Homemade Soft Pretzels are a warm, buttery, delicious treat!
Happy New Year, everyone! I hope everyone's holidays were wonderful and you're all looking forward to a new year full of possibilities. I certainly am. Lots of changes going on here and I'm just rolling with them the best I can.
I'm quite pleased that the first blog post for this new year is a TwelveLoaves post. I'm really enjoying being part of this special baking group. It's providing an impetus for me to get back into bread baking - something I really loved in the past but had let slip for a long time.
For this month's TwelveLoaves challenge, I decided to attempt something I'd never tried before. Soft Pretzels. I looked at lots of recipes but finally settled on this one from King Arthur Flour. Who knows baking better than those experts, huh?
I made the recipe several times and even though I still have some work to do to perfect my pretzel forming skills, I'm telling you this recipe is definitely a keeper. I made one of the batches while our grandkids were here and they both gave them a big thumbs up.
And, by the way, it just so happened that there was some warm queso dip going on the stovetop at the same time and BeeBop had the genius idea of combining the two. Ever had a warm pretzel dipped in queso? No? OMGosh are you missing out!
Homemade Soft Pretzels are a warm, buttery, delicious treat! Click To Tweet
How to Make Homemade Soft Pretzels
Combine all the dough ingredients in a large bowl and beat until well combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until soft and smooth.
Flour the dough and place it in a bag or covered in a bowl to rest for 30 minutes.
While the dough rests, make the topping. Combine the boiling water and baking soda in a medium bowl or large measuring cup, stirring until the soda is completely dissolved. Note: this mixture will overflow a one-cup measure, so a larger container is needed for mixing. Allow the soda-water mixture to sit and cool to room temperature while you proceed with the pretzels.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with either a light coat of oil or line it with parchment paper.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Allow the dough to sit uncovered for 5 minutes.
Pour the cooled soda-water into a 9” square pan.
Roll each piece of dough into a long thin rope and twist each into a pretzel shape.
Working with 4 pretzels at a time, place them into the soda-water. Spoon the water over the tops of the pretzels and leave them to sit in the water for 2 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon or spatula and place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse kosher or pretzel salt. Allow the pretzels to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Bake for 8-9 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the pretzels from the oven and immediately brush with the melted butter. Continue brushing until all the butter is used. It's pretty interesting how the pretzels turn a dark brown immediately when brushed with the butter.
Serve warm with mustard or cheese sauce.
Enjoy!
More Bread Recipes on Never Enough Thyme:
- Easy Homemade Bread
- Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread
- Steakhouse Honey Wheat Bread
- Old Fashioned Cornbread
- Pane Bianco Filled with Tomato, Basil, and Garlic
- Pimiento Cheese Corn Sticks
- Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing
More About the Twelve Loaves baking group:
#TwelveLoaves is a monthly bread baking party created by Lora from Cake Duchess (now Savoring Italy) and is run with the help of Heather of girlichef (now All Roads Lead to the Kitchen) which runs smoothly with the help of our bakers.
Our host this month is Kim from NinjaBaker.com, and our theme is Happy New Year. For more bread recipes, visit the #TwelveLoaves Pinterest board.
Recipes from this month's bakers:
- Japanese White Bread from NinjaBaker
- La couronne des Rois from Ma che ti sei mangiato
- Pretzel Buns from Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Rosca de Reyes from girlichef
- Sweet Pretzels from Cake Duchess
- Whole Wheat Cranberry Orange Muffins from Rhubarb and Honey
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Soft Pretzels
Delicious, buttery, homemade soft pretzels warm from the oven.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 pkg. active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
For the topping:
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 tblsp. baking soda
- Coarse salt
- 3 tblsp. butter, melted
Instructions
- Combine all the dough ingredients in a large bowl and beat until well combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until soft and smooth.
- Flour the dough and place it in a bag or bowl, covered, to rest for 30 minutes.
- While the dough rests, make the topping. Combine the boiling water and baking soda in a medium bowl or large measuring cup, stirring until the soda is completely dissolved. Note: this mixture will overflow a one-cup measure, so a larger container is needed for mixing. Allow the soda-water mixture to sit and cool to room temperature while you proceed with the pretzels.
- Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with either a light coat of oil or line it with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Allow the dough to sit uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Pour the cooled soda-water into a 9” square pan.
- Roll each piece of dough into a long thin rope and twist each into a pretzel shape.
