Place the warm water, yeast, and 2 tsp. of sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer or another large bowl. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes, until frothy and foamy. Add in the salt.

With the paddle mixer attached, turn the mixer on low and add in the flour ½ cup at a time (or stir vigorously with a wet wooden spoon if not using a mixer).

Once the mixture has come together and is pulling away from the sides of the bowl, switch to the dough hook and knead on medium-low for 5 minutes (or turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for five minutes).

Place the dough in a bowl oiled with 1 tsp. olive oil, cover with a towel, and let sit for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.

Once risen, preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232 degrees Celsius). Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper, then greasing it lightly with cooking spray. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.

Take one piece of dough, dust it very lightly with flour, then roll it out on your counter or a large cutting board into a long strip. Use both hands and start at the center, rolling outward toward the ends. This helps keep the strip evenly shaped without a thick middle and thin tips. Pick up the rolled-out strip by both ends so it forms a large "U". Gently touch the bottom of the U shape onto the greased parchment paper, then cross the left end over to the right side, and the right side over to the left side to make a pretzel shape. Gently press down the ends to help them stick to the base of the pretzel. Repeat with the remaining 7 pieces. Let the pretzels rest for 15 minutes to rise.

Meanwhile, bring a shallow pot of water to a boil over high heat, then add in the baking soda and sugar. Reduce the heat to low as soon as the 15 minutes of rise time is up. Place four pretzels into the water and let them cook for 1 minute. Flip them over using a slotted spoon or pancake turner and let the other side cook for one minute. Use the slotted spoon to remove the pretzels from the water and place them back onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining four pretzels.

Pour the garlic powder and 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a shallow bowl. One by one, dredge the poached pretzels through the oil so they are nice and coated. Return to the baking sheet. Dust the oiled pretzels with paprika, oregano, and sea salt.