Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
Pretzel Dough
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant or active dry yeast 1 standard packet
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups warm water around 100°F/38°C
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 3/4–4 cups all-purpose flour spooned & leveled, plus more as needed
- coarse salt for topping
Baking Soda Bath
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 9 cups water
Method
- Whisk the yeast and sugar into the warm water. Cover and let sit for 1 minute.
- Whisk in the melted butter and salt. Add 3 cups of flour and mix until combined.
- Add 3/4 cup more flour until the dough is slightly tacky and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is still very sticky, add up to 1/4 cup more flour.
- Knead the dough for 3–5 minutes by hand or in a mixer until it is soft and slightly tacky.
- Shape the dough into a ball, cover lightly, and let rest for 10–30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
- Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces (about 75g each). Roll each piece into a 20–22 inch rope and form into pretzel shapes.
- Bring the baking soda and 9 cups of water to a boil. Working with 1–2 pretzels at a time, drop into the baking soda bath for 20–30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spatula and let excess water drip off.
- Place pretzels on prepared baking sheets, sprinkle with coarse salt, and bake for 12–15 minutes or until dark golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm. Pretzels are best the same day.
Notes
Dough can rest up to 30 minutes before shaping. Baked pretzels can be frozen and reheated; for best texture, reheat in a hot oven rather than a microwave.