Name: Homemade Soft Pretzels
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided; 1½ c. very warm water; 1 t. table salt; 1 T. brown sugar; 2¼ t. active dry yeast (1 packet); 4½ c. all-purpose flour, divided; 8 c. water; ½ c. baking soda; 1 large egg; 1 T. water; Sea salt

Pretzels are one of those snacks that never really appealed to me but my cousin adores them. She always gets her eye on those stalls when you go to shows and fairs and is drawn in to those shiny, brown treats. But what about making them yourself? Let’s dive into making homemade Soft Pretzels for a snack that’s available any time.

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How to make brown and chewy pretzels

One of the characteristics of a good pretzel is that shiny brown finish. And there’s a bit of a trick to achieving this.

One of the keys to success with this recipe is to dip the pretzels in a boiling alkaline bath before baking. This step is what gives soft pretzels that distinctive rich brown exterior colour and the coveted soft, chewy interior.

Professional bakeries often use lye for this process, while many home cooks prefer to work with baking soda as a less caustic alternative. Here, a more user-friendly baking soda bath is used.

Finishing with egg wash

Another important step is to brush each pretzel with an egg wash after they have been removed from the alkaline bath and patted dry. This step imparts a nice shine to the pretzels and helps the coarse sea salt adhere while baking.

For a richer golden colour, use a whole egg or just the yolk (vs. just the egg white) for this step.

Without egg wash (left) and with it (right)

More recipe inspiration

If you are looking for more ideas of tasty snacks to bake and eat as you go, then Chewy Gingersnap Cookies are always popular. Or combine two favourites into the Milk Chocolate Peanut Clusters for a delicious snack that isn’t too sweet.

What you need to make Homemade Soft Pretzels

3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1½ c. very warm water
1 t. table salt
1 T. brown sugar
2¼ t. active dry yeast (1 packet)
4½ c. all-purpose flour, divided
8 c. water
½ c. baking soda
1 large egg
1 T. water
Sea salt

Optional, to serve: Spicy mustard or cheese dip

Kitchen equipment

Large baking sheet x 2
Large glass bowl x 2
Slotted spatula
Wire rack
Small glass bowl
Whisk

How to make the recipe

Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat™ baking mats and grease a large bowl with one tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.

Add the warm water to a different large bowl, followed by salt, brown sugar, and yeast. Set aside for 5 minutes.

Add remaining olive oil to the bowl with the yeast. Gradually add four cups of flour, one cup at a time, stirring vigorously with a fork and scraping the sides, until the flour is thoroughly incorporated into the dough without any lumps.

Sprinkle remaining flour onto a clean, dry work surface and lightly coat hands with additional flour. Drop the dough onto the work surface and knead in the remaining flour just until the dough is no longer sticky. Do not overwork.

Shape dough into a ball and add to the clean bowl coated in olive oil. Cover the bowl with a towel and set aside in a warm place for one hour or until the dough doubles in size.

When the dough is almost done resting, position the oven racks so that the oven is divided into thirds and preheat the oven to 450°F.

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down with your lightly floured fist. Rest for a couple of minutes, then drop the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide into 12 equal-sized portions.

While the dough is resting (Step #7), fill a large pot with 8 cups of water and one-half cup baking soda and bring to a rolling boil.

Roll each section of dough into a long, thin rope, with your hands. Bend the dough into a “U” shape and twist the loose ends together twice before attaching each tip toward the bottom of the “U” to form a traditional pretzel shape, as shown. Transfer pretzels to the prepared baking sheets.

Tip: If the pretzels are allowed to sit for 10-15 minutes once shaped, they will continue to rise or “puff up” to form a nice full shape.

Drop each pretzel, one at a time, into the boiling baking soda bath and boil for 20 seconds before flipping. Boil for another 20 seconds, then transfer with a slotted spatula to a wire rack to drain excess liquid.

Gently pat pretzels dry with a paper towel and transfer back to the prepared baking sheets.

Beat egg and water together in a small bowl and brush each pretzel with the egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and place in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Tip: For even browning, rotate the baking sheets and move the baking sheet on the bottom rack to the top (and vice versa) halfway through baking.

Remove from the oven and cool for a couple of minutes before serving with some spicy mustard or your favourite cheese dip.

Recipe tips

After baking, brush each pretzel with melted butter and dip each pretzel into a shallow bowl filled with a mixture of sugar and ground cinnamon to coat.

Yield: 12 pretzels