Super soft pretzels with a salty crust that are easy to make and better than the ones you’ll buy at the mall or a ballpark.
Homemade pretzels have been on my baking bucket list for years. I love a great soft pretzel with a side of mustard or cheese sauce for dipping. It’s one of those snacks that I constantly crave and have always just relied on the mall or ballpark to get one. Why oh why have I waited this long…
I could eat a big soft pretzel just by itself, but I’m a dipper so I usually get a side of mustard or cheese sauce to dip it in. M’m! M’m!
It’s a lot easier than you’d think to make these pretzels yourself and it’s pretty fun too! Don’t dare fear the yeast. Yeast is a wonderful thing and once you’ve got it down, you’re baking will only get better.
Once the dough rises, you’ll divide it into 12 portions and then roll and twist each portion into a pretzel shape. So fun!
The key to a great soft pretzel is the dip in a hot baking soda solution. It helps create that slightly crisp golden crust.
Once you’ve dipped each pretzel in the soda solution, you’ll brush it with an egg wash and generously salt with coarse sea salt. Now you’re ready to bake them and in less than 15 minutes your house will smell of the most intoxicating pretzel aroma and you’ll pull the most beautiful golden soft pretzels out of your oven.
That’s all there is to it! Big, warm, soft, salty homemade pretzels that are love at first sight and most certainly bite! Once you’ve baked them once and tasted how amazing they are, you’ll want to bake them again and again and again.
Enjoy!
- 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup warm water (110°F)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted & slightly cooled
- 2-1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 7 cups water
- ⅓ cup baking soda
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
- coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
- In a large bowl, add the yeast and sugar. Gently pour the warm water over it and let proof until foamy, about 5 minutes.
- Whisk in the melted butter and then stir in the flour and salt until well combined. Using well-floured hands, form dough into a moist ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Bring 7 cups water and ⅓ cup baking soda to a slight boil in a large pot. Reduce heat to medium low.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Cover one baking sheet with parchment paper. Set a wire rack over another baking sheet.
- Once dough has doubled in size, divide into 12 equal portions, about ¼ cup each. Place portions of dough back into the greased bowl and cover with the damp cloth while you work with one portion at a time.
- Roll and stretch a portion of dough into a 22-inch rope with your hands, working from the center to the ends. Twist the rope into a pretzel shape. Gently dip the pretzel into the hot baking soda solution, for about 30 seconds, and then transfer to the wire rack. Repeat process with 5 more portions of dough, as you’ll just want to bake 6 at a time.
- Transfer pretzels to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Whisk together the egg and 1 teaspoon water. Brush the egg wash all over the tops and sides of each pretzel and immediately sprinkle generously with coarse salt.
- Place baking sheet on the top rack of the oven and bake pretzels until golden, 12-14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking time.
- While first batch of pretzels are baking, prepare the other 6 pretzels so they’re ready to go in the oven when the first batch comes out.
Every time I’m near an Aunt Anne’s I need to get one of those pretzels, it was a bit dangerous when I learned how easy and good they are to make myself! These pretzels look great!
Thanks Stacey! I know! I’ve wanted to make them every afternoon because they’re so easy and I always have the ingredients on hand. Dangerously delish! 😉
These look amazing!! It is like you have been making pretzels for years! I have made them once before, but seeing yours, I know I need to make them soon.
Thanks Kacey! I’ve wanted to make them every day since I perfected this recipe. They’re kinda (okay really!) addicting! 😉
These are perfect!! My favorite mall pretzel was parmesan with pizza dipping sauce 🙂
Yes! Yes! I love dipping them in pizza sauce too! I could make a meal out of them that way. 😉
Oh man, soft pretzels are such a huge weakness of mine! These look perfect. I am a dipper too but I’ve got to go for the caramel — can’t resist sweet and salty!
Mmmm…I’ve never dipped a soft pretzel in caramel. Sounds amazing! I’ve got to try this asap!
These look so perfect, Maegen! I think it’s time to make some pretzels!
Thanks Stephanie! 🙂
I can smell these baking right now! These look amazing! So perfectly soft and salty!
Thanks Annie! Our house smells incredible every time I bake these. Everyone literally comes running to the kitchen! 😉
These pretzels turned out perfectly! Seriously making me want one right now!
Perfect snack! Pinned!
Thanks Mariah! They really are the perfect snack. I’ve come to crave them every afternoon! uh-oh! 😉
I have such a weakness for soft pretzels. Yours look so soft and perfect! I can just imagine the wonderful aroma in your house while these baked up.
I love giant pretzels. I’ve always wanted to make my own! Yours look fantastic!
In the above recipe where you have warm warm. Do you mean warm water?
Thanks for catching that, Yogi! I just corrected it. Enjoy!
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These look Delish!! Do you think I could make them ahead of time for a party then bake right before?? Or are they good if I warm them up after a few hours of being baked?? Thanks so much!!
Hi Jayme! You can make the dough to the point of it rising to double in size and then refrigerate it until you are ready to shape, dip and bake them. Just cover the bowl of risen dough with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can then shape the cold dough and proceed with the recipe from there. If you want to bake them the day before or several hours before, just reheat them at 350 for 5-10 minutes or until they’re heated through. Enjoy!
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These look awesome… Thank you so much for sharing! Any idea if you can freeze these after they’re baked? I have a party next weekend, but would love to make them today! Thanks so much!
Hi Jillian! Yes, they freeze great! Just bake them, let them cool completely, and store them in a freezer safe baggie or container. When you’re ready to reheat them, place them in a 425°F oven for 5-8 minutes or until they’re heated all the way through. Enjoy!
These just came out of my oven, and they smell sooooo good! I wish I would have quadrupled the recipe, ha!
I loved the Pumpkin Carrot Cake you posted. It was amazing, so delicious. Thank you Now I have to make them Pretzels
Hi! Ugh these were so wonderful!! I highly recommend! Ok, somebody better hide them so i wont eat them all!:)
So so so delicious! I mixed it up a little, and used cheesy spinach and artichoke dip.
Love it, Sarah! What a great dip idea to serve with them. Thanks for sharing!
Is there a correct way to heat or reheat them?
Hi! You can reheat them in a 350 degree oven for 3-5 minutes or in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. Enjoy!