Description
Homemade Soft Pretzels recipe with a golden crust and soft, chewy interior. This classic snack is made from simple ingredients and baked to perfection, with a quick baking soda bath to achieve that iconic chewy texture. Perfect for serving with cheese dip or your favorite toppings.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 2 and a 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 and a 1/2 cups warm water
- 4 and a 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
Boiling Solution
- 6 cups water
- 2 tbsp baking soda
Topping
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- Coarse salt (for topping)
- Everything but the bagel seasoning (for topping)
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: Combine warm water, active dry yeast, and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk together and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy and bubbly, indicating the yeast is active.
- Make Dough: Add flour, olive oil, and salt to the yeast mixture. Attach the kneading hook and knead on low speed for about 5 minutes until the dough comes together into a smooth ball that springs back when poked. Alternatively, knead by hand until smooth.
- First Rise: Remove dough from bowl, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and place back in the bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Shape Pretzels: Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces on a floured surface. Roll each piece into an 18-24 inch rope, then fold and twist into the traditional pretzel shape.
- Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 450°F (232°C) to prepare for baking.
- Boil Pretzels: Bring 6 cups water and 2 tbsp baking soda to a boil in a large pot. Dip each pretzel into the boiling water for 15-30 seconds, then remove and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Egg Wash and Season: Immediately brush each pretzel with beaten egg. Sprinkle coarse salt and everything but the bagel seasoning over the top to add flavor and texture.
- Bake: Bake pretzels in the preheated oven for 10-11 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Cool and Serve: Transfer baked pretzels to a wire rack and let cool slightly. Serve warm with your favorite dip such as cheese sauce, and enjoy!
Notes
- Ensure the water for the yeast is warm but not hot to avoid killing the yeast.
- Boiling the pretzels in baking soda water gives them their distinctive chewy crust; do not skip this step.
- Using a stand mixer is convenient, but kneading by hand works well too.
- Use coarse salt and seasoning immediately after brushing with egg wash so toppings stick well.
- For extra flavor, experiment with different toppings like sesame seeds or garlic salt.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: soft pretzels, homemade pretzels, baking soda bath, snack recipe, chewy pretzels, easy pretzels
