Homemade Soft Pretzels
These homemade soft pretzels are the best of the best with a chewy exterior with an incredibly soft inside that just melts in your mouth. They’re a fun snack to make with kids. Plus, you can bake up huge pretzels, regular-size, pretzel bites, or even make pretzel dogs with this dough. They’re perfect for afternoon snacks, movie nights, game days, or just because!
Don’t Get It Twisted; You’ll Love These Homemade Pretzels!
I am a bona fide soft pretzel addict. Whether I’m at the mall, at a sporting event, or at a restaurant that’s offering Oktoberfest specials, there’s absolutely no question that I’m going to get a soft pretzel.
There’s something so satisfying about that distinctive chewy exterior paired with the warm, soft interior of a pretzel that makes them irresistible. It’s a snack food that transcends seasons. Whether you’re enjoying a baseball game on a warm summer evening, partaking in Oktoberfest festivities during the fall, catching a hockey game in the dead of winter, or enjoying everything that’s in bloom during springtime, soft pretzels are where it’s at!
This is my third iteration of a soft pretzel recipe. My first attempt was over 12 years ago, and then I moved on to another recipe a few months later. I finally settled on this fabulous version about 10 years ago, and it’s the only one I’ve been making since. I’ve found that this recipe produces the softest, chewiest, most traditional-tasting soft pretzels that I’ve made to date.
Key Ingredients
This homemade soft pretzel recipe is broken down into four parts — the pretzel dough, the baking soda water bath, the egg wash, and the salt garnish. That may seem like a lot, but they’re truly each so simple, and I’d bet you have most or all of these ingredients on hand at this very moment!
- For the soft pretzel dough, you’ll need: warm water, light brown sugar, kosher salt, active-dry or instant yeast, all-purpose flour, and melted unsalted butter.
- And for the baking soda water bath, all you’ll need is exactly what you’d think — baking soda and water.
- For the egg wash, all you need is an egg yolk and water.
- Lastly, for the topping, you’ll need coarse salt to sprinkle on top of your baked pretzels.
Step-By-Step Instructions
It might not seem like it at first glance, but homemade soft pretzels are a relatively easy process and don’t take very long as far as kitchen projects go. You’ll be rewarded with some of the most AMAZING pretzels!
Combine water, sugar, and salt; then add yeast. Once this mixture is combined, we’ll let it sit for a few minutes until it “blooms” (i.e. the yeast starts to wake up and get foamy). Next, add flour and butter. This is all you need to make the dough!
Knead the dough until it’s smooth with a stand mixer and dough hook until it’s soft, pillowy, and just slightly tacky.
Let dough rise. Cover the bowl and place in a warm, draft-free spot until dough is doubled in size; usually 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Next, prepare the baking soda bath. Combine water and baking soda in a large pot, and bring to a boil.
Shape the pretzels. See the photos below and the video for step-by-step shaping details. It goes quickly once you get the hang of it if you’ve never done it before!
You want to achieve that classic pretzel twist shape, so work slowly being careful not to tear the dough.
Dip the pretzels in baking soda bath. They only need to be in the water bath for about 30 seconds, otherwise, they will take on too much of the baking soda taste. A quick dip, then remove with a slotted spatula.
Brush and sprinkle. Brush the pretzels with an egg wash (or melted butter if you want more of a buttery flavor) and sprinkle with salt or whatever other toppings you might like.
Time to bake! Less than 15 minutes in the oven, or until golden brown (or however done you prefer your pretzels!), let them cool for a few minutes, then dig in!
And serve. I love to serve these soft homemade pretzels with some tart yellow mustard, homemade beer cheese, and a tall glass of chilled beer. They’d also be great with a homemade cheese sauce!
Tips and Variations
You don’t have to be an expert at baking with yeast to turn out some fantastic soft pretzels. Before long, you’ll be twisting and shaping dough like a pro. If you’ve been nervous about working with yeast in the past, this recipe is a fabulous place to start, as it’s basic, easy, and incredibly forgiving.
A few quick tips to help you make some ah-mazing pretzels!
- Both instant and active dry yeasts can be used in this recipe.(But I still like to let the yeast sit with the water, sugar, and salt even if using instant.)
- This recipe makes eight large pretzels. If you want slightly smaller pretzels, you can easily divide the dough into 12 portions instead. Check for doneness a couple of minutes early.
- The egg wash on the pretzels gives them a little shine, and I find it softens the exterior a bit. For a more traditional taste, omit the egg wash and just use salt when the pretzels come out of the water bath. For more of an Auntie Anne’s buttery flavor, brush the pretzels with melted butter when they come out of the water bath and again when they come out of the oven.
- I have used this recipe to make pretzel bites, as well (Directions can be found here, along with a spicy dipping sauce).
- Once you have this basic recipe down, you can use it to make all sorts of adaptations, including cinnamon-sugar pretzels, cheddar-jalapeno pretzels, pizza pretzels, garlic butter pretzels, chocolate chip pretzels, Nutella-stuffed pretzels … any type of pretzels! There are so many savory and sweet flavor options, and they’re all delicious!
Serving Suggestions
I like serving these easy homemade soft pretzels as a snack or appetizer with some tangy mustard (I like yellow, but whole grain or spicy brown would be delicious, some ice-cold beer, and some other of my favorite party appetizers, like:
- Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut
- Buffalo chicken dip
- Sausage-stuffed mushrooms
- Cinnamon sugar candied pecans
- Homemade French Onion Dip
- Nuts and Bolts (aka homemade Chex Mix)
- Sweet cream cheese dip with fresh fruit
Looking for a fun recipe to make with the kids? Use this soft pretzel dough to make hot dog mummies! Perfect for Halloween. Just wrap the risen dough around cooked hotdogs, and bake until golden brown. Top with salt and make a face using your favorite condiments!
