Easy Soft Pretzel Recipe

Try this easy soft pretzel recipe for delicious, chewy pretzels that taste and smell like they’re straight out of the gourmet pretzel shop! You can even make these pretzels gluten-free!

One of the questions I get most often is “What do you guys eat for snacks?”

Unfortunately, my answer is quite plain and not very exciting: fruit.

Since starting our real food journey several years ago, snacking has shifted quite a bit from the boxes and bags we used to turn to, and we mostly keep it simple.

When the family snacks, 8 times out of 10, it’s fruit. The ninth and tenth times might be carrot sticks, homemade pickles, a homemade granola bar, or even dried fruit, but I admit – those aren’t very exciting either.

I do love tortilla chips. So, I make my own, which are much tastier than their store-bought counterparts.

Like me with tortilla chips, Mr. Crumbs has a secret crush on soft pretzels. Just a couple of months ago, he asked me to get him some.

I can’t deny a simple request for pretzels. But instead of the store-bought option, my alternative is simple: learn to make them myself.

HOMEMADE SOFT PRETZELS

Soft pretzels are a classic snack that might seem hard to make! Trust me, they’re not hard at all! This recipe is amazing because:

• It’s so easy! With simple real food ingredients, these pretzels are fun to make, and they come together quickly.
• Healthier. You’re using real food, so you’re not consuming the unhealthy sweeteners and preservatives found in store-bought pretzels.
• Delicious! This soft pretzel recipe has the traditional pretzel smell and taste plus an irresistible soft and chewy texture!
• Versatile. You can use any all-purpose flour to mix up the pretzel dough. For people with gluten sensitivities, these pretzels can even be made gluten-free!

WHAT MAKES PRETZEL DOUGH DIFFERENT?

When it comes to pretzels, there’s a different style for everyone:

• Hard or soft
• Sourdough or yeast
• Plain or salted
• Flavored dough or rolled in a topping
• Philadelphia-style, bites, or rods

This particular homemade pretzel is soft and chewy, moderately salty (which can easily be modified to your liking), and smells deliciously like the pretzels from gourmet shops.

I’m seriously not exaggerating on the smell or the delicious part either. This entire batch of pretzels was devoured in mere minutes. I consider myself lucky to have snagged one for myself and taken a few photos before they disappeared.

Gluten-free folks will be happy to know that I have tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour. It’s perfect for substituting in recipes that traditionally call for wheat flour and you won’t notice the difference. The five taste testers of this pretzel sure didn’t.

Regardless of whether you’re dealing with gluten sensitivities or you don’t have any dietary restrictions, this recipe makes it official – snack time is back on, and it’s fun!

SOFT PRETZEL RECIPE INGREDIENTS

• Warm water
• Honey
• Salt
• Active dry yeast
• Oat flour (make your own here)
• All-purpose flour (make this pretzel recipe gluten-free with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free flour)
• Butter
• Water
• Baking soda
• Egg yolk
• Kosher salt, for sprinkling
• Olive oil, for brushing

Psst! I highly recommend Ava Jane’s Kitchen for your salt! You may think all salt is created equal, but unfortunately, 90% of the salt produced around the world contains microplastics (gross, right?). Ava Jane’s Kitchen is an exception. Their salt is 100% microplastic-free, and it’s SO GOOD! Save your pretzels from plastics! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!)

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE PRETZELS

Step 1. Combine water, honey, salt, and yeast in a medium mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Allow the yeast to bloom.

Step. 2 Add the oat flour, all-purpose flour, and butter. Mix with a wooden spoon, or in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, until the ingredients are well combined. Knead dough by hand, or with a stand mixer, for about 5 minutes.

Step 3. Cover the dough with a towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot. Allow to rise for 1 hour. (Note: You will not see a noticeable rise.)

Step 4. Preheat oven to 450F. Line a large baking sheet, or two smaller baking sheets, with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Brush lightly with olive oil.

Step 5. Combine the 5 cups of water and baking soda in a large pot. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil.

Step 6. Meanwhile, divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. Knead each piece of dough in your hands, until the dough is soft and pliable.

Step 7. Roll each piece of soft pretzel dough into a rope 10″-12″ in length.

Step 8. Make a pretzel shape. Make a U-shape with the dough and cross the ends over each other twice to twist. Fold the ends downward and press gently into the bottom of the U-shape. Place the pretzels onto the prepared baking sheets.

If the twisted pretzels are challenging, make soft pretzel sticks or soft pretzel bites!

Step 9. Working with 1-2 pretzels at a time, add the homemade pretzels with a slotted spoon to the boiling water for 30 seconds.

Step 10. Return the boiled pretzels to the baking sheet and brush the tops with the egg wash. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Step 11. Bake until golden brown, 13-16 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Store extra pretzels in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

ADDITIONAL SOFT PRETZEL RECIPE TIPS

• Do not substitute granulated sugar for the honey. This dough needs the extra moisture from the honey, otherwise the homemade pretzels will crumble as you roll your ropes.
• Do not skip the parchment paper brushed with oil. After three batches of pretzels that stuck like mad to a very well-seasoned cookie sheet, this was the only method that worked for no-stick pretzels.
• If making the gluten-free version, there will be no natural elasticity. If the dough breaks while you’re shaping the pretzels, simply squish it back into a ball, knead for 5-10 seconds, and try again.
• Stick to only 30 seconds in the baking soda bath to avoid a metallic taste in your finished pretzels.
• This pretzel recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. You can either bake and store the pretzels in an airtight container or freeze them individually. Thaw and reheat in an oven or toaster oven. You can also freeze the raw dough to bake later. Thaw the pretzel dough completely and bake as instructed.

TOPPINGS FOR PRETZELS

Of course, salt is traditionally used on soft pretzels. Some people like to dip them in mustard or even hot cheese sauce. But guess what? You can also make them as a yummy, sweet snack!

• For a cinnamon sugar topping, mix ½ teaspoon of cinnamon with ¼ cup granulated sugar and melt 1 Tablespoon of butter in a small bowl. Brush the freshly baked pretzels with melted butter, then roll them in cinnamon sugar. Try not to eat them all (unless no one is looking)!
• For an almond topping, use Honey Roasted Almonds. Chop roasted almonds into small bits, brush freshly baked pretzels with melted butter, then roll or sprinkle in almonds.

PRETZEL RECIPES FAQS

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