Description
Enjoy the irresistible taste of freshly baked homemade soft pretzels! With a crispy exterior and soft, chewy center, these pretzels are perfect as a snack, appetizer, or even a fun family baking project.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups warm water (110°F)
- 1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup baking soda (for boiling)
- 1 large egg yolk + 1 tbsp water (for egg wash)
- Coarse salt for topping
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a bowl, mix warm water and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Make Dough: Add salt and sugar to the yeast mixture. Gradually mix in the flour until a dough forms. Knead for 5–7 minutes until smooth.
- Let Dough Rise: Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Shape Pretzels: Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each into a long rope and twist into a pretzel shape.
- Baking Soda Bath: In a pot, bring 9 cups of water to a boil and stir in baking soda. Dip each pretzel into the water bath for 30 seconds, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Egg Wash & Salt: Brush each pretzel with the egg wash (egg yolk + water mixture) and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake: Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
Notes
- If you don’t have coarse salt, regular salt can work, but the larger crystals are ideal for that classic pretzel texture.
- For a softer, fluffier pretzel, let the dough rise a little longer (an extra 15-20 minutes).
- Feel free to experiment with toppings, such as cinnamon sugar or garlic butter, after baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pretzel
- Calories: 250kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 35mg