Pretzel Recipe: Our Favorite Homemade Soft Pretzels

If it wasn’t already obvious, we are die-hard pretzel lovers here at Pretzels.com. While our crunchy and irresistible pretzels happen to be our favorite, we truly enjoy pretzels of all shapes and sizes. If you share our passion for pretzels, you’re going to LOVE this easy recipe for homemade soft pretzels! 

America’s love for soft pretzels has evolved over the years as this popular, delicious treat can be enjoyed either salty or sweet. Even if you have little-to-no experience in the kitchen, just follow this recipe and enjoy your result: a hot, fluffy, delectable snack almost identical to those found at street vendors, malls, and baseball games. With only six ingredients and hardly any rise time, you can whip these up in under an hour. It’s almost too easy! 

However, there’s one important trick that you definitely shouldn’t overlook. This step is what gives soft pretzels that golden color on the outside with a super soft, chewy interior, and if you skip it, you’ll miss out on that nostalgic and iconic pretzel taste too. So, what’s the secret to perfect homemade pretzels? A baking soda bath! That’s right. It might sound bizarre, but spending a mere 5 minutes dipping the uncooked pretzels in a baking soda bath makes all the difference in taste and texture. Now let’s dive right into this amazing recipe! 

Ingredients:

• 1 & ½ cups (360mL) lukewarm water 
• 2 & ¼ teaspoon (1 standard packet of 7g) instant or active dry yeast 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted 
• 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour 
• Coarse sea salt

For the baking soda bath:

• ½ (120g) baking soda
• 9 cups (2160 mL) water

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, mix the warm water with yeast, and let it sit for 1 minute. Whisk in the melted butter, granulated sugar, and salt. Once thoroughly incorporated, add in 4 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Mix with a wooden spoon or dough hook on a stand mixer, until the dough is thick. If the dough is still sticky, add a ¼ - ½ cup more, as needed. Poke the dough - if it bounces back, you’re ready to knead!
2. On a floured surface, knead the dough for 3 minutes and shape into a ball. Cover lightly with a towel, letting it rest for 10 minutes. 
3. While the dough rests, you can prep the baking soda bath as outlined in line 7. 
4. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats if you have them. If not, use lightly greased parchment paper. Then set aside. 
5. Cut the rested dough into sections roughly the size of ⅓ cup. 
6. Roll the dough pieces into long ropes, about 20-22 inches. Form a circle with the dough by bringing the two ends together at the top of the circle, twisting the ends, and bringing them to the bottom of the dough circle. Press down to form a pretzel shape. 
7. In a large pot, bring 9 cups of water and baking soda to a rolling boil. Drop 1-2 pretzels in for 20-30 seconds, no longer. Using a slotted spatula, remove the pretzel from the pot, allowing the excess water to drip off. Then, place the pretzel onto the baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Repeat with other pretzels. 
8. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. 
9. Remove from the oven and serve warm.
10. Pat yourself on the back; you just made your very own, homemade soft pretzels! Now enjoy! 

More Tips and Tricks

These pretzels can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. If they get stale over time, just pop them in the microwave for a few seconds or bake at 350°F for 5 minutes. 

For Cinnamon Sugar pretzels, skip the salt sprinkle in Step 7 and bake the pretzels plain. While they’re in the oven, melt 4 tablespoons of butter, and brush the hot pretzels with the butter. Finally, dip the pretzels into a cinnamon sugar mix and serve immediately. 

We hope you enjoyed this recipe, and if you try it out, tag us on social media to share how you liked your results! Stay tuned for more easy recipes like this, and be sure to check out our other blogs with fun pretzel info and more!