Skip the trip to the mall—homemade soft pretzels are simple enough to make at home, and their chewy middle and crisp crust makes all the effort completely worth it. Plus, when you make them at home, you can get the best of both words—sweet AND savory. An ideal Super Bowl snack or easy appetizer, these pretzels will keep your crew full, satisfied and totally impressed with your shaping skills.
Do I have to boil pretzels before baking?
Yes—it's necessary to boil your pretzels before baking. This step is what lends their signature texture and taste. Boiling causes the pretzels to puff, creating the base for that chewy interior and crisp exterior we're looking for. The baking soda added to the boiling water also helps the pretzels to develop that golden-brown color when baked, and their signature cracked crust.
Shaping your pretzels.
No stress—it's simple to create the signature shape for your pretzels! After rolling your dough into a rope, you're going to fold it into a horseshoe shape. Twist the ends twice and fold over the top, pressing each end in, and voila! You've got the iconic traditional pretzel shape. Follow along with our video above to see step-by-step.
Prefer smaller pieces? Try our pretzel bites, which have a quick biscuit hack!
Sweet or savory.
We went with savory pretzels for this recipe, sprinkling the top with pretzel salt, ready to be dipped an an array of savory dipping options. But, if you prefer sweet, skip the pretzel salt and toss them in a little cinnamon sugar.
Dipping options.
Whatever your preferred pretzel pairing is will work beautiful with these soft pretzels. A nacho cheese or mustard is a classic choice for your savory pretzels, while a cream cheese dip (like in our cinnamon crunch bagels) or our Texas cinnamon butter would pair perfectly with your sweet pretzels.
Have you made these yet? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
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- Yields:
- 6
- Prep Time:
- 10 mins
- Total Time:
- 1 hr 45 mins
Ingredients
- 3/4 c.
warm water (between 110° and 115°)
- 1 tsp.
granulated sugar
- 1/2
package active dry yeast
- 2 1/4 c.
all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp.
kosher salt
Cooking spray
- 1/2 c.
baking soda
- 1
large egg, beaten
Pretzel salt
Directions
- Step 1In a medium bowl or measuring cup, whisk the water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Sprinkle the yeast over top and let sit until the yeast begins to foam and bubble, about 5 minutes.
- Step 2Add the flour and salt to a food processor and pulse to combine. Scrape yeast mixture into flour mixture and process for 30 seconds.
- Step 3Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and scrape the dough from the food processor into prepared bowl. Cover with plastic and let sit until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
- Step 4Preheat the oven to 450°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- Step 5On a lightly floured surface, divide risen dough into 6 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, keeping the other pieces covered with plastic, roll the dough into a 14-inch rope. Fold dough into a horseshoe shape. Twist ends twice and fold over top, pressing each end into the top, creating a traditional pretzel shape. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.
- Step 6Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add baking soda and return to a boil. Add one pretzel to boiling water and cook, flipping halfway through, 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon or kitchen spider, scoop the pretzel back onto the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pretzels.
- Step 7Brush tops of each pretzel with egg and sprinkle with pretzel salt. Bake until deep golden, about 12 minutes. Let cool slightly, serve warm or at room temperature.
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