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions
- Store these homemade soft pretzels in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freeze cooked and cooled pretzels in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Make sure to wrap each pretzel in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn.
- Reheat by placing these soft pretzels in a 350-degree oven or toaster oven for about 15 minutes, or heated through. Alternately, you can also microwave from frozen until heated through.
Watch How to Make Homemade Soft Pretzels:
More Recipes To Try
- Sweet and Spicy Zucchini Refrigerator Pickles
- Pretzel, Peanut Butter & Chocolate Malted Milkshake
- Beer-Battered Onion Rings
- Salted Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
- Boston Baked Beans
Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
For the Pretzel Dough
- 1½ cups (375 ml) warm water
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2¼ teaspoons (2.25 teaspoons) active dry or instant yeast, 1 packet
- 4½ cups (562.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Baking Soda Water Bath
- 10 cups (2.5 l) water
- ⅔ cup (80 g) baking soda
For the Egg Wash
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon water
For Topping
- Coarse salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Combine the water, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl until the sugar and salt have dissolved, then sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, until the mixture begins to foam.
- Add the flour and butter. Use the dough hook attachment to mix on low speed until all of the ingredients are combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, about 4 to 5 minutes. (Alternately, you can mix the dough with a wooden spoon until it comes together, then need by hand for 5 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and just slightly tacky.)
- Place the dough in a clean, oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats; set aside.
- Combine the water and baking soda in a large, wide pot (a Dutch oven works perfectly for this). Bring the mixture to a boil.
- In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other twice and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Gently lower the pretzels into the boiling water, 2 at a time, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large, flat spatula. Place the boiled pretzels back on the baking sheet, brush the top of each pretzel with the egg wash or melted butter (see notes) and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake until dark golden brown, about 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving. Soft pretzels are best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Both instant and active dry yeasts can be used in this recipe; I still like to let the yeast sit with the water, sugar, and salt even if using instant.
- The dough can be made using a mixer or by hand, I have done both successfully.
- This recipe makes eight large pretzels; if you want slightly smaller pretzels, you can easily divide the dough into 12 portions instead. Check for doneness a couple of minutes early.
- The egg wash on the pretzels gives them a little shine and I find it softens the exterior a bit. For a more traditional taste, omit the egg wash and just use salt when the pretzels come out of the water bath. For more of an Auntie Anne’s buttery flavor, brush the pretzels with melted butter when they come out of the water bath and again when they come out of the oven.
- These pretzels can be frozen after baked and cooled; wrap well in plastic wrap and place in a resealable freezer bag. To reheat, place in a 350-degree oven or toaster oven for about 15 minutes, or heated through. Alternately, you can also microwave from frozen until heated through.
- I have used this recipe to make pretzel bites, as well (directions here, along with a spicy dipping sauce).
- Recipe adapted from Alton Brown
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Photography by Dee Frances.
Michelle can you make these without a stand mixer? I don’t think my hand mixer would hold up so I would have to do it by hand. They look amazing and would love to try.
Can you freeze after the baking soda bath and bake at a later date?
OMG! These were amazing! EXACTLY like what you can buy at Auntie Ann’s if you brush them with butter! We made our own honey mustard sauce for dipping and the experience was insane! Who knew you could do this so easily and quickly! And forming the pretzels felt like being in art class! Highly recommend! Note: I halved the recipe and made 4 large perfect pretzels. I also halved the water & baking soda mixture. Perfect for 2-4 people, depending how much you want to eat ;)
Delicious
Made your pretzels and loved them. Excellent and easy recipe
Hi Michelle! Do you think this recipe might be made with whole wheat flour? I am thinking to make it a bit healthier for diabetics or anyone wanting to eat whole grains. Thank you!
I don’t have a mixer w/dough hook. Can this be kneaded by hand?
Perfect every time. Best pretzel recipe there is
Can i use this recipe to make crisp bread sticks
Hi Ron, I’ve never tried that; if you do, let me know how they turn out!
Can I use table salt or sea salt if I don’t have Kosher salt?
Yes, but reduce the amount to 1.5 teaspoons.
I made this pretzel dough, and used it to make pretzel dogs. I just took the dough and cut one portion in half and rolled it out with rolling pin and then wrapped around Hebrew National. all beef hotdogs mostly because we had no buns and we were out of canned biscuits _which is what I usually use to wrap around hotdogs in a pinch. So the baked hot dogs with the pretzel wrap turned out nice and tasty, but the actual pretzels I made turned out looking horrible, though they tasted good. I had a very hard time rolling the dough into ropes as long as the recipe called for. So they didn’t hold their shape at all!! Though the pretzels looked disfigured, they tasted yummy! And the pretzel dogs were a hit with the hubby and kids!! THANKS
Use one third cup baking soda to ten cups water i love this recipe i know it by heart i use a egg wash with no water
The only recipe I use for my soft pretzels. They come out perfect!
I’m a beginner baker (at 73!) and just tried these pretzels for the first time. They are truly great, and I’ll make them again for sure. One question, though. My pretzels stuck severely to the parchment paper, and I had to discard some of the pretzel in separating. I did not use any spray oils in the pan or on the paper. Suggestions?? Thanks… Peter
It might be your parchment paper some paper can’t take the high heat
It happened to me
These are awesome. WAY better than the ones you get at the stands. You don’t even need mustard or cheese.
