Soft Pretzel Recipe - Classic Home Made Style! (2024)

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The past couple of weeks of winter have made me long for summer again. Just thinking about the hot sun, gardening, baseball games and more was enough to make me happy. We have had several days of below zero temperatures, frigid winds and school closings, along with the gray and gloomy skies.

We cherish most days of winter and see it as a time to regenerate our body, mind, and gain the energy that will be required for summertime projects.

However, with the winter blues beginning to set it – we had to do something more to remind us that summer is just around the corner – enter the Soft Pretzel Recipe

Nice golden color on the outside doesn’t require the use of lye.

So this pastSunday afternoon, we decided to “Think Summer” and make Homemade Soft Pretzels! With 4 active teenagers, Jim and I have spent a countless hours, days and even weeks at the ball park. When you spend that much time at various ball fields, you can’t help at some point to break down and buy a hot soft pretzel – so what better way to think summer than baseball fields and soft pretzels!

Many people will tell you that you have to use lye to make the perfect soft pretzel. I beg to differ. I prefer to put as little chemicals into my food as possible, and although thismay not be an exact replica of the ball park soft pretzel – there are never any leftovers! So here is to looking forward to those hot summer days with this soft pretzel recipe, and no, we promise not to complain how hot it gets this summer!

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 packet active instant yeast (2 and 1/4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour (approximately)
Optional:
1 large egg, beaten
course sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

1. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. *You do not have to measure the temperature. Stir with a spoon until mixed – takes about 1 minute. You may have some small clusters of yeast that remains.

3. Add salt and sugar; stir until combined.

4. Slowly add 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough is thick.

Cut about 1/3 cup of dough from your ball to make each pretzel.

5. Add 3/4 cup more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. If it is still sticky continue to add up to 1/2 cup more. ** Hint – if you poke the dough with your finger and it bounces back, it is ready to knead.

Next Steps:

6. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes and shape into a ball.

Roll out dough – approximately 20 inches in length then begin to shape into a pretzel shape.

7. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into approximately 1/3 cup sections. **This measurement does not have to be exact – use however much dough you would like depending on the size of the pretzel that you desire.

8. Roll the dough into a rope with an even diameter. Roll to your desired length. (We rolled the dough to about 20 inches in length).

9. Form the pretzel -Take the ends of the rope and draw them together so the dough forms a U. Cross the ends over each other about an inch from the ends, then twist them over each other. Then bring the ends towards yourself and press them down into a pretzel shape.

Pretzel formed and ready for the egg wash.

*Optional: You can boil 9 cups of water with 2/3 cup of baking soda. Dunk the pretzels one by one into the mixture for 30 seconds. This will give you that dark exterior and texture of traditional pretzels. Again, it’s not necessary and we did not do it for these pretzels.

Dip both sides in egg wash and apply salt before baking.

10. In a pie dish beat the egg with a whisk. Dunk the shaped pretzel into the egg wash (both sides). Place on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. **Another option would be to coat with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar for a sweet version of this recipe.

11. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees F.

Pretzels will rise in the oven when baking – and brown when placed under the broiler.

12. Turn the oven to broil and bake for 5 more minutes to brown the tops. Watch closely to avoid burning. ** Skip this step if you dunked the pretzel in the baking soda bath.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Pretzels may be stored in an airtight container for 3 days – to prevent losing softness, add a piece of bread to your container. Pretzels will also freeze well.

Enjoy!

**If you would like to receive ourRecipe Of The Week– be sure to sign up to follow the blog via email in the right hand column, “like” us on theFacebook, or follow us onTwitter.

Mary and Jim

Soft Pretzel Recipe

Soft Pretzel Recipe - Classic Home Made Style! (8)

Ingredients

  • 1 and 1/2 cups lukewarm water
  • 1 packet active instant yeast, 2 and 1/4 teaspoons
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour, approximately

Optional

  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • course sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  3. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. *You do not have to measure the temperature. Stir with a spoon until mixed - takes about 1 minute. You may have some small clusters of yeast that remains.
  4. Add salt and sugar; stir until combined.
  5. Slowly add 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough is thick.
  6. Add 3/4 cup more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. If it is still sticky continue to add up to 1/2 cup more. ** Hint - if you poke the dough with your finger and it bounces back, it is ready to knead.
  7. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes and shape into a ball.
  8. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into approximately 1/3 cup sections. **This measurement does not have to be exact - use however much dough you would like depending on the size of the pretzel that you desire.
  9. Roll the dough into a rope with an even diameter. Roll to your desired length. (We rolled the dough to about 20 inches in length).
  10. Form the pretzel -Take the ends of the rope and draw them together so the dough forms a U. Cross the ends over each other about an inch from the ends, then twist them over each other. Then bring the ends towards yourself and press them down into a pretzel shape.
  11. Optional: You can boil 9 cups of water with 2/3 cup of baking soda. Dunk the pretzels one by one into the mixture for 30 seconds. This will give you that dark exterior and texture of traditional pretzels. Again, it's not necessary and we did not do it for these pretzels.
  12. In a pie dish beat the egg with a whisk. Dunk the shaped pretzel into the egg wash (both sides). Place on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. **Another option would be to coat with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar for a sweet version of this recipe.
  13. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees F.
  14. Turn the oven to broil and bake for 5 more minutes to brown the tops. Watch closely to avoid burning. ** Skip this step if you dunked the pretzel in the baking soda bath.

