Soft Homemade Pretzels

Homemade pretzels that are soft and fluffy on the inside with a chewy and salted exterior. Easy to make and absolutely no rising time needed! 

Many of you have enjoyed my mini pretzel bites recipe, so I thought I’d make a post for the regular-sized version as well. If you’re new to working with yeast, these homemade pretzels are great for beginners because they don’t need to rise. Just shape, boil and bake them!

In my opinion, there is nothing quite like a hot, buttery and salted pretzel. It’s pure comfort food, especially paired with a creamy cheese sauce. And instead of ordering one while you’re out, try making them fresh at home!

These homemade pretzels are soft, fluffy and chewy all at the same time. The recipe comes together super quickly and you don’t need to allow time for rising. They’re made in under an hour!

We love making these for game day or a Sunday evening snack. You can freeze any leftovers to pull out the next time you need a quick and easy snack or appetizer.

How to make soft pretzels

All in you need is 5 simple ingredients to make these delicious soft pretzels. I bet you already have everything in your pantry. Scroll down for the printable recipe with exact measurements.

Ingredients

• Yeast
• Salt
• Sugar
• Flour
• Baking Soda

How to shape

These pretzels are easier than you think to shape. First you’ll want to separate dough into 12 sections. Using your hands roll the dough into ropes about 15-20 inches long and 1 inch thick. Then form the rope into a circle and twist the top ends together. 

Next bring the twisted ends down the center of the circle and pinch together with the bottom to form the pretzels.

Baking soda boil

You may wonder if you really need to do the boil with baking soda, but it is an important step. This is what will help give the dough that classic pretzel texture, flavor and color. All you’re going to do is boil about 8 cups of water. Then once it has started boiling, add in the baking soda.

Place the pretzel dough into the water for about 20 seconds, then remove it with a slotted spoon and place on a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle salt on top.

Bake in oven

Once you’ve given all of the pretzels the baking soda boil, it’s time to bake them. Let them bake until they’re golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Sometimes I’ll broil them during the last minute of cooking to help brown the tops even more.

Dipping ideas

It’s no secret that soft pretzels taste amazing with cheese sauce. Our favorite pretzel cheese sauce is below, but I also listed a few other options that would taste delicious as well.

• Pretzel cheese sauce
• Honey mustard
• Queso blanco
• Ranch dressing

Freezing + reheating

To freeze: Once pretzels have cooled completely, transfer to a freezer bag or container and store in freezer for up to 2 months.

Reheat in oven: Preheat oven to 300°F and bake until warm throughout, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Reheat in microwave: Let thaw, then cook in microwave for about 30 seconds.

More homemade bread recipes:

• Pizza Dough
• Easy Breadsticks
• Pita Bread
• Bread Bowls

Homemade Pretzel Recipe

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: homemade pretzels

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 138

Author: Jamielyn Nye

Homemade pretzels that are soft and fluffy on the inside with a chewy and salted exterior. Easy to make and absolutely no rising time needed! 

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 packet active yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 3 1/2-4 cups flour
• 1/3 cup baking soda (for boiling water)

Optional: Melted Butter

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with a baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.
• In a small bowl, add warm water and yeast. Allow to sit for 3-5 minutes or until it foams up. Add salt and sugar and stir.
• In a large bowl, add flour and then pour yeast mixture over top. Knead with bread hook in your mixer or by hand for about 3-5 minutes.
• Separate dough into 12 sections. Roll dough into ropes about 15-20 inches long and 1 inch thick. Then form rope into a circle and twist the top ends together. Then bring the twisted ends down the center of the circle and pinch together with the bottom to form the pretzels.
• In a large pan, bring about 8 cups water + 1/3 cup baking soda to a boil. Once water is boiling, place a piece of dough into the water for about 20 seconds. Remove immediately with slotted spoon and place onto baking sheet. Sprinkle salt on top. Repeat until all pretzels have been boiled.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. You can turn the oven to broil for the last minute to brown the tops if desired. Remove pretzels to a cooling rack and brush tops with melted butter if desired.
• Enjoy homemade pretzels with your favorite cheese sauce.

Notes

Freezer instructions: Allow pretzels to cool. Then place in a zip top bag or freezer container for up to 2 months. To reheat bake in the oven at 300°F for about 10-15 minutes, or until warm. You can also allow to thaw and microwave for about 30 seconds.

Note: Can make a cinnamon sugar pretzel variation by dipping the pretzels in butter and then into a cinnamon sugar mixture. 

Nutrition

Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1205mg | Potassium: 45mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 2mg

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