Wow!! These are absolutely incredible! No joke, best pretzels I have ever eaten in my life. And the recipe was so easy to follow. Thank you for consistently putting out such good recipes. I so appreciate you and your blog. <3 (Also, in case it helps someone in the future, I used bread flour and skipped the egg wash but followed the rest of the recipe exactly, and they came out great.)
I made these today but modified slightly with some garlic butter as well as making them smaller. They were soooo good. Easy to make too.
Have you ever used whole wheat all purpose flour? That’s all I had today so I’m trying it out. I’m a little nervous
Hi Kristine, I never have, let me know how it turns out for you!
Has anyone made this in a braided loaf
Third time making your recipe during the quarantine. Always a winner. Easy to follow and they come out perfectly! Fun for adults and kids to make. Thanks! We’ve done your beer cheese dip, a honey mustard dip, and a nacho cheese dip. All delish!
These were so good! And pretty easy to make. Can’t wait to make them again. Only thing is that they were a little difficult to roll out – any suggestions to make that easier next time?
Made my first pretzels using this recipe, I wanted to make them sweet so I added a tiny bit more sugar but that still wasn’t enough to make them sweet. In the end mine tasted more bready but they were still pretty good. This recipe makes a LOT of pretzels if not doing them so big, I think I made around 20!
I never comment on recipes but I just had to say these were amazing!! My parents told me it’s the best thing I’ve ever made! I’ve had a fair share of pretzels in my life (including authentic ones in Germany) and these may be the best I’ve ever had! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!!
Just finished my first attempt. They are delish. The one problem I ran into was while rolling them out. They kept shrinking up. Is there a suggestion you have to resolve this problem?
Let the dough rest 5 minutes just before rolling,
This recipe is so good!! What do you think about making them into pretzel rolls?
I have a major phobia of all things dough, but with all our time at home, decided we should try this receipe. It was great! It worked perfectly, the kids and even my husband had such a fun time shaping the pretzels, and they were RIDICULOUSLY good! thanks so much!
These turned out beautifully. I decorated with Easter sprinkles so they are salty with a trace of sweetness. Thank you for a keeper recipe. ❤️
Just perfect! I LOVE anything by Alton Brown (his sugar cookie recipe technique is the best ever…using powdered sugar to roll out, and then spatula to pan so shapes don’t fall apart!). I notice the Auntie Anne’s technique is to dip the pretzels in warm water/soda rather than boiling. I tried that and the pretzels were not as brown. I also saw a German recipe that called for freezing the pretzels before simmering. Such varied methods! In any event, my family has been absolutely in love with my efforts in pretzel making since our first try a week ago!
Just made these soft pretzels. Delicious! Dough was a little sticky when rolling, so I just sprinkled a tiny bit of flour on my work surface. Will make again! Will post a picture on Instagram.
My dough had small, hard chunks in it. I don’t know why. Are you supposed to actually mix in the yeast, or just let it sit on top?
Love this recipe. Thanks so much for sharing. First time I made them I took them to work to share. This time they’re for a work pal’s party- she requested I make them again! BTW, I live at 6,000 feet and didn’t change the recipe at all.
How would these differ without the baking soda bath?
Just made my first batch Friday with our 8 and 10 yr old granddaughters and had a great time with it all. Today I made a second batch, this time doing the bites. Have a question. Both times the water/baking soda turned brown before I finished boiling all of them. I continued, but it was a bit disconcerting. The first batch of boiling water also got very foamy before i finished. With the 2nd batch today the water did not get foamy, but still turned brown. What do you think might be going on? Made your dip Friday – LOVE the combo!!
The pretzel turned out great!! Every one is asking me to share this recipe!!
What’s the difference between the 3 recipes you’ve tried, and why have you chosen this as the “final” (or at least ‘current’)?
Hi John, This one tastes like actual soft pretzels; the others tasted a bit too bland, like regular bread and not as thick.
I cheated and used frozen bread dough – but followed your recipe otherwise. It was really good, but I would reduce the amount of baking soda next time as I noticed the baking soda flavor after it was baked and ready to eat. Will make again!
Can this dough be made in the bread machine?
I’ve never used a bread machine, but I don’t see why not.
Can’t locate your video. Link?
Just can’t wait to try this recipe! These soft pretzels looks so mouthwatering!
https://192168-l-l.com
Oh yum. Soft pretzel peeps in our family for sure. When I’d take my nieces to Disneyland when they were little we had 2 must haves…soft pretzel with that orange colored cheese sauce😊 and a churro. Now, I’m kind of hooked on soft pretzel dunked I to cheese sauce, but mustard would be fine. Must have that coarse salt. Always sounded hard to make, but maybe I’ll check out the comments here and give it a try. Let us all know if it was hard to make lol.
Hi Macy, sooooooo much easier than you’d think! I hope you give them a try :)
These look perfect! I haven’t tried making soft pretzels in years, so now I totally want to give it another go!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
What a great bake-a-long this month! It’s crazy how the simple suggestion of a hot pretzel makes for a big craving for one! In the future (near?) would you consider doing a video on kneading yeast dough? The sticky dough part always gets me . . . how do I knead through that to arrive at the soft, slightly tacky stage? Add more flour? Until what point? Don’t add more flour, but keep kneading?
So excited to give this bake-a-long a try!
Thanks for the suggestion! I know it’s a tough thing to grasp until you do it enough of times, at least it was for me!
