Easy Soft Pretzel Recipe
An easy soft pretzel recipe that makes soft, chewy and golden brown pretzels right in your own kitchen in less than 60 minutes!
Servings 12 soft pretzels
Calories 280kcal
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook
Ingredients
- 30 ounces bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 2 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter (or olive oil)
- 14 grams instant yeast or active dry (see notes below recipe)
- 16 ounces warm water (110ºF)
- 2 teaspooons salt
Baking Soda Bath
- 64 ounces water (8 cups)
- 2 ounces baking soda (¼ cup)
Mustard Sauce
- 4 oz mayonnaise
- 4 oz Dijon mustard
- 2 oz honey
- 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
Instructions
- Heat your water to 110º-115ºF. Combine the water with the sugar and melted butter and set aside
- Place your flour and yeast into the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook attached. Mix for 5 seconds to distribute the yeast.
- Pour in your hot water mixture while mixing on low, just until everything is moistened.
- Sprinkle in your salt.
- Increase the speed to medium-high (speed 4 on a kitchenaid, speed 2 on the bosch) and mix for 6 minutes. If your dough is too dry, add a tablespoon or two of water until the dough sticks to the sides of the bowl. If it's too wet, sprinkle in a little flour.
- Poke the dough, does it bounce back? The dough is ready to proof. You can also do the window test (see blog post). If the dough isn't ready, mix for another two minutes.
- Form the dough into a ball and place it into an oiled bowl. Cover and let the dough proof for 30 minutes or until it has doubled in size. (proof 90 minutes if you're using active dry yeast).
- Divide your dough into 12 equal sized pieces (or use a scale to make 4 oz pieces).
- Begin rolling your dough out into a long skinny snake. When it becomes too stretchy, move to the next piece of dough and let the previous piece rest. Continue in this way until all 12 pieces are 22" long.
- Shape your snake into a big "U". Twist the ends together twice then fold down onto the bottom of the "U". Glue the ends in place with a dab of water.
- Set aside to rest for 10 minutes (for instant yeast, 20 minutes for active dry yeast)
- Bring 8 cups of water to a simmer with ¼ cup of baking soda
- Prepare two sheet pans with parchment paper. Sprinkle a good amount of corn flour (semolina) on top. This prevents the soft pretzels from sticking.
- Preheat your oven to 425ºF
- Place your soft pretzel into the boiling water and cook for 20 seconds (10 seconds. per side) then drain with a slotted spoon before placing onto the parchment paper.
- Sprinkle some of your chunky salt on top of the pretzels and bake
- Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown
Mustard Sauce
- Mix together mayonnaise, Dijon, honey and yellow mustard until smooth and serve in a small bowl with fresh soft pretzels
Notes
- To proof bread, I turn my oven on to 170ºF and open the door then place my dough on the door near the opening of the oven to proof, not INSIDE the oven.
- If you don't have instant yeast your can use regular active yeast but it will take longer to proof. You don't need to change the amount of yeast.
1. Let your dough proof for 90 minutes or until it doubles in size
2. Divide the dough, shape, let rest for 20 minutes before baking. - You can replace half the white flour with wheat flour for whole wheat bagels
- You can use oil instead of melted butter
- Do not boil for more than 15 seconds per side or your pretzels will get bitter tasting
Nutrition
Serving: 1soft pretzel | Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 1384mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 58IU | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg