Foolproof Soft Pretzels from Scratch

Happy last week of May to all! Want to know an awesome, easy recipe to bring to your Memorial Day gathering? Soft Pretzels!

This recipe for soft pretzels truly is foolproof. So easy (especially if you have a dough hook for your processor or stand mixer). The dough comes together quickly and requires only an hour rise. Seriously, the trickiest part is shaping and hopefully my tips and tricks will help you get an end result that at least resembles a pretzel!

Preparing German Food is in My Blood

Thanks to Ancestry DNA and 23 and Me, I know that I am very VERY German. Because of that, friends and I had a German night. We had already done a Lunar New Year and a Greek night. An Italian night comes next – celebrating everyone’s roots. Due to my baking background, it was evident I’d be the one preparing pretzels. The others really knocked it out of the park with their cooking, too, though! Schnitzel, beer cheese, red cabbage, Brussels sprouts…perfection

Foolproof Pretzels

Materials Needed:

1. Measuring cups
2. Measuring spoons
3. Stand-mixer or food processor with dough hook (optional but will make this truly foolproof) – if not, large mixing bowl
4. Mixing bowl, oiled
5. Kitchen towel or plastic wrap
6. Large pot
7. Slotted spoon
8. Cookie sheets (2) lined with parchment paper
9. Bench scraper
10. Small bowl and pastry brush

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 4 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• vegetable oil
• 8 – 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 1 egg yolk
• Sea salt, nutritional yeast, seasoning – topping for pretzels

Process:

1. Place the very warm water in the bowl of stand mixer, food processor, or a stand along mixing bowl
2. Add the brown sugar and salt. Sprinkle the yeast over top of water and let it sit for about 10 minutes (until bubbly)
3. Place your bowl under the mixer or in processor with fitted dough hook and add in flour and butter
4. Let the dough hook run for about 4 minutes until dough comes away from sides of bowl/processor and is smooth. If you don’t have a dough hook, this gets tough. You’ll need to add flour and butter and bring together with wooden spoon and then knead with hands until dough nice and smooth
5. Take dough out of bowl/processor. Form into a ball. Place in clean, lightly oiled mixing bowl. Roll around a bit to cover dough in oil. Cover with kitchen towel or plastic wrap for an hour – or until doubled in size
6. When the dough has doubled, grab large pot and add 8-10 cups water (depending on size of pot) and 2/3 cup baking soda. Bring to a rolling boil
7. Preheat oven to 450F
8. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper
9. Turn dough out onto clean, lightly oiled surface. Use bench scraper to cut dough into 8 equal wedges
10. Now for the fun part! Do this one at a time with each portion – take a wedge and roll out gently into about an 18-20 inch “snake”. Bring each end up, twist twice (can add an extra twist if feeling fancy) and then turn ends down and press gently against dough where it crosses
11. Using the slotted spoon, take each pretzel and, one by one, dip into boiling baking soda water to “poach the pretzels”. Leave it in water for 30 long seconds
12. Lift the pretzel out and let it drip off a bit before placing on lined cookie sheet
13. Beat the yolk – you can add a splash of water if you’d like) – and, using the pastry brush, brush the tops of the pretzels thoroughly with mixture.
14. Sprinkle with desired toppings – nutritional yeast is good but will cause a yellow hue – salt, garlic powder, even cinnamon, are great toppings as well
15. Bake for 14-16 minutes until dark golden brown
16. Best served warm! Will keep wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for 2-3 days

Leave me a comment if you try this recipe! Such a fun one!

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Foolproof Soft Pretzels from Scratch

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• Author: Rachelbakesathome
• Total Time: 1 hour 46 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x

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Description

Foolproof soft pretzels that will impress everyone you know! The dough comes together quickly and only requires an hour rise. Truly delicious

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 4 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• vegetable oil
• 8 – 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 1 egg yolk
• Sea salt, nutritional yeast, seasoning – topping for pretzels

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Instructions

1. Place the very warm water in the bowl of stand mixer, food processor, or a stand along mixing bowl
2. Add the brown sugar and salt. Sprinkle the yeast over top of water and let it sit for about 10 minutes (until bubbly)
3. Place your bowl under the mixer or in processor with fitted dough hook and add in flour and butter
4. Let the dough hook run for about 4 minutes until dough comes away from sides of bowl/processor and is smooth. If you don’t have a dough hook, this gets tough. You’ll need to add flour and butter and bring together with wooden spoon and then knead with hands until dough nice and smooth
5. Take dough out of bowl/processor. Form into a ball. Place in clean, lightly oiled mixing bowl. Roll around a bit to cover dough in oil. Cover with kitchen towel or plastic wrap for an hour – or until doubled in size
6. When the dough has doubled, grab large pot and add 8-10 cups water (depending on size of pot) and 2/3 cup baking soda. Bring to a rolling boil
7. Preheat oven to 450F
8. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper
9. Turn dough out onto clean, lightly oiled surface. Use bench scraper to cut dough into 8 equal wedges
10. Now for the fun part! Do this one at a time with each portion – take a wedge and roll out gently into about an 18-20 inch “snake”. Bring each end up, twist twice (can add an extra twist if feeling fancy) and then turn ends down and press gently against dough where it crosses
11. Using the slotted spoon, take each pretzel and, one by one, dip into boiling baking soda water to “poach the pretzels”. Leave it in water for 30 long seconds
12. Lift the pretzel out and let it drip off a bit before placing on lined cookie sheet
13. Beat the yolk – you can add a splash of water if you’d like) – and, using the pastry brush, brush the tops of the pretzels thoroughly with mixture. 
14. Sprinkle with desired toppings – nutritional yeast is good but will cause a yellow hue – salt, garlic powder, even cinnamon, are great toppings as well
15. Bake for 14-16 minutes until dark golden brown
16. Best served warm! Will keep wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for 2-3 days 

Notes

• Honestly, this recipe becomes less foolproof if you are kneading by hand. Really recommend using a dough hook
• Ensure very warm water. (NOT LUKEWARM)
• Make sure to properly oil bowl for dough to rise. You don’t want it to stick to bowl
• Avoid letting the dough for much longer than an hour. If it over-proofs, it will result in uneven, puffy pretzels
• Can wrap pretzels tightly in plastic wrap (once completely cool) and freeze for 3-4 months
• Don’t stress out too much shaping the dough. I recommend a 16-18 inch “snake” instead of the typical 24 inches/2 ft. because the longer and thinner the dough, the more likely it will rip

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Proof Time: 60 minutes
• Cook Time: 16 minutes
• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: German

Keywords: Pretzel, Soft Pretzels, German, Baking, Appetizers