Homemade Soft Pretzels

If you do a search online for homemade soft pretzels you will likely find a large number of results. Reason being? Homemade soft pretzels are extremely easy to make!  I was admittedly daunted for some time, but finally gave in and found that these were amazingly easy to mix together and the entire process was not very time consuming at all. By the second batch I had even gotten the hang of shaping the pretzels like a pro at Auntie Anne’s!

These are great fresh out of the oven dipped in mustard or melted cheese.  If you make a double batch or don’t think you’ll eat these all within a day or so, throw the extras in a freezer bag and just pop one in the microwave when you’re ready for a snack.

Since posting this recipe, I tried another soft pretzel recipe that is very similar, but includes a rise time which makes for pretzels that are a bit plumper. Be sure check out Soft Pretzels: Part II.

Want to serve pretzels as a snack, but don’t want to go through the trouble of yeast, mixing and kneading? Check out my super quick recipe for ranch-seasoned pretzels.

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Homemade Soft Pretzels

Ingredients:
1 tsp dry yeast (the doubled recipe would use 1 full packet of yeast)
1 T. hot water
2/3 cup warm water
2 T. and 2 tsp brown sugar
2+ cups flour
coarse kosher salt
baking soda
shortening or butter

Directions:
1) In large mixing bowl mix 1 T. HOT water and 1 tsp yeast. Mix until yeast dissolves completely.

2) Stir in 2/3 cup WARM water.

3) Stir in 2 T. and 2 tsp brown sugar.

4) Slowly add 2 cups flour, stirring constantly. Contuine stirring until the mixture is smooth and does not stick to the sides of the bowl.

5) Lightly flour counter. Dip your hands into extra flour. Knead the dough until it is stretchy and smooth. (Push it down and away from you with the palms of your hands, turning the dough as you work)

6) Grease cookie sheet(s) well with butter or shortening. Sprinkle greased cookie sheet(s) with kosher salt. Preheat oven to 475.

7) Using liquid measuring cup fill a large saucepan at least 1/2 full of water. For each 1 cup of water, add 1 T. baking soda.

Divide the dough into 16 equal sized pieces.

9) Using the following 4 steps shape each dough ball into a pretzel shape…
– Roll the dough into a rope 14″ long and as thick as your thumb. Bend the dough into a U shape.
– Cross one end of the rope over the other one. The ropes should cross about three inches from the tips.
– Twist the crossed ends, making a full turn. Fold the ends back, towards the middle of the U.
– Open the ends slightly to form a pretzel shape. Press the ends into the dough firmly.

10) Bring water in saucepan to a gentle boil (not too many bubbles)

11) Use pancake turner to lower each pretzel into the saucepan. Count slowly to 30. Then lift the pretzel onto the greased and salted cookie sheet (shaking off excess water back into the saucepan). Repeat until all the pretzels are done.

12) Sprinkle some kosher salt on top of the pretzels and put them in preheated oven. Bake for 8 minutes or until the pretzels are golden.

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