Making soft pretzels at home is as simple as five ingredients and a little time – and they taste much better than store-bought. With just 40 minutes of hands-on prep, you get chewy and crispy pretzels, made even better by a quick baking soda bath to create that famous golden-brown crust. You’d never believe how easy these pretzels are to make!
How to make soft pretzels
Mix and Knead The Dough: Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the yeast, warm water, and oil, allowing it to rest for a few minutes. This is known as “activating” the yeast and will tell you whether or not your yeast is usable. When the yeast is properly activated, the bowl should develop a foamy top (like a beer).
Water Brown Sugar Baking Soda
Then, add the yeast to the flour mix and combine to form a dough. Using either the dough hook on a stand mixer or your hands, knead the dough until smooth and elastic. The dough is ready when you poke it and it bounces back. This can take 5-15 minutes. Rest The Dough: Place the kneaded pretzel dough in a greased bowl and leave it covered in a warm place for an hour or until it doubles in size. You can also leave it to rest in the oven with the light on (but no heat) if your area isn’t warm. Preheat The Oven: Preheat your oven to 425ºF/220°C fan assisted (475ºF/240°C without fan). Shape The Pretzels: Gently deflate the dough, then remove it from the bowl and divide it into equal portions. Roll each portion into a rope about 23-25 inches long (60-65cm). Form each rope into a U shape and twist the two ends together a few inches from the top. Twist a second time, then bring the ends to the bottom of the U and press down to form a pretzel shape—follow my pictures below. Prepare The Baking Soda Bath: Add the water and sugar to a large, high-sided saucepan and bring to a boil. Once it’s at boiling point, add the baking soda. Poach The Pretzels: Using a spatula or slotted spoon, carefully lower a pretzel into the baking soda water, poaching for 10 seconds on either side – this helps give them a proper crust. Shake away the excess liquid, then place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat with all your soft pretzels. Don’t poach for any longer than 20 seconds, as this can affect the flavor of the soft pretzels. Bake the pretzels: Brush the tops of the soft pretzels with some egg wash or milk for an extra shiny crust. Then bake in the oven at 425ºF/220°C for 12-15 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don’t overbrown. Remove from the oven, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with coarse salt to serve. Serve and Enjoy: Enjoy your homemade soft pretzels with popular options like butter or herby compound butter, dip them into mustard or ketchup, serve them with melted cream cheese, or enjoy them with sweet dips like Nutella. If you try this soft pretzels recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
