Begin by dissolving light brown sugar in 1 cup of warm water in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the active dry yeast over the water and allow it to sit undisturbed for about 5 minutes until foamy.

Stir in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Gradually add 3 cups of all-purpose flour, mixing until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Place the kneaded dough into a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let it rise for about 45 minutes until doubled in size.

Punch down the dough, divide into 24 equal pieces, and roll each into sticks about 7-8 inches long. Rest for another 25 minutes on a lined baking sheet.

In a large pot, bring 8 cups of water to a gentle simmer and add ½ cup of baking soda. Dunk each pretzel stick in the boiling soda bath for about 30 seconds, flipping halfway.

Transfer pretzel sticks to paper towels to drain. Prepare an egg wash by beating 1 egg. Brush each pretzel stick with the egg wash and sprinkle coarse sea salt over them.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place pretzel sticks on a lined baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.