My wife is 3 month pregnant and wanted an Annie Anne’s pretzel super bad. Annie’s is a 1/2 hr drive at least and there is currently 12” of snow and still falling. So you are a life saver. I have NEVER opened a yeast packet in my life and I have never separated an egg. But I leaned today. This was a simple recipe really and got me some brownie points and tasted great. I do some cooking but no baking… thanks a million
Perfect recipe. The only thing I did differently was make it into a knot. It was much easier. Everything else was perfect!
Amazing recipe! I like them more than the local German beer hall.
I absolutely adore this recipe. My family loves when I make these. They are a great snack, and taste great with mustard. Although the recipe takes a while, it is completely worthwhile and makes a good amount of pretzels. Overall, my favorite soft pretzel recipe.
Turned out fantastic. I will definitely be making again and again. What are your thoughts on freezing them? Thanks.
Hi Kathy, I have successfully frozen these!
LOVE this recipe, It was so easy to make and even easier to finish them all off in one night!!!! TY
I love soft pretzels but have never made them at home. I was bit reluctant because it seemed a little challenging to boil them but I made them tonight and they were amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Excellent and easy recipe. I nailed it first time and they are AMAZING! Don’t be overwhelmed and give it a shot!
I have made these pretzels many times and they always come out amazing! I have a special place in my heart for soft pretzels and these ones are just perfect. They are easy to make too! My boyfriend says they are the best soft pretzels he has ever had and whenever I make them for my family they are always amazed and they think that so much more work goes into them than there actually is ;) I always get comments like, “Wow, you made your own pretzels? How?!” and, “These are great they must have been hard to make.” I have also made a cheese sauce to go with them but they are always good with whole grain mustard or even just plain!
Hi Hannah, I’m so thrilled that you’ve enjoyed this recipe, it’s one of my favorites! Thanks so much for taking the time to stop back and leave a review!
These are not like NY soft pretzels from the 50’s and 60’s. Those pretzels were not chewy. More doughy. You would break off a piece rather than tear or pull it off.
The original soft pretzels were made from cheap ingredients. No butter, no egg, no bread flour. In fact, most of the places making the soft pretzels had numerous health violations including rodent droppings in the flour. It’s for that reason that many of us stopped buying them. They were not quality items.
Original soft pretzels from years ago were not chewy!
Awesome, super easy recipe. Making a double batch this weekend for a party. I will probably add less salt this time but a huge hit in my house!
How well does this recipe double? I’d like to make quite a few and freeze them. I’d thought I’d try flash freezing first, uncooked, then bagging. I’d like to be able to pull from freezer and pop into the oven. To me that means I should boil them first. Have you ever tried any of this?
Hi Pamela, This recipe scales really well, I’ve doubled and tripled it. I have never tried boiling and then freezing, so I’m not sure how it would work. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!
Just saw this recipe. What about a gluten free version. I use Pillsbury gluten free flour in all my baking. My daughter has Celiac disease. Give me an answer please.
Lorna
Hi Lorna, Unfortunately I haven’t done much in the way of gluten-free baking, so I’m not sure how the gluten free flour would work. If you give it a try, please stop back and share your results!
I like this bread
I have made these so many times (including last week and today)! Fantastic! Thanks for sharing with us!
Hi – these look great. Could I substitute bread flour? Would I have to change the amount. I have some bread flour sitting around that I would like to use up.
Hi Lara, Bread flour would definitely change the texture, but I haven’t tried substituting it so I couldn’t give you a definitive answer on what changes you’d need to make.
I tried substituting some bread flour but they did not come out super soft like they should be. I will try it again and stick to your recipe. Thanks!
baking soda ruined them
Totally agree Trdtess. I tried this recipe yesterday. The soda bath is way too strong, I got sick only after consuming one pretzl, it’s almost like poisoning your body with lye. They looked fabulous, but after this experience, they all went into the bin. I love Bavarian Pretzls but this was not it!
Use one third cup baking soda to ten cups water i love this recipe i know it by heart i use a egg wash with no water
My wife and I enjoyed the pretzels but thought the dough did not taste like we were expecting . We wondered if adding more sugar may help ?? The real question we would like to know is this dough able to be frozen and brought out later to bake . Any input on kicking up the doughs flavor would be appreciated . They came out great at first try .
Hi David, I’m not sure what to suggest for the dough – what flavor were you looking for? If you wanted them sweeter, then you could try more sugar. I have not trying freezing the dough, but the baked pretzels freeze and reheat well.
I’m curious, how is this “adapted” from Alton Brown’s recipe. It is *exactly* his recipe. I think it’s a bit unfair not to give him credit in the written portion of the blog. Everyone thinks you invented it.
Wait…Alton Brown invented the soft pretzel? That’s awesome!!!!
Hi Michelle,
I love your sight and I would like to make bunny soft pretzels for my 5 year old son’s Easter party. How would you suggest I make them? The night before then cool and store in paper bags? Then reheat and bring to class? Not sure what to do.
Thanks for your thoughts!
PCPPL
Hi there, That’s a tough one since soft pretzels are definitely best the day they are first made. I would probably do as you suggested with a paper bag, but hold off on adding the salt until the day you serve them. Before reheating, brush with a little water and sprinkle with salt.
I just made them !! Easy to make and they taste great !!
I did a taste test between your recipe and the AllRecipes Buttery Soft Pretzel. Great recipe!! This will be my go to soft pretzels. I made them pretzel shaped and nugget shapes so I didn’t have to roll them all the way out. They cook for the same amount of time as the pretzel shaped ones. I will be posting this recipe to my blog and linking it back to your site. Thanks for sharing!
