This Soft Pretzel Recipe is all you need to make delicious, chewy treats that are perfect for dipping and serving with other great snacks. You’ll love the fluffy inside and crisp outside on these pretzels.
Love homemade breads? You should try this Garlic Cheese Bread and this Buttery Brioche Bread.

Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I love pretzels and this recipe is so easy to follow. You won’t be able to get enough of these scrumptious homemade Soft Pretzels once you taste them.
- TASTE: They are slightly sweet, but well balanced by their salted, buttery flavor. These yeasty pretzels are delicious.
- TEXTURE: Fluffy yet dense on the inside with a harder crust on the outside, you won’t believe how tasty they are.
- TIME: This Soft Pretzel recipe will take just under 2 hours, with most of that time devoted to the dough rising.
- EASE: While there are a lot of steps to make these, they are also quite simple. Just follow my instructions and pictures and you’ll be done in no time.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Yeast- This ingredient is necessary for your pretzels to rise so they are fluffy and airy.
- Milk- This is warmed so it makes a hospitable environment for the yeast to froth. Whole milk or 2% works best for a richer dough, but even skim milk can be used.
- Brown sugar- This is both to sweeten the pretzel dough and to feed the yeast so it will froth and rise. You can also use white sugar and honey.
- Baking soda- This is an important ingredient because it gives the pretzels their golden brown color and also crisps the outside, leaving the inner dough chewy and soft.
- Butter- Unsalted butter is used for adding rich flavor to the pretzels and for melting to brush on them so the salt will adhere.
- Salt- This ingredient balances the sweetness of the sugar, and we use coarse kosher salt for the top. It gives a nice crunch.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Top with cinnamon sugar- Once they are baked, brush some more butter on or dip them in it, then toss them in a mixture of one part cinnamon, two parts sugar.
- Add seeds- Top these with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or pumpkin seeds before putting them in the oven.
- Make them cheesy- Garlicky parmesan, sharp cheddar cheese, or cream cheese are all tasty additions to these Soft Pretzels.
- Make them allergen-friendly- For vegans or those avoiding dairy, sub plant-based milk and butter. For a gluten intolerance, use a gluten-free baking flour, 1:1.
How to Make Soft Pretzels
- Froth the yeast. In a large bowl, add the warm milk, butter, brown sugar, and dry active yeast. Whisk it, then let it sit for about 10 minutes so it can froth up.
- Add the salt and flour. Then add the salt and all-purpose flour. Begin kneading the dough in the bowl until it takes shape. Then continue kneading it on a clean countertop for at least 10 minutes, or until it becomes smooth and elastic.
Pro Tip: A good way to tell if you are done kneading is by pressing your finger into the ball of dough. If it stays indented, the dough needs more work. If it springs back into shape, it is ready to rest.
- Let the dough rise. Grease your bowl with oil and place the dough inside. Use your oiled hands to cover the top and sides of the dough with oil. Then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and rest in a warm place for about an hour, or until the dough doubles in size.
- Divide the dough and make the baking soda bath. Once it’s done rising, divide the dough into 6 equal parts. Then add baking soda to a pan of boiling water. Leave it at a simmer while you shape the pretzels.
- Roll out your soft pretzels. Now roll out the dough pieces into 24-inch logs. Then shape them into “U” shapes. Cross over the two ends of each one and give them a twist. Now take the two ends and stretch them up towards the bottom of the “U” and you should end up with 6 pretzel shapes.
- Place them in the baking soda bath. Put the pretzels into the boiling baking soda bath for no more than 1 minute at a time. Then quickly transfer them to a baking sheet lined with a Silpat mat.
- Bake them. While the pretzels are still wet, sprinkle them with some coarse kosher salt and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 12-15 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Then brush them with some melted butter and serve warm.
Recipe Tips
- Warm the milk- The yeast won’t froth if the milk is too cold, so warm it to 110°F before adding it to the yeast for best results.
- Spoon and level off the flour- Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level it off with a knife so that it doesn’t get packed in, adding too much flour and making your dough dry.
- Don’t skip the baking soda bath- This step done prior to baking is what gives soft pretzels their distinctive color and the crispy outside, chewy inside texture.
- Have an alternative to the baking soda bath- If you really can’t do this step, then brush the pretzels with an egg wash, then sprinkle them with salt. This will help the salt stick and give the pretzels some texture and color.
