Easy Soft Pretzel Recipe
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Sep. 19, 2023
You can have chewy, soft pretzels at home, anytime the craving calls. No need to head to the shopping mall for your favorite salty treat. This homemade pretzel recipe is a keeper.
In This Article
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Video: Watch us Make Soft Pretzels
You Can Make These Easy Soft Pretzels
Some things in life can actually be easier than they look. Take these soft pretzels. These soft and chewy homemade pretzels are special snacks usually reserved for shopping mall meanderings, can absolutely emerge from your own oven.
Before any assumptions can be made, know this: I’m the mom that chooses sprinkles over frosting because tossing sprinkles onto 3-ingredient shortbread cookies is way easier than frosting anything.
The point is, these homemade pretzels are 100% doable and fun to make, even if you’ve never baked bread in your life. Bonus: if you’ve got a budding little baker in the house, this is a super fun recipe to do together.
Tips for Pretzel Making Success
- Use a digital kitchen thermometer for accurate water temperature, as it needs to be warm enough (but not hot) in order for yeast to thrive.
- Be sure your package of active yeast is fresh.
- Knead dough for the full 5 minutes on floured surface; if it’s too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time. If too dry, add a tablespoon of water at a time. Texture of dough should be like pliable play-dough.
- Younger kids can get in on the kneading fun
- Older kids can help shape the pretzels.
- Everyone can join in the fun of topping pretzels with various options.
Toppings and Dippings
- Flaky sea salt is classic.
- Sprinkle warm pretzels with finely grated/powder parmesan cheese.
- This Queso Cheese Sauce stays rich, smooth, and melty without clumping up.
- Cinnamon sugar is fantastic for a sweet alternative.
- Try this Magic Honey Mustard Sauce for dipping.
- Homemade ranch dressing or Creamy Caesar dressing are both delicious as dipping sauce.
Common Questions and Answers
Chances are very high that your homemade pretzels will be snatched up before you get a chance to store them. That said, once the pretzels are fully cooled to room temperature, you can store them in an airtight container for a day or two, or freeze them for later.
Yes, your homemade soft pretzels can absolutely be frozen. Wait until they are completely cooled to room temp, place them in an airtight container, and freeze.
If pretzels were frozen, let them defrost at room temperature first. To microwave, place pretzels on a glass plate and loosely cover with damp cloth/towel. Heat for 15 seconds at a time, until desired warmth.
Let baked pretzels cool at room temperature, while oven cools off. Place pretzels in an oven-safe container with lid, or wrap them up in foil, and place on middle rack of oven set to “warm.”
Other things to Bake and Eat
- How to Make Flatbread in 15 Minutes
- Crusty French Bread Recipe
- How to Make Olive Garden Breadsticks
- Rustic Rosemary Garlic Bread
- Parmesan Garlic Pull-Apart Bread Rolls
- How to Make Homemade Dinner Rolls in 1 Hour
Try this Amazing Garlic Rosemary Bread, Too
Did you make this?
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Easy Soft Pretzel Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups warm water, 110-115F
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
- ¼ oz active dry yeast, fresh
- 4 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ stick salted butter, melted
- canola, olive, or vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup baking soda, mixed in 10 cups of water
- 2 egg yolks, beaten with 1 TB water
- Optional Toppings: flaky sea salt, sesame seeds, parmesan cheese, cinnamon sugar, warm butter
Instructions
- Combine first 4 ingredients in large bowl, mixing it in a little. Let sit until mixture foams. Add flour and butter. Mix until combined, by hand or stand mixer.
- Knead until dough is smooth and no longer sticks to bowl (about 5 min). Put dough into well oiled bowl and turn dough so it is oiled on all surface areas.
- Cover with damp towel and set in warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.The actual time it takes to double depends, of course, on the temperature. If the room is cool, I set my dough in the oven, with only the light turned on. If you do that, just make sure you remove the dough before preheating oven.
- Preheat oven to 450F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, and grease paper with oil.
- Bring baking soda and 10-cup water mixture to a boil in large pan.
- Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each one into a 1 1/2 – 2 ft rope. Lightly oil working surface if needed.
- Making a U-shape with rope, cross the ends over each other and form pretzel shape. Press ends tightly in, so they don’t come apart while baking.
- One at a time, carefully lift and place each pretzel into boiling water for just 30 seconds. This gives it that wonderful outer texture.
- Return to parchment-lined pan. Brush tops of pretzels with egg/water mixture. If desired, sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Bake 9-10 minor until golden brown.
- Remove from oven and brush with butter, if desired. Sprinkle desired toppings onto pretzels. Cool on rack a few minutes before taking a bite.
Equipment
Notes
- Pretzels are best eaten fresh and warm. To store leftover pretzels: once the pretzels are fully cooled to room temperature, you can store them in an airtight container for a day or two, or freeze them for later.
- Baked soft pretzels can also be frozen. Wait until they are completely cooled to room temp, place them in an airtight container, and freeze.
- If pretzels were frozen, let them defrost at room temperature first. To microwave, place pretzels on a glass plate and loosely cover with damp cloth/towel. Heat for 15 seconds at a time, until desired warmth.
- See original article for flavor variations and topping ideas.
- If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating ❤️