Soft Pretzel Recipe
Easy homemade soft pretzel recipe with no boiling required! Serve them as traditional pretzels or add your favorite sweet or savory toppings.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 8 pretzels approx., depending on size
Ingredients
For the Soft Pretzels:
- 1 ½ cups warm water 100-110 degrees F
- 1 packet active dry yeast (1/4 ounce or 2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 to 2 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour divided
- 1 cup all-purpose flour divided
- 1 large egg room temperature
For Topping (optional):
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- Pretzel salt
- Cinnamon Sugar (I use 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon for each tablespoon sugar)
- Finely grated Parmesan + Italian herbs
- Everything bagel seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Set aside two baking sheets covered in parchment paper or a silpat mat.
- Make the Dough: In a large bowl (or the bowl of stand mixer), combine the warm water, yeast, and honey. Stir and let sit for 1 minute. The yeast should be foamy. (If it is not, the yeast did not activate properly and this step must be repeated). Stir in the kosher salt.
- With a wooden spoon (or the mixer’s paddle attachment), slowly stir in 2 cups of the white whole wheat flour and the all-purpose flour.
- Continue to stir in the remaining 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour, a few tablespoons at a time, until the dough is no longer sticky and bounces back when poked. (I used nearly 8 tablespoons, or the full 1/2 cups, but the amount you need may vary based on your flour brand, the moisture in the air, or what mood the flour is in that day). Stir in any desired mix-ins (they will continue to incorporate as you knead the dough).
- With the dough hook, knead the dough for 5 minutes. Lightly coat a clean bowl with nonstick spray. Place the dough into the bowl, turn to coat the dough on all sides with the spray, then cover and let dough rise for 30 minutes.
- Once dough has puffed, lightly flour a knife or bench scraper and cut the dough into 4 equal parts. Then, cut those 4 parts into 2 parts each.
- Gently roll each piece of dough into a thin rope of even diameter on a lightly floured surface (the longer the rope, the larger your pretzel will be and it will have more of a classic pretzel "chew." Thicker ropes will yield fluffy, bread-like pretzels that are more soft and puffy. I rolled mine to be 16 inches.) To form the pretzel, lay the rope horizontally, then pick up each end and draw them upwards as if you were forming a circle, cross the ends, then draw them down to form a pretzel shape. Lightly press the dough ends of the rope to hold the shape.
- In a shallow bowl or pie dish, beat the egg with 1 teaspoon of water to create an egg wash. Dip each entire pretzel into the egg wash and coat both sides. Place each pretzel on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, Watch closely to prevent burning. Let cool slightly.
- Brush the warm pretzels with melted butter and sprinkle with desired toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
- NOTES: If you'd like to make raisin pretzels, or add other mix-ins of choice, stir them into the dough after it is mixed but just before kneading; I'd recommend between 1/2 and 3/4 cup.
- TO STORE: Store pretzels in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze pretzels in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw and enjoy as desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pretzel (without toppings)Calories: 232kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 8gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 26mgPotassium: 80mgFiber: 5gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 95IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 2mg
