Description
These easy homemade soft pretzels are beginner-friendly, with a soft, chewy texture and classic pretzel flavor. The simple yeast dough rests for just 10–30 minutes before shaping, and a quick baking soda bath gives the pretzels their traditional taste and golden-brown finish.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) warm water (around 100°F/38°C)
- 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 3/4–4 cups (469–500g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more as needed
- Coarse salt, for topping
Baking Soda Bath
- 1/2 cup (120g) baking soda
- 9 cups (2.13L) water
Instructions
- Whisk the yeast and sugar into the warm water. Cover and let sit for 1 minute.
- Whisk in the melted butter and salt. Add 3 cups (375g) of flour and mix with a wooden spoon or dough hook until combined. Add another 3/4 cup (94g) flour until the dough is slightly tacky and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If it is still sticky, add up to 1/4 cup (31g) more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed. Poke the dough with your finger; if it bounces back, it is ready to knead.
- Knead the dough: Knead in a stand mixer for 3–5 minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 3–5 minutes. If the dough becomes too sticky, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time onto the dough or work surface. Add only as much flour as needed to keep the dough soft and slightly tacky. After kneading, the dough should feel soft and slowly bounce back when poked. You can also test it by stretching a small piece thin enough for light to pass through without tearing.
- Shape the dough into a ball. Cover lightly with a towel and let rest for 10–30 minutes. Meanwhile, bring the water and baking soda for the bath to a boil in a large pot.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Silicone mats are recommended. If using parchment paper, lightly spray it with nonstick spray or grease with butter.
- Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to divide the dough into 75g portions, about 1/3 cup of dough each.
- Roll each piece into a 20–22-inch rope. Form a circle, bring the two ends together at the top, and twist them together. Bring the twisted ends down toward yourself and press them onto the bottom of the circle to create a pretzel shape.
- Carefully drop 1–2 pretzels into the boiling baking soda water for 20–30 seconds. Do not boil longer, or the pretzels may develop a metallic taste. Lift each pretzel out with a slotted spatula, allowing excess water to drip off, and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pretzels. If desired, cover the boiled, unbaked pretzels with lightly oiled plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.
- Sprinkle the pretzels with coarse salt. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until dark golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm, optionally with cheese sauce.
- Cover and store leftover pretzels at room temperature for up to 3 days. To reheat, microwave for a few seconds or bake at 350°F (177°C) for 5 minutes.
Notes
- Make ahead and freeze baked pretzels: For freezing fully baked pretzels, leave off the coarse salt before baking. Cool completely, then freeze in an airtight freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. To reheat, brush frozen pretzels with water, sprinkle with coarse salt, and bake at 350°F (177°C) for about 20 minutes or until warmed through. You can also microwave them until warm.
- Make ahead and freeze dough: Cover and refrigerate prepared dough for up to 1 day, or freeze in an airtight container for 2–3 months. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator. Shape refrigerated dough while cold, then allow the shaped pretzels about 1 hour at room temperature to puff up before continuing with the baking soda bath and baking.
- Freeze boiled, unbaked pretzels: After the baking soda bath, place pretzels on a lightly greased, parchment-lined or silicone-mat-lined baking sheet. Freeze for about 1 hour, then transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, brush frozen pretzels with water, sprinkle with coarse salt, and bake at 400°F (204°C) for 15–20 minutes, or until dark golden brown.
- Baking soda bath: The baking soda bath is strongly recommended for the traditional chewy texture and pretzel flavor. If skipping it, brush the shaped, unbaked pretzels with an egg wash made from 1 beaten egg and 1 tablespoon of dairy or nondairy milk. Sprinkle with salt. Alternatively, brush with 2 tablespoons of dairy or nondairy milk.
- Cinnamon sugar pretzels: Skip the coarse salt topping and, if not using the baking soda bath, skip the egg wash. Bake as directed. Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted or salted butter. Brush the warm baked pretzels with melted butter, then dip the tops into a mixture of 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. These are best eaten the day they are made, as the butter topping can make them soggy after a few hours.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Bread, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American