Homemade Soft Pretzels
Homemade soft pretzels are satisfying to make and an absolute treat to eat! This is a no-lye recipe, which means you don’t need any special equipment to make it. Soft pretzels for everyone!
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose white flour, more if needed
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant (rapid rise or quick rise) yeast (1 packet)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1 ¼ cups warm water, 120°F-130°F
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 8 cups water
- ¼ cup baking soda
- 1 large egg, beaten (for glazing)
- pretzel salt or sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Fit the dough hook to a stand mixer (see note) and put the flour, yeast, salt and sugar into the mixing bowl. Whisk together by hand until fully combined.4 cups all-purpose white flour, more if needed, 2 ¼ teaspoons instant (rapid rise or quick rise) yeast, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- Pour the water and melted butter into the mixing bowl. Turn on the stand mixer to the lowest setting. Mix with the dough hook for 8 minutes, scraping sides of bowl as needed.1 ¼ cups warm water, 120°F-130°F, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- After 8 minutes the dough will have formed a ball and should come away from the sides of the mixing bowl. It will feel dry to the touch and when you press a finger into the dough it should spring back slowly. If the dough feels sticky when you touch it with a clean dry finger, add more flour a tablespoon at a time with the mixer running until the flour is incorporated.
- Lightly oil a bowl and turn the dough out into it, flipping the dough so that it’s coated in the oil. Cover with a clean dry towel. Set the bowl aside for 1 hour to allow the dough to rise.
- Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper OR lightly oil it (either drizzle a little oil on it and rub it in with your hands, or spray it with a light coating of oil).
- After 1 hour, the dough will have approximately doubled in size (see note below). Punch the air out and transfer it to a clean surface. Using a large knife or dough cutter, cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. If dough seems too elastic, let it rest 10 minutes.
- With your hands, roll each piece of dough into a rope about 20 inches long. To make the pretzel shape, form the rope into an upside down U shape. Take the loose ends of the dough and wrap them around each other twice, then fold the ends up to meet the top of the upside down U, and press down lightly. Set aside on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat for each piece of dough.
- When you have shaped all the dough into pretzels, set them aside. Preheat the oven to 400ºF and prepare the baking soda water bath.
- Fill a large saucepan halfway with 8 cups water; bring it to a boil. When it’s boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer, then slowly add the baking soda. The baking soda will fizz and might bubble over if the pan has too much water in it.¼ cup baking soda, 8 cups water
- By now the pretzels will have puffed up slightly. Working one at a time, using a large slotted spatula, spider, or skimmer, put a pretzel into the simmering baking soda water bath. Let it soak for 15 seconds on each side. Do not allow the pretzels to soak for longer than 30 seconds total (see note). Use the slotted spatula to lift the pretzel out of the water and allow the water to drain off. Put the pretzel back onto the baking sheet. Repeat for each pretzel.
- Brush the pretzels with the beaten egg; then sprinkle lightly with pretzel salt. Bake in the preheated oven for 14 to 17 minutes, or until the pretzels are golden brown.1 large egg, beaten, pretzel salt or sea salt, for sprinkling
- Remove from the oven and serve warm.
Notes
- Don't have a stand mixer? While a stand mixer makes the process easier, you don't have to use one. If you're making the dough by hand, mix the dough ingredients, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for 10 to 15 minutes until it is soft and pliable.
- Rising note: Keep an eye on the dough as it might double in size faster than an hour depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
- Water bath tip: It’s important to note that the pretzels shouldn’t be dipped any longer than 30 seconds in the baking soda water bath; otherwise it can affect the flavor and you might be able to taste the bitterness from the baking soda.
- Storage: Store completely cooled pretzels in a sealed container, and keep at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pretzel | Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 1344mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 166IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 3mg
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