Homemade Soft Pretzels
There’s something special about biting into a warm, homemade soft pretzel with a chewy outside and a soft, buttery center. You don’t have to visit a mall or bakery to enjoy this classic snack. With a handful of everyday ingredients, you can make homemade soft pretzels right in your own kitchen. They’re perfect for game day, movie night, parties, or whenever you’re craving a freshly baked treat.
This homemade soft pretzel recipe uses warm water, sugar, active dry yeast, all-purpose flour, melted butter, and salt to create a smooth dough. After the dough rises until doubled in size, it’s divided into eight portions and rolled into long ropes. Shaping the ropes into the familiar pretzel twist is part of the fun, and even imperfect shapes will taste delicious.
The secret to achieving that traditional pretzel finish is a quick 30-second dip in boiling water mixed with baking soda before baking. This step helps develop the distinctive pretzel crust and rich golden-brown color. A light brushing of egg yolk and water helps the pretzel salt stick to the surface, adding the savory touch that makes soft pretzels so irresistible.
For easier handling, use a dough scraper to divide the risen dough into eight equal portions before shaping. It’s a handy tool for bread baking that can also help lift sticky dough from your work surface with less mess.
Serve these homemade soft pretzels warm, straight from the oven, or customize them to suit your cravings. Pretzel salt makes them a classic savory snack, while cinnamon and sugar offer a sweeter alternative. Once you discover how satisfying fresh-baked pretzels can be, you may find yourself making them for family and friends again and again.
Not what you are looking for? Try these other amazing Appetizer recipes:
- Slow Cooker Mahogany Chicken Wings
- Marinated Portobello Mushrooms
- Cheesy Cauliflower Tots
- Mini Buffalo Chicken Balls
Homemade Soft Pretzels
- Total Time: 1:55
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
- 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
- Vegetable oil, for pan
- 10 cups water
- 2/3 cup baking soda
- 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- Pretzel salt
Instructions
- Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.
- Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.
- In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.
- Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 1:30
- Cook Time: :25
- Category: Snack
- Method: Oven