Description
This recipe for Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels walks you through the process of making delicious, chewy pretzels from scratch using simple ingredients. The dough is kneaded, shaped into traditional pretzel forms, briefly boiled in a baking soda bath to develop the classic crust, and then baked to a perfect golden brown. Perfect as a snack or appetizer, these soft pretzels can be enjoyed plain or with your favorite dipping sauces.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) warm water (around 100°F/38°C)
- 1 Tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 and 3/4–4 cups (469–500g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
Topping and Boiling Bath
- Coarse salt, for topping
- 1/2 cup (120g) baking soda
- 9 cups (2.13L) water
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: Whisk the yeast and sugar into warm water. Cover and allow to sit for 1 minute to activate the yeast.
- Mix Ingredients: Whisk in melted butter and salt into the yeast mixture. Add 3 cups (375g) of flour and mix until combined. Gradually add 3/4 cup (94g) more flour until the dough pulls away from the sides and is slightly tacky. Add up to an additional 1/4 cup (31g) if sticky. The dough should bounce back when poked.
- Knead the Dough: Knead the dough either with a stand mixer dough hook for 3 to 5 minutes or by hand on a floured surface for the same time until soft and elastic. Add small amounts of flour if necessary to keep dough slightly tacky but not dry. Perform a windowpane test to check readiness.
- Rest the Dough: Shape the dough into a ball, cover lightly with a towel, and allow it to rest for 10 to 30 minutes. Use this time to prepare the boiling water with baking soda.
- Prepare Baking Sheets and Oven: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or preferably silicone baking mats coated with nonstick spray or butter.
- Portion Dough: Cut the dough into 75g pieces (about 1/3 cup each) using a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
- Shape Pretzels: Roll each portion into a 20–22 inch rope, form a circle, twist the ends, then fold and press the twisted ends down to create the classic pretzel shape.
- Boil Pretzels: Bring 9 cups of water and 1/2 cup baking soda to a boil. Boil 1 or 2 pretzels at a time for 20–30 seconds; longer boiling may cause a metallic taste. Remove with a slotted spatula and let excess water drain. Place pretzels on prepared baking sheets. Optionally, cover with oiled plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking.
- Add Salt and Bake: Sprinkle pretzels with coarse salt. Bake in preheated oven for 12–15 minutes or until dark golden brown.
- Serving: Remove from oven and serve warm, optionally with spicy nacho cheese sauce or other dips.
- Storing Leftovers: Store leftover pretzels at room temperature covered for up to 3 days. Reheat by microwaving briefly or baking at 350°F (177°C) for 5 minutes. See notes for freezing and make-ahead tips.
Notes
- To make reheating easy, pretzels can be boiled, then covered and refrigerated up to 24 hours before baking.
- Leftover pretzels keep well at room temperature for up to 3 days; reheat gently to restore softness.
- Pretzels can be frozen after baking. Wrap tightly and freeze; thaw at room temperature and reheat in oven for best texture.
- Silicone baking mats are preferable over parchment paper for baking to prevent sticking.
- Ensure water temperature for yeast activation is around 100°F (38°C) to avoid killing yeast.
- Do not over-boil pretzels in baking soda water to prevent metallic taste.
