Are you on the hunt for the perfect Homemade Soft Pretzels recipe? Learn how to make soft pretzels at home with just a few simple pantry staples.
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Soft pretzels are so easy to make that you might be surprised. They're so delicious with their chewy outside and soft fluffy bread center. Whip these pretzels up for a snack or freeze them for snacking on later.
This Homemade Soft Pretzels recipe is...
- Made with simple ingredients
- Chewy outside and soft inside
- Freezer-friendly
- Kid-friendly
And if you're looking for even more tasty lunch ideas, go check out my new e-book Healthy Plant-Based School Lunches. It's loaded with all my favorite tips for making meatless school lunches that the kids will love!
How to Make Homemade Soft Pretzels
- In bowl, combine yeast, warm water, butter, sugar, and salt. Let yeast activate.
- Once the yeast is activated, add in flour and mix until dough is cohesive.
- Cover bowl with a towel and place in a warm spot to allow the dough to rise.
- Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet.
- Bring 3 cups of water to a boil, dissolve the baking soda in it, remove from heat, and allow to cool a bit.
- Divide your dough into 8 equal parts. Then work on shaping the pretzels.
- Dip the pretzels into the warm baking soda water, then move to baking sheet.
- Add seasoning, then bake until done.
Full directions for how to make Homemade Soft Pretzels are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Tips & Tricks for Homemade Soft Pretzels
Shaping Pretzels
To shape the pretzels, roll out the dough into a snake-like shape. Then create the loops for each side. It's okay if your pretzels are not perfectly shaped.
You could also make them into a twist style. That's where you leave a loop at the top, twist a few times, and cut. These kind of pretzel twists are a bit smaller in size, so make sure to adjust the baking time as needed.
Large Pot
Make sure to use a large pot for the boiling water and baking soda. It's important to fully soak your pretzels in the bath, or you won't get that chewy outside texture.
Let The Water Cool
Make sure—after you stir in the baking soda—that your water is the proper temperature for the pretzels. Once the water is boiling, turn off the heat and let it cool for a little before you drop in the pretzel dough.
Variations to Homemade Soft Pretzels
Seasoning
I used everything-but-the-bagel seasoning on my pretzels, but you're welcome to use whatever pretzels seasoning you prefer. Try using a classic pretzel salt or other seasoning blend like dried onions and poppyseeds. You can also dip your pretzels in cheese sauce or any other dip you prefer.
Adjust Baking Time
Depending on the baking time, you can adjust how soft or chewy your pretzels will be. Pulling them out of the oven sooner makes a softer pretzel. For a chewier texture, you bake your pretzels just a few minutes longer.
Homemade Soft Pretzels FAQs
Why do you boil soft pretzels before baking?
Dropping the raw dough into the hot water allows for an instant puff of dough. This creates a shell exterior that creates the classic chew factor of the pretzel.
What gives soft pretzels their flavor?
Baking soda is what gives pretzels their popular crave-able flavor. It reacts in the water and creates a nice outside texture that's super tasty.
How do you keep soft pretzels from getting hard?
Putting cooled pretzels in a paper bag is a great way to keep them from over-drying out. The bag protects the pretzels but also allows moisture to escape. It's the perfect way to store pretzels when you're not eating them!
While you're here, be sure to check out our Vegetarian Freezer Cooking Cookbook. We take the guesswork out of freezer cooking with these meatless recipes that were specifically developed to be prepared, frozen, and reheated later. Talk about easy dinners!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water between 90–110°F
- 1 tbsp butter melted
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour adjust as needed
- 3 cups water
- 4 tbsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp everything-but-the-bagel seasoning
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine yeast, warm water, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Stir and let yeast bubble for 5–10 minutes.
- Stir in the flour as needed to form a cohesive dough. It should require approximately 3 cups, but the actual amount can vary a bit based on your specific flour brand. Fold the dough out onto a clean surface and knead for 5 minutes.
- Place dough back into a clean bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Set in a warm spot in your kitchen and allow the pretzel dough to rise until it roughly doubles in size, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 475°F. Lined a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Boil 3 cups of water and dissolve the baking soda in it. Remove water pot from heat and allow to cool until just warm.
- Divide the pretzel dough into 8 equal pieces, then shape into pretzel shapes.
- To shape dough into pretzels, roll each segment into 1" thick ropes. Form the rope into a U-shape.
- Then take both ends and twist twice at the top. Invert the twisted edges to the bottom of the U-shape and press dough together to secure.
- Quickly dunk the shaped pretzels into the warm baking soda water for 2 minutes, then move them to a lined baking sheet.
- Sprinkle the pretzels with EBTB seasoning.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes or until golden brown.
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