FAQs
When you boil the soft pretzel dough, this causes it to puff up right away and get a head start on the crisp exterior. The baking soda in the boiling water helps it get that distinctive deep golden brown color and a lightly cracked outer layer. So boiling the pretzels helps with both appearance and texture.
You only need enough for it to change the texture of the dough, but not affect flavor. Half a cup should do it if you have at least 9 cups of water.
Serving Suggestions
These scrumptious Soft Pretzels taste good with all sorts of dips, sauces, and sides. Here are some great ways to serve them.
- Sauces: Enjoy these pretzels with Pretzel Cheese Sauce, Nacho Cheese Sauce, Greek Yogurt Sauce, and mustard.
- Dips: Dip your pretzels into some Cream Cheese Fruit Dip, Herbed Bread Dipping Oil, Garlic Cream Cheese Dip, Jalapeno Artichoke Dip, or hummus.
- Salads: Pair this treat with some Potato Salad with Baked Salmon, Chicken Salad With Grapes, Spinach Pomegranate Salad, and Cucumber Radish Salad.
- Sides: Enjoy it alongside a Charcuterie Board (VIDEO), Farmer’s Cheese, Fruit Pizza, Parmesan Roasted Potatoes, or Chocolate Pot De Creme.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: Refrigerate the prepared pretzel dough for up to a day, or freeze it for 2-3 months. Just thaw it in the fridge overnight before letting it puff up, putting it in the baking soda bath, and baking.
Storing: Store these Soft Pretzels at room temperature in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the microwave or the oven for a few minutes until they soften and warm.
Freeze: Once the pretzels have cooled, freeze them in a freezer ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Reheat them in the oven straight from the freezer at 350°F for 20 minutes, or in the microwave until warm.
More Tasty Breads!
Full Recipe Instructions
Soft Pretzel Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk warmed to 110 degrees F°
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast 1 package
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled-off
- 1 tbsp vegetable or avocado oil for greasing the bowl
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 9 cups boiling water
- 1 tsp teaspoon coarse salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add 1 cup milk (warmed to 110 degrees F°), 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, and 2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast.
- Give it a whisk and let it sit for about 10 minutes so it can froth up.
- Then add 1 teaspoon fine salt along with 3 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled-off).
- Begin kneading the dough in the bowl. Once it begins to take shape, continue kneading it on a clean countertop. You will need to knead the dough for at least 10 minutes or until it becomes smooth and elastic. TIP: a good way to tell if you are done kneading is by pressing your finger into the ball of dough. If it stays indented, the dough needs more work. If it springs back into shape, it is ready to rest.
- Grease your bowl with 1 tablespoon of avocado or vegetable oil and place the dough inside. Use your oiled hands to cover the top and sides of the dough with oil. Now cover with plastic wrap and rest in a warm place for about 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size.
- Once it's done rising, divide the dough into 6 equal parts. Then prepare your baking soda water by boiling 9 cups of water in a rimmed skillet. Then add 1/2 cup baking soda. Keep it at a simmer while you shape the pretzels.
- Now take each piece of dough and roll it into a log 24 inches long. It may seem long, but trust me, you will need it to be at least 24 inches.
- Then take the log and shape it into a “U” shape. Then cross the two ends over and twist it once.
- Then take the two ends and stretch them up towards the bottom of the “U” and you should end up with a pretzel shape.
- Now place the pretzels into the boiling baking soda bath for no more than 1 minute at a time. Then quickly transfer them to a baking sheet lined with a Silpat mat.
- While the pretzels are still wet, sprinkled them with some coarse kosher salt and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 12-15 minutes or until they are golden brown.
- Once they are baked, brush them with some melted butter and serve warm with pretzel cheese sauce.
Notes
- Warm the milk- The yeast won’t froth if the milk is too cold, so warm it to 110°F before adding it to the yeast for best results.
- Spoon and level off the flour- Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level it off with a knife so that it doesn’t get packed in, adding too much flour and making your dough dry.
- Don’t skip the baking soda bath- This step done prior to baking is what gives soft pretzels their distinctive color and the crispy outside, chewy inside texture.
- Have an alternative to the baking soda bath- If you really can’t do this step, then brush the pretzels with an egg wash, then sprinkle them with salt. This will help the salt stick and give the pretzels some texture and color.
Nutrition
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