I made these pretzels last night for the Super Bowl and they were AMAZING. Everyone loved them, I will definitely be making these again!
Hi Michelle! Yes, it is one of my NYRs to work with yeast! :) I’ve been wanting to do it for the longest time but too scared to try. I’ll try this recipe today! Thank you so much I found your site! By the way, it is my first time to comment on your post but I’ve done 2-3 recipes from your site and all of them turned out to be a success! :)
Should they definitely be boiled? Or can I just skip to baking them?
Hi Nicole, Yes, boiling is a critical step in making soft pretzels – that is what “sets” the outside of the pretzel and gives it that characteristic flavor and texture. Definitely do not skip this step.
HI LOVE THE RECIPE CAN U FREEZE THE PRETZELS TO BAKE LATER?
Hi Gilda, I would recommend baking the pretzels, then freezing and reheating to eat later.
I made these today while snowed in. So easy and so yummy. I always thought pretzels were hard to make. Now I know better. Thank you!
on a future note, we will be making these for valentines for all our teachers and calling them “Love Knots.”
Been looking for a forgiving pretzel recipe, I’m 40 now and started cooking with my mom and dad when I was about 9 years old. Baking with yeast has been a thorn in my side for a long time. My only claim to baking fame is my pizza dough. Lol
I didn’t see it posted in the directions but at what temperature are we baking the pretzels at and where in the oven? I’m imagining middle rack at around 425 to 450 deg. Sound ok?
Thank you much Michelle !!!
Hi Andrew, Step #4 has the oven temperature (450), and yes you can use middle rack and do one at a time, or you can do upper-middle and lower-middle and switch the pans halfway through baking.
Great!! I need tips for making a day ahead. We are having a party and I won’t have time to make them the day of it. Have you tried boiling/baking the day before? Are they still good or stale? Thanks!!
Kathy I just saw the July 19 post. Did you make ahead and how did they turn out?
Michele, I’m sure fresh is best! I made these about 5 years ago, and never since because they were so much work, I needed to make 5 batches! My friends keep asking if I’m making again again. I might just have to get up early! They are soooooo good! Maybe I’ll try minis so I can make more at once.
These are definitely much better when you make them and serve them fresh. You can make them a day in advance and reheat in the oven, but I wouldn’t do it any further in advance as that. And of course, they won’t taste exactly the same, either.
I’ve made these twice now, and they turned out well both times! Great recipe, delicious pretzels!
Hello! I was wondering if you had any tips about making these in advanced. I’m hosting a small party and was hoping not to make this the day of. Could I freeze them after boiling, and bake them when ready to serve? I want to serve them as fresh as possible.
Your site looks great! So glad I found it!
Hi Kathy, These really are best made fresh. You could make them, freeze them, and then reheat them in the oven. That would probably be your best bet, but they won’t be as good as they are fresh.
This is (by far) the best pretzel recipe I have ever made. I have tried several different recipes, and every time I use this recipe they come out incredible. These pretzels are better than any pretzel you will ever buy at the mall. I’m making these again right now for the 5th time this month. Everybody that I know loves this recipe.
Thank You So Much!
My mom was just commenting last week how much she loves soft pretzels. This would be a nice surprise for her. Any experience freezing these so she could spread their consumption over a period of time?
Hi Robby, Yes, I have frozen these and then reheated in a toaster oven. They reheat pretty well (obviously not as good as fresh, but still good!). I hope your mom enjoys them!
I had no idea you put them in boiling water first before baking them. I’m going to have a go tomorrow with my son as they are his favorite treat. Thanks for the recipe.
would this work with oil instead of melted butter? trying to keep dairy out of the things that i bake
thanks!
Hi Eliana, The flavor will definitely be better with butter; I haven’t used oil so I’m not sure if it would affect the texture as well.
Hi, I made your pretzels, all was well until I tried one and it was not nice, it tasted bitter :L Too much baking soda? Is 2/3 cups the actual amount or did I get it wrong?
Hi Raven, the 2/3 cup is the correct measurement for the baking soda.
I just made these tonight. First, I accidentally grabbed my instant yeast instead of the active dry! I didn’t realize it until after they were rising. I just went with the recipe and they seemed great! We did a taste test by brushing 4 with egg wash and salt, and then the other 4 we did with melted butter and salt. The butter and salt was preferred, but the difference was slight. We devoured them all! Great recipe!
I just tried your recipe, and the pretzels turned out great. I love their soft, chewy texture. A couple comments — first, I found using a slotted spoon made it easier to lift the pretzels out of the boiling water without breaking the shape. Also, you can make a really good honey mustard dip by combining equal parts dijon mustard and melted honey — a simple dip that goes really well with the salty pretzels.
May I use instant dry yeast instead of active dry yeast?
Hi Kate, You can, but your rise time will be different. You also don’t need to bloom the yeast first; it can be whisked into the dry ingredients. I haven’t tried this recipe with instant yeast, but I think they should turn out just fine.
We just got back from New York holiday. It is the first time we have tried soft /pretzel and we absolutely loved it! Although I am terrible in baking I am determined that I will make this a success! Thanks!
These look yummy…
My favorite soft pretzel recipe, hands down, is King Arthur Flour’s Hot Buttered Pretzel recipe – best of any I’ve tried! It doesn’t require boiling (you dip the pretzel into warm H20/baking soda solution before baking at 500 degrees) & when they come out of the oven you brush them with melted butter. Mmmmm…
Delicious!
