Soft Pretzel Recipe

This Soft Pretzel Recipe is easy to make and tastes amazing. These pretzels are soft and chewy on the inside and crisp and golden on the outside.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, German

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 15

Proof 1

Total Time 1 55

Servings

Calories 323kcal

Author Dina

Equipment

1 Silpat mat

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

US Customary - Metric

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