This Easy Soft Pretzel Recipe makes the most perfectly soft and chewy pretzels, with just a few simple ingredients. Finally, you can enjoy your favorite soft pretzels without ever leaving your kitchen!
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Easy Soft Pretzel Recipe
Once you make this recipe for Homemade Soft Pretzels, you will be shocked by just how easy they are to make at home. The secret to getting that firm skin and definitive “pretzel flavor” is all thanks to the poaching step, which has unfortunately scared off many a potential pretzel-maker.
If you still want that true pretzel flavor, but don’t want to mess with a caustic lye solution and rubber gloves, then this recipe is for you! All you need is baking soda, water and a little extra time. They make the best weekend treat, or game-day snack.
Dips to Serve With Soft Pretzels
These homemade soft pretzels are so yummy just straight from the oven (or maybe also smothered in melted butter…let's get real). But who doesn’t also love a soft pretzel dipped in cheesy, buttery goodness? Here are a few of our recommendations:
- Honey Butter
- Garlic Butter
- Marinara Sauce
- Cheddar Queso Dip
- Pepper Jack Queso Dip
- Jalapeno Artichoke Dip
- Spicy Chicken Dip
How to Proof Yeast
First things first. There are two main types of dry yeast that you will find at the grocery store - instant yeast (or quick rise) and active dry yeast.
Without getting into too much of the science, instant yeast is specially manufactured so that it can just be dumped into your dries and mixed. Active dry yeast, on the other hand, needs to be woken up, or “proofed.”
Don’t be scared! Proofing yeast really couldn’t be more simple. All you need to do is combine your active dry yeast with warm water or milk and a touch of sugar, and let it sit for 5-10 minutes at room temperature until it starts to get nice and bubbly.
That’s it - now your yeast is awake and happy and you can use as directed in your soft pretzel recipe. If the yeast never bubbles and foams, it’s likely “dead” and you will want to start over with new yeast. Much better to know sooner rather than later!
How to Shape Homemade Soft pretzels
- Take each piece of dough and begin rolling them into long logs on the counter. (Hint: if you “bang” the dough on the counter as you roll, they will naturally get longer and longer.)
- Keep going until you reach about 24 inches.
- Twist the ends of the dough and press onto opposite sides of the pretzel, as shown in the photos.
Ingredients in Homemade Soft Pretzels
- Water - your water to proof yeast should be warm (95-105 degrees F) in order to wake up the yeast.
- Sugar - yeast loves sugar, and helps it get nice and bubbly.
- Yeast - we use active dry yeast for this recipe.
- Flour - you can use either all-purpose or bread flour, or even a combination of both.
- Salt - salt is extremely important for both the flavor and structure of any breads so be sure not to skimp!
- Baking Soda and Water - this poaching bath gives your pretzels that authentic pretzel flavor, without having to use a caustic lye solution.
- Eggs - use whole eggs whisked with a little water to make your egg wash.
- Pretzel Salt - this is much coarser than a normal salt and is rectangular shaped, which helps it stick to the pretzels. If you can’t find true pretzel salt, coarse sea salt with work just fine.
How to Make Soft Salted Pretzels
Making Your Pretzel Dough:
- Proof your yeast by adding the warm water, sugar, and yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir well, and let sit for about 10 minutes until frothy.
- When the mixture looks nice and bubbly, add 2 cups of the flour and your salt, and mix on low speed using the dough hook. Add in the rest of your flour, ½ cup at a time, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (you may not need to use the full amount).
- Once all of your flour has been added, mix on low to knead the dough for another few minutes, then turn off the mixer and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, or about 1 hour.
- After your dough has doubled, turn it out onto a floured surface and divide into 9 equal balls. Cover the dough balls loosely with a kitchen towel and let them relax for about 2 minutes.
Shaping and Baking the Pretzels:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. At the same time, make your baking soda bath by combining the water and baking soda in a large pot and set it on high heat to bring it to a boil.
- While the water starts to heat, you can shape your pretzels as directed above.
- When your poaching water is boiling, add 2-3 pretzels at a time and poach for 20 seconds. Flip them over and poach for another 20 seconds. Do not over boil them! Remove them from the water using tongs or a slotted spatula and place on a baking tray.