- Working with 4 pretzels at a time, place them into the soda-water. Spoon the water over the tops of the pretzels and leave them to sit in the water for 2 minutes.
- Remove with a slotted spoon or spatula and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with coarse kosher or pretzel salt.
- Allow the pretzels to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove the pretzels from the oven and immediately brush with the melted butter. Continue brushing until all the butter is used.
- Serve warm with mustard or cheese sauce.
Notes
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 184Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 716mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g
Nutrition information is calculated by Nutritonix and may not always be perfectly accurate. Use your own judgment.
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Lana Stuart is the author, photographer, cook, and occasional traveler at Never Enough Thyme. A former IT professional, she enjoys time in the kitchen and the art studio.
Sue
These were such an easy pretzel to make, especially having never made them before. They were absolutely delicious!! This recipe will be saved! Thanks for sharing!
Lana Stuart
Thanks, Sue! So glad you like them.
Nutmeg Nanny
I have wanted to make pretzels for years! Love this! I would love them warm dipped in whipped cream cheese...yum!
Carol at Wild Goose Tea
I love soft pretzels, but alas I know I will never make them. I look at yours and lust, however.
Angie | Big Bear's Wife
ooo man, I sure do love these! I keep seeing Soft Pretzels everywhere today! I need to make these asap!
Miss P
Amazing!!
Miss P
Bea
Happy Happy Happy New Year to you and yours!!! In Germany we eat sweet pretzels for good luck on New Year's Day and I make one big pretzel that lasts us for a couple of days.
I love any type of pretzel and your version looks fantastic. Love that the recipe does not contain any dairy (besides the brushing of butter). Love it!
Lana Stuart
One big pretzel sounds like fun, Bea! I'll have to give that a try next time.
Robin @ A Shaggy Dough Story
I so want one of those pretzels right now. Beautiful!
Kate @ Diethood
Ooooh I LOVE how yours fluffed up! They look aaaa.may.zing!
Lana Stuart
I was surprised at how much they rose, Kate. Very light and fluffy.
Martha @ A Family Feast
I'm loving all of these TwelveLoaves posts!! And these pretzels look incredible! I'm imagining the wonderful smells that would be coming out of the oven while these bake!
Lana Stuart
It does make the whole house smell wonderful, Martha!
Heather // girlichef
Homemade bread is the best way to start a new year! And soft pretzels are a perennial favorite in our house - these look soooo good. Happy New Year :).
Lana Stuart
Happy New Year to you, too, Heather!
Sues
Mmm I'm seriously craving soft pretzels now! These are lovely!
Lana Stuart
Me too, Sues. Thinking about making another batch this morning!
Ginny McMeans
I love soft pretzels! Your recipe looks like a winner!
Lana Stuart
Thanks, Ginny. Definitely a keeper of a recipe.
[email protected]
Lana....these are gorgeous! Crunchy but soft, buttery and salty!!! While I usually love to smother pretzels in mustard....dipping them in queso sounds pretty amazing too! Happy New Year! : )
Lana Stuart
Thanks, Anne. We tried them with queso, mustard, and just plain. They were great any way we tried.
The Ninja Baker
Dipping the soft pretzels in queso is undoubtedly delicious. But, I'd be very happy with a bite the ungarnished breads which do look soooo scrumptious Lana. And I know it is yummy because children are usually the most honest critics =)
Lana Stuart
Oh yes, they definitely don't hesitate to give their opinion! :-)
Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories
Those are very pretty! They also look quite tasty. Great step-by-step photos.
Lana Stuart
Thanks, Karen!
Lora @cakeduchess
I was checking out the savory recipes for pretzels and just love yours!! There is something about pretzels...I can't get enough of them! Happy New Year to you, Lana! Beautiful addition to our #TwelveLoaves collection:)
Lana Stuart
Happy New Year to you, too, Lora! Having so much fun with #TwelveLoaves.
Nancy Buchanan
Been thinking about making pretzels and these have definitely moved up on my "to make" list - makes me hungry just looking at them!
Lana Stuart
This was my first time trying pretzels, Nancy. I had no idea about the soda-water bath process which gives them their distinct crust. Very interesting.
Amy @Very Culinary
Apparently I need to start making pretzels! These look awesome.
Lana Stuart
Thanks, Amy. They didn't turn out looking perfect, but they sure taste wonderful!