In a medium mixing bowl (or the bowl to your stand mixer), add the water, yeast, corn syrup, and melted butter. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes.
Add the salt and 3 cups of flour. Stir to combine well. Add the additional flour 1/2 cup at a time until you have added 4 cups total.
Use your stand mixer to keep kneading the dough or dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead by hand. Knead for a full 10 minutes.
Form the dough into a smooth ball and place it back in the mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 45 minutes.
After the dough has risen, dive it into 6-8 pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball and place them on a piece of parchment paper or a baking mat, a few inches apart. Cover them with a light dish towel and let them rise for another 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
After the rolls have risen, bring 4 cups of water and 3 tablespoons of baking soda to a boil in a medium sauce pan.
Place the rolls, two at a time, into the boiling water. Let them boil 30 seconds, flip them over, and boil them 30 seconds more on the second side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a baking mat.
Repeat with remaining dough.
Cut an X in the top of each roll.
Brush each roll with the beaten egg white and then sprinkle with kosher or pretzel salt.
Bake the pretzel rolls for 15 minutes until dark brown.
Remove from the oven and eat warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an air-tight container on the counter for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
Don't skimp on the kneading time. That long kneading time helps to develop the gluten in the dough which will help give the pretzel rolls that signature soft and chewy middle.
Boiling the dough is what gives them that distinct dark brown color (in addition to a little egg white wash) and also helps to make the outside extra chewy. It's what puts the "pretzel" in pretzel rolls!
I make pretzels enough that I bought Pretzel Salt, but kosher salt is a great substitute.
The corn syrup helps to make the bread chewy. If you don't have any or don't want to use it, feel free to substitute white sugar or honey.