Homemade Soft Pretzels
Homemade Soft Pretzels
Most of the time, I’m not a pushover for fast food. I can drive right past the drive-through and stroll on by the scoop shop without even pausing. But the one thing I absolutely can’t resist is fresh soft pretzels. One whiff of that heavenly, warm, yeasty aroma can bring me running from halfway across the mall. Clearly, I’m just never going to kick the pretzel habit. So I decided to do the next best thing: feed my addiction for less by making my own.
These Homemade Soft Pretzels have the same gorgeous golden color as the ones at the pretzel stand. They have the same chewy outer crust that you can really sink your teeth into, with the same soft, tender dough underneath that just melts on your tongue. And most of all, they have that delicious, fresh-baked smell and taste, rich with melted butter and bright little sparkles of coarse salt.
When you pull a pan of these babies out of the oven and send that warm, buttery aroma all through your house, it’s sure to bring your family running from all directions just like the mall pretzels do to me.
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Could I make these with whole-wheat flour to make them a little healthier?
- I wouldn’t replace all the bread flour with whole-wheat flour, but you can definitely replace up to a cup of it and still get the soft texture you want. They will just be a little bit denser and chewier, with a somewhat heartier flavor.
Help! I keep trying to twist my ropes of dough into a pretzel shape, and I just can’t get them to look like the picture! What am I doing wrong?
- OK, here’s a play-by-play: Start with the long rope laid out from left to right in front of you. Grab both ends and bend them up to make a circle, then cross your right hand over your left to make a teardrop shape. Then let go of both ends and pick them up again – the one that’s now on your left with your left hand and the other with your right – and this time, cross your left hand over your right to twist them together. Then pull both the ends down so that they overlap with the bottom loop of the dough, and presto – you’ve got a pretzel shape! (And if that still doesn’t make sense, watch this video.)
Will this recipe work for cinnamon-sugar pretzels too?
- Yes! For this version, leave off the butter and salt before you bake them. Instead, brush on the melted butter onto the hot pretzels after baking, and then sprinkle them generously with cinnamon sugar. I like a mix of about four parts sugar to one part cinnamon, but you can adjust it to your own taste.
Can I skip the pretzel soda bath?
- No, the soda bath is essential to create the classic pretzel flavor.
How to Make Homemade Soft Pretzels
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water and let sit for 5 minutes until frothy.
- Mix flour, brown sugar, and table salt in a mixer. Add yeast mixture and one tablespoon melted butter and stir with dough hook.
- Add up to ¼ cup of additional flour one tablespoon at a time until you can touch the dough without it sticking to your fingers. Knead with the mixer on low for 8 minutes.
- Form dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel and let rise in a warm place for one hour.
- While dough is rising, prepare soda water bath by mixing 2 ¼ cups of water with baking soda in a small saucepan.
- Preheat oven to 400 ℉. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with cooking oil.
- Punch dough down and form into a ball. Cut into 16 equal pieces. Keep the pieces that you aren’t working with covered with the damp cloth to avoid drying out.
- Roll each piece into a 24 inch snake and form into a pretzel shape.
- Heat baking soda and water to a boil and reduce heat to low. One at a time, place the pretzel into the soda bath for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spatula and blot excess water on a tea towel. Place pretzel on prepared baking sheets.
- Brush pretzels with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 400℉ for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
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How to Make Homemade Soft Pretzels
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Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups warm water 110 ℉
- 3 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted butter divided
- 3 ½ cups all purpose flour up to ¼ cup additional flour may be needed
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 2 ¼ cups water
- ¼ cup baking soda
- ½ tablespoon coarse salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water and let sit for 5 minutes until frothy.
- Mix flour, brown sugar, and table salt in a mixer. Add yeast mixture and one tablespoon melted butter and stir with dough hook.
- Add up to ¼ cup of additional flour one tablespoon at a time until you can touch the dough without it sticking to your fingers. Knead with the mixer on low for 8 minutes.
- Form dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel and let rise in a warm place for one hour.
- While dough is rising, prepare soda water bath by mixing 2 ¼ cups of water with baking soda in a small saucepan.
- Preheat oven to 400 ℉. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with cooking oil.
- Punch dough down and form into a ball. Cut into 16 equal pieces. Keep the pieces that you aren’t working with covered with the damp cloth to avoid drying out. Roll each piece into a 24 inch snake and form into a pretzel shape.
- Heat baking soda and water to a boil and reduce heat to low. One at a time, place the pretzel into the soda bath for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spatula and blot excess water on a tea towel. Place pretzel on prepared baking sheets.
- Brush pretzels with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 400℉ for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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