Description
This recipe for Super Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels delivers buttery soft, perfectly sweet and salty pretzels that are simple to make and irresistible fresh out of the oven. Using basic pantry ingredients like flour, yeast, and baking soda for the bath, these pretzels require just a quick knead and shaping before baking to golden perfection. Ideal as a snack for all ages, they reheat wonderfully toasted with butter.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 5 cups (640 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (8 grams) instant yeast (or see notes for active dry yeast)
- 1.5 teaspoons (9 grams) salt
- 1/2 cup (110 grams) sugar
- 1.5 cups (350 grams) warm water
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) neutral oil or olive oil
Baking Soda Bath
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) baking soda
- 4 cups hot water
Toppings and Finishing
- Kosher salt, for sprinkling
- 4 tablespoons melted butter, for brushing
Instructions
- Mix and Knead Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Add the warm water and oil, stirring with a rubber spatula until a shaggy dough forms. Knead briefly by hand in the bowl, then turn out onto a work surface and knead until tacky and cohesive, about 1 minute. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook for about 3 minutes.
- First Rise: Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with a towel or bowl cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour. The dough may not double, which is normal.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 425ºF (220ºC) to prepare for baking.
- Divide and Rest Dough Portions: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal portions, about 75 grams each. Roll each into a rough 12-inch log. Let the logs rest briefly to allow gluten to relax.
- Shape Pretzels: Roll each log out to 22-24 inches in length. Twist and fold each into the classic pretzel shape. Transfer shaped pretzels to a lightly oiled sheet pan.
- Prepare Baking Soda Bath: Dissolve the baking soda in 4 cups of hot water, using either boiled water from a kettle or hot tap water.
- Baking Soda Dip: Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Working one pretzel at a time, dip it into the baking soda bath top-side down using a spider or slotted spoon, then flip and transfer it top-side up onto the prepared pan. Repeat for all pretzels.
- Salt and Bake: Sprinkle the dipped pretzels generously with kosher salt. Bake one pan at a time in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.
- Butter and Cool: Remove the baked pretzels and immediately brush with melted butter. Transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat baking and buttering with remaining pretzels.
- Serve and Store: Serve warm. Pretzels reheat well when halved, toasted, and spread with butter.
Notes
- This recipe produces buttery soft pretzels with a perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness, loved by both kids and adults.
- Adapted from Vicki Roberts, a tried-and-true family favorite.
- Yeast: If using active dry yeast, sprinkle it over warm water with 1 teaspoon sugar and let sit 15 minutes before starting.
- Salt: Fine sea salt or kosher salt can be used for the dough and sprinkling.
- Sugar: The specified sugar amount is important for texture and flavor. Reducing it changes the pretzel’s quality.
- Use minimal flour when shaping to avoid a tough crust.
- The baking soda bath promotes even browning and traditional pretzel crust.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pretzel
- Calories: 270
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 4.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 8 mg