I like to make them on Sunday – such a contemplative process on a day of rest… kneading the dough, folding them into prayer arms, and then eating them!
Yum!
Trying these pretzels right now! My husband is thrilled and cannot wait until they come out of the oven!
Wow… I tried to make pretzels a couple of years ago and it went so poorly that I was sure I would never do it again… This morning the idea came to mind again and I found your posting. All I can say is… THANK YOU. I made these during my lunch break and brought them to my wife at work. She and her coworkers loved them. BTW, I doubled the recipe without any issues and now I have more for when my children get home from school. GREAT POST! THANK YOU AGAIN!
Was about to try these but wondered if 2/3c of baking soda is a mis-type. It seems like a lot!
Oh, never mind. I just realized its for the water.
I have tried so many of your recipes and I am almost never disappointed. This recipe turned out GREAT. I had never made pretzels before, but it was quite easy. I froze the remainders so that we will not eat them all so quickly. Thank you!!!!
These look so good!
Made them with pleasure today. SO easy. I took my time as my kitchen is a tiny thing and they turned out FANTASTIC. My husband sells beer for a living and luckily had a nice German beer to go with. Next time I might make them a little smaller so I can share with more people. I’ve already got requests for more :)
I’ve always wanted to make traditional pretzels (I’m German, in some ways it’s a right of passage :) First off, these were super easy to make and more importantly-they were awesome! Thank you for posting such a great recipe!! (I gave one to my step dad to try when visiting and he said, after trying many which included multiple tries in Germany that they were the best he has ever tasted!) Look forward to trying more of your recipes :)
I can’t believe I made soft pretzels!!! To me they were one of those intimidating recipes that I thought I’d never make. Thank you for such an easy to follow recipe. I was really nervous but they turned out perfect. All the picky eaters in my family loved them!!!! Thanks! I’ll have to make them again.
I made these Friday night for the first time. I have been following your blog for a while and everything I’ve made from here has been a hit. The boiling water part really intimidated me since I’ve never done that before with dough but I figured you have always posted amazing recipes so why not step out of my comfort zone. I was so happy these pretzels turned out great even despite my lack of skill. My husband and two boys loved them. Thanks for always inspiring me and getting so many great recipes out to us!
I made these and they were awesome, but I have a question about storing them. I made half topped with salt and half topped with cinnamon and sugar, and I put them together in a ziploc bag once they were cool. The cinnamon and sugar ones were fine, but the salted ones got sort of soggy, and left condensation in the bag, even after I left it open for a while. Any tips/suggestions for optimal storage?
Hi Rachel, That’s because of the salt, it happens even when I get store-bought soft pretzels and have leftovers. The best way to store leftover pretzels is in a brown paper bag, which eliminates the condensation from the salt. However, they’re usually only good like this for a day or so. If you won’t eat all of them in that period of time, I would recommend freezing them.
Hi Michelle! I knew I wanted to make these as soon as I read this post, and I just finished making a batch. Your instructions are great. I did make a few substitutions to make the pretzels more healthy. Here’s what I did: swapped wholemeal wheat flour for all the all-purpose flour and olive oil for the butter. I found the dough quite dry (I guess because of the wholemeal), so I added more water while kneading. The dough rose beautifully, and the pretzels look real nice (although not as pretty as yours–wholemeal flour isn’t very pretty). They are yummy, moist, and soft, and my husband and I are enjoying eating them :)
I made a “test” batch of these yesterday afternoon. My brother-in-law has a Super Bowl party every year (even if the Steelers are not in it) and I’m always looking for something new to take. Well, this is it! The pretzels were the BEST. I tried making soft pretzels in the past and, although they tasted good, they lost their shape when I boiled them. I watched Alton Brown’s demo and had no problem at all. I also made a beer cheese dip to go with them. Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
Hi Michelle! I love your site…one of the first one’s I visit every morning. I unfortunately do not have a stand mixer…do you think I could make these yummy looking pretzels in a bread maker? Mine has a dough setting on it, and I have been making delicious homemade pizza dough in it now for months. Thanks!
Hi Jennifer, I have actually never used a bread machine, and would probably recommend mixing by hand before using a bread machine. Just use a wooden spoon to mix the dough, and then knead by hand on a floured countertop.
Made these and they are wonderful…best treat ever. Thanks for posting the recipe. Will be making these often.
I love to bake and we LOVE soft pretzels, but I am afraid of yeast! I really want to learn. How warm is “warm”, for the water?
Hi Pam, Some recipes give a specific temperature, but I find about 110 degrees F to be about spot on most of the time. If you stick your finger in the water, you want it to be noticeably warmer than room temperature, but not so HOT. I hope that helps!
We woke up today in Idaho to our first snow day of the school year and saw these fantastic looking pretzels. My girls and I made these and they are AWESOME! I have made different recipes in the past and they don’t stand up to this one. I only had 1/3 cup of baking soda in the water but we still got that yummy salty taste. Don’t hesitate to make this recipe it comes together quickly. It made our snow day yummier!
Aw, I love this! Snow days were so much fun when I was a kid. My mom, sister and I would always build jigsaw puzzles :)
Pretzels have been on my list to make for so long….this makes me want them even more.
I’m envisioning these for Super Bowl Sunday. Any thoughts on how they hold up if you sit them out for a bit? Better to shape and let sit uncooked until just before you’re ready to serve them?
Hi Mia, I think they would be fine if left to sit out for an hour or so after making them. If worse comes to worse, you could always pop them into a 350-degree oven to warm them up.