Notes

Serve warm or at room temperature. Pretzels may be stored in an airtight container for 3 days - to prevent losing softness, add a piece of bread to your container. Pretzels will also freeze well.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

1 grams
Amount Per Serving:Unsaturated Fat: 0g

Soft Pretzel Recipe - Classic Home Made Style! (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient which makes a pretzel taste like a pretzel? ›

Lye. The dough is simple; take a basic yeast-risen dough that can be readied in an afternoon. But the trick to great pretzels is dipping the pretzels in a liquid wash before baking — and not just any wash, but a combination of water and lye. That's what gives pretzels their terrific color, texture and flavor.

What is the secret solution for Auntie Anne's pretzels? ›

While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 tbsp baking soda. Be certain to stir often. After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet.

What makes a soft pretzel taste like a pretzel? ›

The answer lies in a brief dip in an alkaline water bath before baking. This bath essentially gelatinizes the outside of the pretzel, preventing it from fully “springing” during baking (as bread does) and giving pretzels their signature chewy crust. It also gives them their unique and indelible “pretzel” flavor.

What is the best flour for pretzels? ›

Bread flour is best used for, you guessed it, breads. This is fine for pretzels, but if you don't plan to make that much bread, buying bread flour for just one thing can seem like a waste. All-purpose flour can be used for a wide variety of baked goods, including cookies, muffins, pie crusts, and breads.

What is the secret ingredient in pretzels? ›

Traditional Bavarian pretzels are dipped in a lye solution before they are baked. Lye, also known as sodium hydroxide, is essentially the same stuff that's used to make soap and clean drains. It can even dissolve glass.

What gives soft pretzels their flavor? ›

What gives them their soft texture and flavor? Baking soda is the key ingredient that gives soft pretzels their iconic flavor, when heated it reacts with the dough darkening the color and creating a chewy texture.

What are the ingredients in Auntie Anne's original pretzels? ›

ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, BROWN SUGAR, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF THE FOLLOWING: DOUGH CONDITIONERS (WHEAT FLOUR, MALT BARLEY FLOUR, ASCORBIC ACID, ENZYMES, SALT, VEGETABLE PROTEIN [CORN-BASED]), YEAST, CALCIUM ...

Does Auntie Anne's use lye or baking soda? ›

Well, the cheery ladies were very clear with me: they do NOT use lye. No sodium hydroxide/poison/caustic soda—none whatsoever—in their pretzels. (They do, however, dip their pretzels in a baking soda solution.)

What does baking soda do for soft pretzels? ›

Furthermore, we've introduced the baking soda bath. While it sounds strange, this step is what gives pretzels that iconic flavor, chewy texture, helps deepen their golden color in the oven, and locks in the super soft interior.

What is the difference between a Bavarian pretzel and a soft pretzel? ›

Unlike their American counterpart, Bavarian pretzels pack a denser, chewier inside and a darker, crispier outside. And there's a certain "tang" to the Bavarian-style pretzel that sets it apart from other soft pretzels. But best of all, it doesn't need to be dipped in cheese or drenched in butter to taste delicious!

What's the difference between a pretzel and a soft pretzel? ›

Soft pretzels can usually be baked in 15 minutes; hard pretzels, meanwhile, must be baked for up to an hour. The longer baking time further dries out the pretzel. And, as we have discussed, the lack of moisture is what gives the hard pretzel its brittle texture.

How do Germans eat soft pretzels? ›

Pretzels are German and they are traditionally salted. We also eat them with mustard. If you want it to taste like anything, yes. And if you want it to be best, make it a soft pretzel with creamy sharp cheddar cheese on it.

Do you use baking soda or powder for soft pretzels? ›

Baking Soda + Boiling Water Pretzel Bath

Slowly pour in your baking soda and whisk until completely dissolved. Dip your pretzels in the bath using a slotted spoon for 30 seconds, flipping once during this time. Drain and place back onto your greased parchment lined baking sheets.

Do you put baking soda or baking powder in pretzels? ›

As noted above, baking soda is a staple ingredient for making homemade pretzels. Dunking your pretzels in a baking soda bath prior to baking is what enables them to develop their distinctive color and crispy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside texture.

Is lye or baking soda better for pretzels? ›

If you use baking soda instead of lye, you won't get the same glistening, deep brown sheen on your pretzels and baked goods, but they'll still be delicious all the same.

What makes a pretzel taste like it does? ›

Malt Syrup (the kind used for beer) and dipping them in a hot alkaline solution (baking soda or food grade lye and hot water) after baking for about 20–30 seconds gives a pretzel its characteristic flavor and distinctive brown coloring. The alkaline solution is a big contributor to the pretzel flavor.

Where does the pretzel taste come from? ›

In the state of Bavaria, pretzels are more evenly formed and soft all over, with arms just about as thick as their belly. Before baking, however, they are all dipped in lye, a sodium hydroxide solution that gives them their glossy, chestnut brown crust and unmistakable alkali flavor.

What is the chemical dip on pretzels? ›

The dipping stage normally takes just 10-15 seconds of exposure to the hot alkaline solution which is about 200°F. Traditionally the solution was a mixture of sodium hydroxide and water. Today, most production involves the use of sodium carbonate and bicarbonate solutions which are not as caustic as NaOH.

What is the lie for making pretzels? ›

Lye is primarily used to make pretzels, and it's the reason for their unmistakable shiny, mahogany color. To prepare, shaped pretzels are dipped in a lye bath, then baked in the oven. This method can also be used with rolls or buns. Once lye-dipped pretzels are baked, they're totally safe (and delicious!) to eat.

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