
• Add the bowl and its contents onto the stand mixer and add in 1 additional cup of flour. Use the dough hook to incorporate the final cup of flour until a smooth dough ball forms on the hook. *Note - if needed, add additional warm water to the dough in the bowl (1 tablespoon at a time) until the mixture comes together into a fully incorporated dough ball. Continue kneading on the stand mixer (with the dough hook) for an additional 5 minutes.
• Turn the kneaded dough out onto a lightly floured countertop and knead, by hand, to form the dough into a smooth sphere.
• Brush a small amount of olive oil (½ teaspoon) into the bowl and up the sides and then return the dough ball to the bowl, brushing the top of the dough with the remaining oil left on the pastry brush.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to proof (rise) until double in volume in the warm oven with the door closed for 60 minutes.
• After 60 minutes time, remove the plastic wrap and punch the dough down to deflate. Turn the dough out onto the countertop and work it into an approximate 16" log by squeezing and rolling.
• Cut the dough into 1" pieces until you have 16 pieces of cut pretzel dough. Roll each piece of dough into a rod approximately 6" long and place the rods onto parchment lined baking sheets. Continue the process with the remaining dough.
• Allow the pretzel rods to proof again for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile preheat the oven to 400℉ (205℃)

To make the pretzel toppings:

• Mix together the everything seasoning with the kosher salt and set aside.
• After the pretzel rods have proofed for the second time, whisk together 1 cup of very hot water with 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a medium bowl. Use a pastry brush to liberally brush each rod with the baking soda mixture.
• Use the pastry brush to then brush each pretzel rod with the beaten egg.
• Sprinkle each pretzel rod with the everything seasoning and bake the pretzels in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the pretzels are a deep golden brown.
• Remove the pretzels and allow them to cool on a cooling rack for at least 5-7 minutes before carefully removing them from the baking sheet.
• Serve warm or at room temperature and with a dipping sauce of your choice.