When I was younger, my sister and I would make pretzels with my mom. We always created funny shapes and had a blast. Thank you for jogging my memory with your post. I can’t wait to make them!
I love soft pretzels! Unfortitely it’s kind of hard to find here in Australia! I would so make these right now except it’s a scorching hot 43 degrees C heat wave and the last thing I want to do is bake!
This doesn’t sound too difficult… I will have to try it out some time soon. Thanks for sharing!
I haven’t had a soft pretzel in forever but they are one of my favorite childhood treats. Your sound and of course look amazing. I guess I need to get to work :)
If it weren’t so late and my mixer weren’t so loud, I’d be in the kitchen making pretzels right now. I haven’t had a homemade soft pretzel in far too long!
Originally pretzels were boiled in a lye/water solution. Lye is not something most of us want to use in our home kitchens for cooking. However, if you bake the baking soda in a 200 degree oven for an hour the ph of the baking soda will be lowered and the resulting pretzel will be better.
Lye solution is a harsh chemical but unquestionably makes the best looking and tasting Pretzels. It’s what the pros use commercially. The lye is what turns the Pretzel dough that classic “dark brown” once baked. But boiling your Pretzels in a Lye Bath isn’t necessary considering they ultimately get baked anyway. Instead, mix up and store the Lye Solution (according to directions) in a spray bottle. Set the raw Pretzels in your sink and wet the tops of them with some solution. Top with Pretzel Salt immediately so it embeds into the dough and bake Prezels immediately unless they need to rise a bit more. Email: 5702450544@windstream.net
Thanks for posting a tried and true recipe, I can’t wait to try my hands at pretzel making!
Soft pretzels are amazing, nothing can compare! Yours are the perfect color and shape!
um, YES please! I’ve been wanting to make soft pretzels for a while now, and these pictures are convincing me even more! Looks delicious!
I LOVE SOFT PRETZELS!!! Can’t wait to make these!!
Thank you for this! It reminds me of being back in New York City! And my boyfriend loves soft pretzels so I will definitely be making these!
Like you, I cannot resist a good pretzel. I have been MEANING to bake some.. maybe with some cheese sauce! Great post!!
I am trying to move away from using white flour. Any suggestions on how this would need to be modified for (at least partial) whole wheat flour?
Hi Anna, I have not used any wheat flour in this recipe to date. You could give it a try, but I wouldn’t recommend substituting all of the flour for whole wheat. Even a partial substitution may affect the texture and outcome. Please let me know how it goes if you try it!
I used 1/2 ea white and whole wheat and it is delicious!
OH my goodness these look so fabulous!
These are the best! Can you share a good cheese dip recipe for the pretzels? I can’t find one that we like…
Hi Rebecca, I am working on it! :)
Why mess around with Cheese Dips? Add it directly into the Pretzel Dough prior to baking.
This is too funny because I’ve had soft pretzels on my mind for a week now. I have to make them at home because the ones at the mall, although soo tempting, are so horrible for you!
These look pretty easy to make! I’ve stopped getting pretzels from stands at games, etc. just because I don’t think they taste like they used to! They have become flavorless and blah. But, the one’s from Auntie Anne’s & The Pretzel Twister are a different story!
The secret to Auntie Anne’s Pretzels at the malls is they contain about 1 cup of Confectioners Sugar per 4 cups AP Flour being a traditional sweet bread dough. Dipping them into warm melted butter just before eating is the 2nd half of what makes them taste sensational.
Sorry for the above typo. The ratio of AP Flour to Confectioners Sugar should be 3:1 so should read 3 cups Flour to 1 cup Confectioners Sugar. Email: 5702450544@windstream.net
Making soft pretzels is one of the things my grand daughters love to do at grandma’s house. Now we have a new recipe to test out. Their father, my son, particularly likes it when we make soft pretzels also. Thanks for the new adventure.
I’m so glad to see you adding photos of the recipe in progress in addition to your final finished end product pics.
Is there a particular reason why you only crossed the ends of your pretzels rather than twisting them as is traditionally done?
Also, if using instant yeast do you just skip the step of adding the yeast to the water and waiting for it to foam?
Thank you for this recipe. My mom used to make a version of this so it touched me so very much to see something like she used to make. Note to the ladies – always get your mom’s recipes before its too late.
I always add a closing section at the end called “Recipe History” detailing the name, birth/death dates and relationship of the person I received any given recipe from. The Family Tree research I performed a few years ago includes family recipes including the source and history of each. It’s fascinating how many generations back many family recipes can be traced.
I’m madly in love with soft pretzels and it was one of the first yeasted doughs I tried. So simply and totally amazing fresh outta the oven.
these look GREAT girl!!!
I had soft pretzels on my mind recently. These look perfect! I have yet to try Alton’s recipe but after seeing yours – I can’t wait!
I love soft pretzels too! I am just not sure if I have the patience for this process! I think the whole boiling water and putting them in there scares me!
You’re actually suppose to use LYE SOLUTION rather than Baking Soda for the boiling bath. I’ve discovered you can skip the boiling bath this way. Keep some Lye Solution made up in spray bottle. Set raw Pretzels in the sink then wet the tops of them with some Lye Solution from the spray bottle. Top with Pretzel Salt immediately so it embeds into the dough and permanently bonds with it. I’ve tried both methods. The Lye Solution is what commercial Pretzel makers use. It unquestionably makes more attractive better tasting Pretzels. No egg wash necessary. That isn’t done with Pretzels–it’s a pastry thing. The Lye Solution is what makes the Pretzel dough turn dark brown once baked. It also gives them that classic “Pretzel” flavor.
