Craving soft pretzels?
The aroma of freshly baked soft pretzels has a way of transporting you. It can whisk you back to a childhood amusement park, the salty, yeasty scent mingling with the screams from the roller coaster. For me, I’m always transported to a shopping mall. The delicious, buttery scent wafting through the air. Arms laden with back to school clothes and stomach rumbling from a long day of shopping. Nothing quite hit the spot like an Auntie Anne’s soft pretzel.
Pillowy soft on the inside, with a perfectly golden brown crust that crackled with every bite. They were dipped in warm nacho cheese, creamy mustard, or enjoyed plain. The ultimate comfort food. The perfect end to a long day.
I no longer live near an Auntie Anne’s, so my soft pretzel cravings had to be satisfied another way. Thus I set out on a mission to make them at home. It’s not quite the same but I think I got pretty darn close. Let me know what you think in the comments.
Soft Pretzels- The Ingredients
DOUGH
- 3 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup brown sugar, unpacked
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (or 1 packet) instant yeast*
- 1 cup milk, warm (110*F)**
- 2 Tablespoons butter, diced
TOPPING
- 1 cup water, warm
- 3 Tablespoons baking soda
- Coarse salt, like Maldon flake salt
- 3 Tablespoons butter, melted
Soft Pretzels- The Process
Grab a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle in yeast. Pour warm milk (about 110*) over the yeast. Let it soften for a few minutes. Meanwhile, grab the rest of your ingredients.
To the yeast mixture, add brown sugar and one cup of flour. Stir to combine. Mix in cubed butter and salt. Starting with one cup, gradually stir in the remaining flour. Continue slowly adding until a sticky dough forms.
Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead, adding flour as needed. 😉 When the dough is ready, it should be smooth and slightly tacky. It should not stick to a clean finger when poked. This takes about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the amount of flour added.
Shape into a bowl and place into an oiled bowl. Allow to rise for one hour, or until doubled in size. Preheat your oven to 450*. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Move dough from the bowl to a lightly floured surface. Add warm water and baking soda to the bowl and stir to dissolve.
Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long, thin rope, slapping on the counter as you do. Twist each rope into a pretzel. Dip the pretzels in the warm water mixture and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt (or cinnamon sugar!).
Bake the pretzels for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush with butter. Sprinkle with additional salt.
Tips & Tricks:
- I’ve never actually melted butter to brush on these. I don’t have one of those fancy brush things. I just take a whole stick and rub it on like corn on the cob.
- After baking, allow the pretzels to cool for a few minutes. Then pop them in the toaster for 1 minute and spread with butter. The toaster gives them a delightful crunchy crust.
- These are best eaten within 3 days. After that you can make croutons with them.
- Wrap the rolled out dough around hot dogs to make pretzel dogs.
- Cut the rope into bite sized pieces for pretzel bites.
- For a slightly faster rise time, use three teaspoons of yeast
More Flavour Possibilities:
- Spice it up: Add jalapeno slices before baking for spicy pretzels.
- Sweet: Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar after dipping in water. Add more after baking and spreading with butter.
- Pizza: Top with pepperoni before baking and serve with marina sauce for dipping.
- Go Classic: Melt extra butter and continue brushing on the pretzels until you’ve used it all up!
- Game Day Ready: Serve with honey mustard and cheese for dipping.
Serving Suggestions:
- Souped Up: Serve on the side of your favourite soup for a fun, yummy twist on bread.
- Snack Time: Serve with your favourite dipping sauce for a delicious homemade snack.
- Boarded Up: Serve as part of a charcuterie board. Great for game days and company!
If you make these soft pretzels, leave a review below to let me know what you think!
Homemade Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 3 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup brown sugar unpacked
- 2 ¼ teaspoons or 1 packet instant yeast*
- 1 cup milk warm (110*F)**
- 2 Tablespoons butter diced
TOPPING
- 1 cup water warm
- 3 Tablespoons baking soda
- Coarse salt like Maldon flake salt
- 3 Tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, sprinkle yeast. Pour warm milk over yeast. Allow yeast to soften for two minutes.
- Stir in brown sugar and one cup of flour.
- Stir in salt and butter.
- Gradually mix in remaining flour, starting with a cup. Continue adding slowly until a sticky dough forms.
- Knead on a floured surface, adding flour as needed, until dough is smooth and slightly tacky (about 5 minutes). When dough is sufficiently needed, it should not stick to a clean finger when poked.
- Shape into a ball and place into an oiled bowl. Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 450*. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Move dough from bowl to a lightly floured surface. Add warm water and baking soda to the bowl and stir to dissolve.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long, thin rope, slapping on the counter as you do. Twist each rope into a pretzel.
- Dip the pretzels in the warm water mixture and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt (or cinnamon sugar!).
- Bake the pretzels for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and brush with butter. Sprinkle with additional salt.
Notes
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