This is the best soft pretzel recipe I’ve ever made, and it’s well worth the time it takes to make! In this post, I share all of my pretzel-making tips so you can make them, too!

pretzels on a plate.

This pretzel recipe is so good I don’t think I’ll ever buy a soft pretzel again. I’ve made soft pretzels a few times before this but haven’t been happy with the results. The biggest problem with homemade soft pretzels is that they don’t always taste as great the next day, or they don’t bake up as puffy as the ones you can buy.

Unhappy with my previous experiments, I tried a recipe for homemade soft pretzels from Alton Brown. Baby bro’s girlfriend helped me make them, and we were so happy with the results! We learned a lot about how to make delicious soft pretzels that remind us of the ones we usually buy. Plus, they reheat and freeze well, too.

Ingredients

  • Warm water
  • Granulated sugar
  • Kosher salt
  • Active dry yeast
  • All-purpose flour
  • Melted butter
  • Vegetable oil
  • Baking soda
  • Egg wash – an egg yolk mixed with water
  • Pretzel salt – this is optional

soft pretzels lined up on a baking mat.

Unhappy with my previous experiments, I tried a recipe for homemade soft pretzels from Alton Brown. Baby bro’s girlfriend helped me make them and we were so happy with the results! We learned a lot about how to make delicious soft pretzels that remind us of the ones we usually buy. Plus, they reheat and freeze well!

Soft Pretzel Recipe Tips

Homemade soft pretzels are so fun to make, and I’m excited to share all of my best tips for making them. As I mentioned, now that I know how to make them, I don’t think I’ll ever buy one again!

Pretzel Dough

Making pretzels is a lot like making traditional bagels. The dough is similar, and both are boiled for a short time before they are baked. Like bagels, these soft pretzels are made with yeast, so it’s a good idea to plan ahead since they need time to rise before you bake them.

  • I used my stand mixer fitted with the dough hook to make the dough. Start by combining water, sugar, and kosher salt in the bowl of the mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and leave it for five minutes. The mixture will start to foam which indicates that the yeast is activated.
  • Add the flour and butter and mix them with the yeast mixture until they are well combined. To knead the bread, adjust the speed to medium. Let the mixer knead the dough until the dough turns smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl. This usually takes about four to five minutes.
  • At this point, transfer the dough to an oiled bowl. I actually just cleaned my stand mixer bowl and oiled it, but you can also use a separate bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave the dough to rise in a warm place for 50 to 55 minutes or until it’s doubled in size.

How to Shape Pretzels

Once the dough has risen, you can shape the pretzels. The original recipe makes eight really big pretzels, but I prefer smaller ones, so we made 16 pretzels.

  • Before you shape the pretzels, get your water boiling for the pretzels. You will need 10 cups of water and 2/3 cups of baking soda. This baking soda bath is critical for achieving the right kind of crust and flavor for your pretzels. While the water comes to a boil, you can shape the pretzels.
  • Prepare two half-sheet baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper and lightly oiling them.
  • Lightly oil your work surface and divide the dough into 16 pieces (or eight if you want really big pretzels).
  • If making smaller pretzels, roll each piece of dough into a rope shape approximately 12 inches long. For the big pretzels, roll each into a rope approximately 24 inches long.
  • Take one of the ropes and place it so it forms a “U’ shape. Take one end in each hand and cross them over each other and press the ends onto the bottom of the “U” to make the pretzel shape.
  • Place the pretzel on the prepared baking sheet and repeat the process with the rest of the dough.

dough shaped into pretzels.

Boil the Pretzels Before Baking Them

What gives soft pretzels their distinctive texture and flavor is a quick dip in a large pot of boiling water with baking soda. The baking soda bath will help the pretzels puff up, giving them a crusty chewy texture exterior and that distinctive soft pretzel taste.

I can’t stress enough how important this step is – if you skip it, your pretzels won’t be as good as they can be. I’ve made pretzels following a recipe that suggested just hot water, and it didn’t work, so be sure your water is at a rolling boil.

It helps to have a large flat spatula or large slotted spoon to move the pretzels to and from the water. You want to boil them one at a time and only add the next one after the one before it has been removed.

You only need to boil the pretzels for 30 seconds each. So, for a batch of 16 smaller pretzels, it will only take eight minutes to complete the step. For larger pretzels, it only takes four minutes. You can place the boiled pretzels on the same sheet pan.

Pretzel Salt and Other Toppings

Before you add any salt or other toppings, you’ll want to brush each pretzel with an egg wash which will help create a beautiful golden color once they bake. It will also help whatever you sprinkle over the top stick to the pretzel.

​Topping Ideas:

  • Pretzel salt, kosher salt, or coarse sea salt
  • Cinnamon sugar
  • Everything bagel seasoning

Since making these plain pretzels, I’ve also made Cinnamon Pumpkin Soft Pretzels which are a sweet fall twist on the original.

Baking the Pretzels

The smaller pretzels only take six to seven minutes to bake at 450°F, and the large ones take about 12 minutes. Bake them until they turn golden brown.

Enjoy them warm from the oven plain or with a dipping sauce – here are some sweet and savory options we like:

  • Honey mustard
  • Cheese dip or nacho cheese sauce
  • Melted chocolate
  • Warm peanut butter
  • Melted butter

How to Store Soft Pretzels

Once the pretzels are cool, wrap them in plastic wrap. I like to wrap them individually and then store them at room temperature. They will keep well for two to three days.

I also like to freeze them. Wrap them tightly and store them in a freezer container. They will keep for up to a month.

Reheating Tips

You can warm soft pretzels in the oven at 350°F. If they have been stored at room temperature, they only need a few minutes to warm up. If they are frozen, warm them for ten minutes or so.

baked pretzels on a plate.

More Homemade Pretzel Recipes

No ratings yet

Best Homemade Soft Pretzels

I can't resist a soft pretzel, especially ones that are golden brown on the outside and soft on the inside, so making them at home means we can have them whenever we want! This recipe makes eight large pretzels, but I've also included instructions for making smaller ones which we often do.
Servings: 8 pretzels
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups warm, 110-115°F water
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
  • 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
  • Vegetable oil, for pan
  • 10 cups water
  • 2/3 cup baking soda
  • 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
  • Pretzel salt, optional

Instructions
 

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water, sugar and kosher salt. Sprinkle the yeast on top and leave it for five minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately four to five minutes.
  • Remove the dough from the bowl, clean it, and then coat the inside of the bowl vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.
  • Preheat the oven to 450° F (232°C). Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush them with vegetable oil. Combine the water and baking soda in an 8-quart pot and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat.
  • While the water comes to boil prepare the dough by first transferring it to a work surface coated lightly with oil. Divide the dough into eight equal pieces (or 16 if you want smaller pretzels). Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope (12 inches for smaller pretzels). Make a U-shape with the rope and, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place them on the parchment-lined half sheet pan.
  • Boil the pretzels, one at a time, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula and transfer them back to the sheet pan. Repeat with the rest of the pretzels.
  • Brush the top of each pretzel with the egg wash and sprinkle with the pretzel salt, if using. Bake the pretzels for twelve minutes (or six to seven minutes for small pretzels), or until they golden brown.  Transfer to a cooling rack for five minutes before serving.
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!