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Soft pretzels are street vendor style comfort food at it’s best. You can easily achieve these golden brown snacks at home!

Whether you cover them with cinnamon sugar or a pinch of salt, or enjoy them dipped in mustard or cheese sauce, this chewy goodness is sure to be a crowd-pleaser! Try some more tasty snacks such as Peanut Butter Energy Bites, Caramel Marshmallow Popcorn, or S’mores Puppy Chow.

Soft pretzels in basket

Homemade soft Pretzels that Can’t be beat!

My hubby LOVES soft pretzels. They are a must have snack at baseball games, movies, the mall…you name it! He loves to dip them in mustard, I prefer cheese.

Either way you eat them there is something so yummy about a good soft pretzel. Well now we can have them any time at home!

These soft and chewy morsels taste even better than the ones you get out and about that are, let’s face it, way over priced. You will love how simple these tasty treats are to make. They are even easier to devour. Trust us – we know from experience. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Homemade pretzel dough

How to Make Soft Pretzels

DISSOLVE. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar in the warm water. Let stand until bubbly and foamy, about 5-10 minutes.

COMBINE. Add the salt, oil, remaining sugar, and two cups flour, and stir to combine.

ADD. Add additional flour, 1/4 cup at a time, to form a soft dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

KNEAD & RISE. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, then shape into a ball. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about one hour.

PREP. Preheat the oven to 450 and line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners.

WHISK. In a large bowl, whisk together the baking soda and water, until the baking soda is dissolved.

DIVIDE. Gently punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough out into a long rope, then twist into a pretzel shape.

SPRINKLE. Dip each pretzel into the water bath, then place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt.

BAKE & SERVE. Bake 8-10 minutes, until golden brown, then brush with the melted butter. Serve hot.

How to make soft preztels

Recipe Tips

How to shape: Roll 1/3 cup of dough into a long 20-22 inch rope. Then, place the dough in a โ€œUโ€ shape on the counter, twist the ends and fold over so the ends rest on the bottom of the โ€œUโ€ shape. 

How long to dip in a water bath: Allow the pretzels to soak in the baking soda bath for 20-30 seconds. You don’t want to use tongs for this because the dough is still soft and delicate. Instead, use a spatula to pick it up out of the water. 

Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat not only does this help keep the pretzels from sticking to the pan, but if you donโ€™t you may end up with little pretzel outlines on the pan even after it’s washed. Trust me on this one.

If you don’t have a silpat mat you can line the pan with parchment paper and lightly spray it with butter or cooking spray.

Homemade soft pretzels

Variations

You can use this base recipe to change it up and add different flavors. Here are a few ideas…

  • Pretzel bites: roll the dough into a rope and cut 1 inch pieces.
  • Cinnamon sugar: instead of adding salt use cinnamon and sugar. Once the pretzel has baked brush with butter and sprinkle with a mixture of 2 tbsp cinnamon and ยฝ cup sugar.
  • Garlic pepperoni: Instead of adding salt, brush the pretzels with melted butter and sprinkle with garlic salt. Place pepperonis on the dough and bake.
Soft pretzels on baking sheet

Storing, Making Ahead + Dip Recipes

Baked pretzels can be STORED in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow them to cool before storing them in a freezer safe container. You can wrap each one separately with plastic wrap, or separate the layers with wax or parchment paper. 

To REHEAT, bake frozen pretzels at 350ยฐF for 15-20 minutes or until warm. You can also wrap the pretzel in a damp paper towel and microwave it until warm

Make the dough ahead of time: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge for about a day. You can also place it in a freezer ziploc and store it in the freezer for 2-3 months.

  • TO BAKE: If frozen, allow the dough to thaw overnight in the fridge. Shape the pretzels and let the dough come to room temperature before adding them to the baking soda bath and bake.

Savory Pretzels Dips:

Soft pretzels recipe in basket

More snacks:

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5 from 11 votes

Soft Pretzel Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
Soft pretzels are street vendor style comfort food at it's best. You can easily achieve these golden brown snacks at home!
Servings: 12
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes
Rise Time: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 28 minutes

Ingredients 

for the pretzels:

  • 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups warm water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 1/2 – 4 cups all-purpose flour

for the water bath and topping:

  • 1/2 cup baking soda
  • 4 cups hot water
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar in the warm water. Let stand until bubbly and foamy, about 5-10 minutes. Add the salt, oil, remaining sugar, and two cups flour, and stir to combine. Add additional flour, 1/4 cup at a time, to form a soft dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, then shape into a ball. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about one hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 450 and line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners. In a large bowl, whisk together the baking soda and water, until the baking soda is dissolved.
  • Gently punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough out into a long rope, then twist into a pretzel shape. Dip each pretzel into the water bath, then place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
  • Bake 8-10 minutes, until golden brown, then brush with the melted butter. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 186kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 5mg, Sodium: 4038mg, Potassium: 50mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 58IU, Vitamin C: 0.003mg, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and Iโ€™m the mom of SIX stinkinโ€™ cute kids and the wife to my smokinโ€™ hot hubby, Lo. My momโ€™s maiden name is Luna, and Iโ€™m one of the many crafty โ€œLilโ€™ Lunasโ€ in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

So Easy & So Yummy

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5 from 11 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




9 Comments

  1. Kristi says:

    5 stars
    I love pretzel knots from restaurants. I can’t wait to make these and pair them with your cheese dip.

  2. Natalie says:

    5 stars
    Making pretzels with my kids is so much fun! They love helping me & love eating them! They love dipping them in cheese!

  3. Sara Welch says:

    5 stars
    Gave these a try for dinner last night and they didn’t disappoint! So easy and delicious; the whole family loved them!

  4. Joy says:

    5 stars
    We love buying pretzels anywhere that sells them, but now I can make even better ones at home! They are so soft & good!

  5. Katie says:

    5 stars
    Soft pretzels are my favorite food group. Can’t wait to try your recipe!

  6. Olivia says:

    5 stars
    I donโ€™t go crazy over pretzels but my family does. They love these right out of the oven.

  7. Stephanie says:

    5 stars
    Soft pretzels are one of my favorite snacks. This recipe did not disappoint. The step by step instructions were so helpful. I never have been one to work with yeast and get it right but I finally got the hang of it with this recipe. My girls love whenever I make this recipe.

  8. Melissa Lewis says:

    5 stars
    Soft pretzels are amazing and I love making them with my kids!

  9. Debbie says:

    5 stars
    A favorite!