- As soon as all of your pretzels are poached, whisk together the egg and water in a small bowl. Brush this egg wash over the tops of each pretzel, then sprinkle the pretzel salt, or coarse sea salt, over the tops.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the pretzels are golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
If your thing is buttery, Auntie Anne style soft pretzels, we hear ya! The secret is to brush the top of each pretzel with melted butter once they are fresh out of the oven. Let them cool for just a minute or two so that more of the butter has a chance to stick.
Without getting too technical, the baking soda basically changes the pH of the outer layer of the pretzel dough. This causes it to harden and brown quicker, making the chewy outer crust.
Other Pretzel Variations To Try
- Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels: Before baking, brush with egg wash but do not sprinkle with sea salt. Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool just enough so that you can handle them. Melt about 2 tablespoons of butter and brush it onto your pretzels, then toss them one at a time in a mixture of 1 cup of sugar to 4 teaspoon of cinnamon.
- Garlic Parmesan Pretzels: Mix together about 6 tablespoons of grate Parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder and 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning. Once the pretzels are out of the oven, brush with melted butter and sprinkle generously with the garlic cheese mix.
- Try other seasonings: after brushing your egg wash onto the pretzels, sprinkle with “everything” bagel seasoning, ranch seasoning or even cajun seasoning.
- Cheese Pretzels: brush on your egg wash and sprinkle grated Parmesan, Asiago or Romano cheese.
- Sliced jalapeños: if you like things spicy, top with thinly sliced jalapeños just before baking.
Storing and Freezing
- Room Temperature: store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: you can freeze your pretzels for up to 2 months as long as they are stored properly in well-sealed freezer bags or another airtight container.
- Dough: you can make your pretzel dough the night before and store in the fridge. Just be sure to wrap well with plastic wrap. When you are ready to shape, allow the dough to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes first.
Homemade Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
Pretzel Dough
- 1 ½ Cups Water warm
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
- 3-3 ½ Cups Flour bread or all-purpose
- 1 ½ teaspoon Salt
Pretzel Poaching Liquid
- 6 Cups Water
- 6 teaspoon Baking Soda
Egg wash
- 1 large Egg
- 2 Tablespoons Water
For Salted Pretzels
- 2 Tablespoons Pretzel Salt or coarse sea salt
Instructions
How to Make Pretzel Dough
- Proof your yeast by adding the warm water, sugar, and yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir well, and let sit for about 10 minutes until frothy.
- When the mixture looks nice and bubbly, add 2 cups of the flour and your salt, and mix on low speed using the dough hook. Add in the rest of your flour, ½ cup at a time, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (you may not need to use the full amount).
- Once all of your flour has been added, mix on low to knead the dough for another few minutes, then turn off the mixer and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, or about 1 hour.
- After your dough has doubled, turn it out onto a floured surface and divide into 9 equal balls. Cover the dough balls loosely with a kitchen towel and let them relax for about 2 minutes.
How to Shape and Bake Pretzels
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. At the same time, make your baking soda bath by combining the water and baking soda in a large pot and set it on high heat to bring it to a boil.
- While the water starts to heat, you can shape your pretzels. One at a time, roll each ball of dough into a log until it is about 24" long. If it keeps shrinking back on you, move onto another dough ball and return to that one later (you can also "bang" the dough on the counter as you roll). Once your dough is 24" long, twist the ends and press onto the the opposite sides of the pretzel, as shown in the photos.
- When your poaching water is boiling, add 2-3 pretzels at a time and poach for 20 seconds. Flip them over and poach for another 20 seconds. Do not over boil them! Remove them from the water using tongs or a slotted spatula and place on a baking tray.
- As soon as all of your pretzels are poached, whisk together the egg and water in a small bowl. Brush this egg wash over the tops of each pretzel, then sprinkle the pretzel salt, or coarse sea salt, over the tops.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the pretzels are golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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This Homemade Soft Pretzels recipe makes the most perfectly soft and chewy pretzels, with just a few simple ingredients. Serve them with your favorite cheesy queso dip, or enjoy them warm straight from the oven.
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