Sweet Soft Pretzels

1 pound of store bought pizza dough, thawed if frozen
all purpose flour for workspace
1/2 cup chopped chocolate, if desired for chocolate pretzels
1 TBS. olive oil, for covering bowl and baking sheet
3 TBS. baking soda
2 TBS. sugar, coarse

Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. If making chocolate, sprinkle over work surface. Gently knead to incorporate. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover and let rest for an hour.

Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into an 18 inch long rope. Shape dough into pretzels. (Form each rope into a U shape and twist the top ends and then bring the ends facing downwards). Transfer pretzels to an oiled baking sheet and let rest for 20 minutes.

Preheat overn to 475. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. add baking soda. In batches, boil the pretzels until puffy and slightly shiny, about 1 minute. With a large slotted spoon, transfer to a wire cookie rack and drain. Return pretzels to baking sheet, sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden brown and cooked through. About 10 to 15 minutes. Rotate sheet halfway through. Serve warm with any sauce you desire. ( you may also brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar!)