If I don’t want to add salt on top of the pretzels do I still need to do the egg wash?
Hi Michelle, I would, it gives them a nice golden brown color.
Sprinkle some Pretzel Salt on a clean surface (in sink I usually do) then place the Pretzels face down on the salt the instant they come out of the Baking Soda bath. Do so will cause the Salt to embed in the dough so it can’t come off once baked. Even if you want it to the salt won’t come off using this method. Also works great for added Sesame Seeds and the like on top of other breads and doughs. I wet my rolls with a spray bottle before baking so the outer dough gets sticky enough to permanently bond with the seeds toppings.
Such a fav in this house. Yum!
We love making soft pretzels!
I’ve been dying to make pretzels and was thinking of doing so in the coming weeks, and these definitely look like a great place to start!
Looks good! One of my 2013 foodie goals is actually to make more yeasted breads. These WILL be made in my kitchen soon!
I recently got into making homemade pretzels and my family loves them. I do mine slightly different – I do not put on the egg wash. I wait until they have been in the oven for 5 minutes – then I brush with butter and sprinkle the salt at that point. Then bake until golden brown – they taste similar to auntie annies!
Can we get the dip recipe or do we have to wait for it? =)
Hi Carolin, I apologize for any misunderstanding, I don’t have a homemade mustard dip recipe. I am working on a homemade cheese dipping sauce, though!
I love homemade soft pretzels; do you have any advice – I have stripped the gears on my artisan kitchenaide three different times making soft pretzels, and the last time I made them by hand :( too much kneading my arm was so swore.
Hi Jade, Yikes! I feel your pain. It got to the point where my Artisan was smoking every time I kneaded bread dough. If you find that you’re kneading a lot of dough in your mixer, I definitely recommend upgrading to the Professional series. It’s been a dream for me. Until then, lots of elbow grease!
Hubby is a big fan of soft pretzels, so soft pretzels have been on my to-do list for quite a long time. I’m so making these soon! I’m a big AB fan and your pics are great so I’m sure these can’t go wrong. Mmmmm, I can almost smell them now. thanks for sharing!!
I LOVE soft pretzels too! Thanks for the recipe!
Totally swooning!
Michelle, since I made my first soft pretzel recipe last month during the holidays, i’ve been searching cookbooks and the internet for different varieties and I have always come back to Alton Brown’s. I’m glad you made it and shared these with us – I am a true believer in homemade pretzels now and can’t wait to try this version someday. :)
Soft pretzels are the best! My husband has been hinting that I need to make them again! :)
Okay, so I’ve never made soft pretzels but they are definitely on my list. So funny that you posted this today because over the weekend we found a soft pretzel shop while we were out and about and went on a total binge, and my little guy’s been wanting more. Thanks!
Love soft pretzels- can’t wait to try this recipe. I just got a pastry mat similar to the one you show above as well!
-m
Soft pretzels are totally on my bucket list!!!!!!!
I’m addicted to soft pretzels, too, but have never been brave enough to try to make them myself–I may just have to give them a whirl!
I love soft pretzels and yours look amazing! I have been hearing about Alton’s pretzel recipe a lot lately, and with your recipe, I plan on making pretzels this week!!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
I’ve been wanting to make soft pretzels for awhile now. I’ve made them in bite form, but I want to actually twist the pretzels :)
Its like you read my mind and posted this recipe for me! I was just daydreaming about having a big, warm soft pretzel just yesterday! I can’t wait to try these.
I loooooove pretzels. I hope a recipe for that mustard comes along soon:)
I did not read the recipe very well and all I saw was 10 cups of water. Was reading your intstructions and am thinking that 10 cups of water to 1 pkg of yeast. Finally looked at the recipe again and saw 1 1/2 cup of water.
Have never tasted one of these but they sound good.
Ok, I’m so making this. Very soon. Will post pics of my success (or failure, but I highly doubt it will be a failure). I haven’t had a true “failure” from your recipes yet!
Hi, thanks for this recipe! I love soft pretzels a lot and I would love to use your recipe.
But I have a question: 2/3 cups of baking soda seems like a whole lot to me (although I am not very familiar with baking soda, I’m from the Netherlands and we usually use baking powder as a leavening agent). So, is 2/3 cups / 200 grams correct?
Thanks in advance!
Oh sorry, I understand now, it’s not used as a leaving agent but for the water to boil the pretzels in. That explains a lot. :)
Baking soda is in baking powder. Baking soda rises at room temp, but baking powder does most of its rising with heat. Baking soda will have a slight bitter, unless the recipe has an acid in it (chocolate, yogurt, citrus, vinegar. etc.) where as baking powder has cream of tarter (acidic) to cut this.
Too funny….on my list of things to make THIS WEEK (and would have done it today but it was raining and I didnt want to make bread on a rainy day) was to make soft pretzels. I was going to use the Alton recipe & King Arthur and sort of roll them into one. Yours look so good I just want to grab one, and makes me want to make my pretzels finally!
I have a serious weakness for soft pretzels, but I’ve never attempted them at home. Perhaps this will be the year I try to make them! Do you have any recommendations for good mustard sauce recipes? :)
Hi Allison, I’ve never made my own mustard sauce; I believe the one we had with the pretzels in the photo was purchased at Ikea in their little grocery section near the exit ;-)
The only time I have pretzels are when I go to the mall and buy some from Auntie Anne’s. I particularly love it with Sugar and Cinnamon. Perhaps it’s time to make some myself. Thanks for sharing Michelle! Have a great week ahead! :)