Soft Pretzels

Name: Soft Pretzels
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 1.5 cups warm water; 1 tbsp granulated sugar; 1 packet active dry yeast; 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted; 1 tsp fine salt; 4.5 cups all-purpose flour; 2/3 cup baking soda; 2 tbsp coarse pretzel salt

Traditional chewy pretzels with a deep brown crust and coarse salt topping. Briefly boiled in a baking soda bath before baking for authentic flavor.

40 minMediumServes 8270 cal/serving

GermanAppetizerStovetop and OvenVegetarianHalal-friendlyNut-FreeEgg-FreeSoy-FreeAlcohol-FreeNightshade-FreeCorn-FreePork-Free

Ingredients

1.5 cups warm water
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp fine salt
4.5 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup baking soda
2 tbsp coarse pretzel salt

Instructions

1

Whisk 1.5 cups warm water, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, and 1 packet active dry yeast in a large bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
2

Add 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter, 1 tsp fine salt, and 4.5 cups all-purpose flour. Knead dough on a floured surface for 5 minutes until smooth, then let rise for 1 hour.
3

Divide dough into 8 equal pieces, roll each into a long rope, and twist into pretzel shapes.
4

Bring 10 cups of water and 2/3 cup baking soda to a boil in a large pot. Boil each pretzel for 30 seconds.
5

Transfer pretzels to a baking sheet, sprinkle with 2 tbsp coarse pretzel salt, and bake at 450 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes until deep golden brown.

Questions

Can I make Soft Pretzels dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted. Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Soft Pretzels gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 4.5 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp coarse pretzel salt. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works); the bread or crumbs for a gluten-free loaf or gluten-free panko. Everything else proceeds as written.

How long does Soft Pretzels keep?

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them within three days. Reheat covered in a 300 F oven until warmed through.

Can I halve or double Soft Pretzels?

Yes. As written it serves 8. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. Doubled, split it across two pans and rotate them halfway; one crowded pan bakes unevenly.

Serve it with

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