Homemade Soft Pretzels
These Homemade Soft Pretzels are fluffy and buttery, baked up just like the ones you get at the mall, but homemade with from-scratch ingredients! The dough is very easy to make.
Have you ever waited in one of those really long lines at the mall for a soft pretzel?
You know…the ones for Auntie Anne’s, or Wetzel’s Pretzels? You just can’t help it, right?
You can smell that darned cinnamon sugar and butter wafting over from like 100 feet away.
Well try these at home, and you’ll never buy those mall pretzels ever again.
These homemade soft pretzels taste much better and only cost a buck or two to make a whole tray.
Not to mention there aren’t any artificial ingredients or preservatives when you make them yourself. And all the ingredients are the simple ones that you’d expect.
I love prepping a fresh batch on football game-watching days, along with a fresh pan of Buffalo Chicken Dip and Baked Chicken Wings. So good!
How to Make Homemade Soft Pretzels:
Start by making a simple yeasted dough, and shape it into a ball.
Let the yeast work its magic and create these gorgeous bubbles.
Sometimes I just stare at the dough because it’s sooooo prettyyyyyy…
Divide up the dough into pieces, and roll each into a long rope.
Shape into pretzels by looping the rope through.
Sprinkle each pretzel with coarse sea salt and send them into the oven.
Bake until golden and puffed, then brush with butter.
Enjoy while they are hot!
UPDATE: I have posted a 100% Whole Wheat Version of these pretzels (cinnamon sugar ones!):
There’s a full video below the recipe card if you want more guidance on how the pretzels are made. Happy baking!
More Snacks:
- Buffalo Garlic Knots
- Homemade Corn Dogs
- Super Fluffy Jumbo Garlic Knots
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
Homemade Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 2.25 tsp instant quick rise yeast
- 1 cup warm water 110 degrees F
- 1 tsp sugar
- 12.5 oz all purpose flour, by weight (2.5 cups, if measuring)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
For the Topping:
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- vegetable oil for greasing the sheet pan
- coarse sea salt for sprinkling
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Combine the yeast, warm water, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy. This indicates the yeast is alive and working. Add the flour and salt. Mix with the dough hook by hand for a few seconds to roughly combine, then fit the hook and bowl on the mixer and knead on medium low for 5 minutes. The dough should feel soft and smooth, not sticky to the touch.
- Cover the dough and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, and lightly grease a baking sheet with vegetable oil. You could use parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Place the dough onto a lightly oiled countertop. Divide the dough into 8 pieces (just cut it with a knife).
- Whisk to combine the warm water and baking soda and cook in the microwave for 1 minute. FYI it’s not going to dissolve completely, and that’s okay.
- Roll each of the eight pieces into a long rope, and shape each one into a pretzel (see the step-by-step photos on the blog post to see how to do this). Dip each pretzel into the soda wash and place onto the greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, then let them rest for 10 minutes.
- Bake for 9 to 10 minutes until the pretzels are golden brown. Brush the pretzels with the melted butter while they are hot out of the oven. Enjoy while they are hot, and keep in mind these don’t taste as amazing the next day. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Post updated in December 2017. Originally published 2011.
I’m not sure if it’s because of my hand mixer, or if it’s because I’m at a high altitude (Denver) but I’ve made this twice now and my dough is always sticky. This second time it was almost liquid. They turn out tasting just fine I just can’t actually form pretzels. I made little nuggets instead. Any recommendations?
Hi Briana, a hand mixer is typically not a good tool to use for breads, so I recommend you make this by hand next time. Others have reported success doing that, it just takes a bit more physical work. I don’t think the high altitude is the issue. Let me know how it goes!
EEssington states,”excellent!”
Could I freeze the dough if I double it?
Very nice
Can I double this recipe?
yes
I was a little nervous as l never attempted making pretzels before. I saved your recipe. It was a huge hit! My son said that’s it? That’s all the rest of them? Well there were 2 left as l was on my way out to give more to the neighbors as promised again. He already had his pretzel. I said well how many do you want to my son. He replied that he could eat 15 of them! So l am making more after l go get more flour and salt lol Thankyou!
Delish and so easy! My kids made funny shapes and we tried a few different toppings. I used some
Steak seasoning on a few and they tasted like an everything bagel. Did a few cinnamon sugar ones for the kids. Great recipe will definitely make again! Thanks!
We make this all the time–it’s turned into one of my husband’s “speciality dishes.” 😀 The pretzels make especially great buns for bratwurst, and complement the traditional mustard and sauerkraut very well. Delicious!
Loretta, can you send a recipe for the pretzel buns, I would love to try them. Let me know and I will send you my email. Thanks
Yesss please burns sound fabulous!!
Oh my….. These we’re delicious! Will definitely make again.
What if my dough is sticky
You can add flour as necessary to work with the dough.
These were so easy to make, and they were devoured in minutes! Made 1/2 salted and 1/2 cinnamon and sugar. Had to add flour to the dough. Definitely going to be making them again, everyone loved them. Thanks for the recipe!!