Homemade soft pretzels are easier to make at home than you think. So soft, so buttery, they’re better than any food chain!
I have a slight obsession with soft pretzels. Where ever I am, if they are being offered, there’s a good chance I’m getting one.. or three. Call it a guilty pleasure but now that I can make homemade soft pretzels that are even better than any Mall chain (Auntie Anne’s, oh how I looove you), my life is practically made.
These pretzels turn out perfect every time. They have a slightly chewy exterior like a good soft pretzel should, while the inside is super soft and buttery. The flavor is out of this world! I mean, they are bathed in butter as soon as they come out of the oven. This recipe is basically like hitting the jackpot. No more standing in horrendously long lines and spending a crazy amount of money on one pretzel when you can spend that amount or less and make an entire batch!
They are easier to make than you think, too! Don’t be afraid of working with yeast, it’s really very simple if you follow my directions.
Also, if you’d like to make these for game day or any other event that you’d like to feed more people, you can cut the ropes of dough into 1-2 inch pieces to make little soft pretzel bites! So yum.
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Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees and line a large baking sheet or two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine yeast with warm water and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with hook attachment. Once mixture becomes "frothy" your yeast is ready. Stir in salt and 1 tbs of melted butter. Add flour 1 cup at a time until a dough forms and is no longer sticky. You may need more or less depending on temperature differences. If you press your finger into the dough and it bounces back, it's ready to knead. Knead dough for 5 more minutes until smooth and pliable. Form dough into a ball and place it back into the bowl to rest for 15 minutes. During this time, prepare baking soda bath.
In a medium sized pot, boil 2 cups of water with 4 tbs of baking soda. Once the baking soda is mostly dissolved, take mixture off heat and allow it to come down to a lukewarm temperature. Pour into a 9x9 baking dish once cooled down.
At this time, 15 minutes of dough resting time should be up. Take dough out of the bowl and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Cut dough into 8 sections (like a pizza). Roll each triangle into a long rope, about 19-20 inches long. Shape dough into pretzel shape and place in baking soda bath for 2 minutes. If the whole pretzel isn't covered by the water, spoon it on top of the areas is doesn't reach. Once the 2 minutes is up, carefully pick pretzel up either by your hand or with the help of a fork and place on prepared baking sheet. You may have to re-shape slightly. Sprinkle the pretzel with coarse salt while still wet (optional). Repeat these steps until all 8 pretzels are prepared and on the baking sheet(s).
Bake pretzels for 8-9 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately from the oven, brush (heavily) with 6 tbs of melted butter.
These homemade soft pretzels are best served hot and fresh out of the oven but will keep for about 2 days stored at room temperature in an airtight container. Pop them in the microwave and they're good as new!
https://www.sprinklesomesugar.com/homemade-soft-pretzels/Recipe slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour.
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I love pretzels I did not know that it could be so easy to make. I am going to try it for my Super Bowl party. I think it will be a great thing for my guests.
Your pretzel recipe looks easy enough to make, I have bake homemade bread and cakes over the years, but never pretzels. I recently tried Annie’s pretzels in Walmart in Madison, Ms. The 2 ND time in my life I had fresh pretzels, but Annie’s had the Almond sugar mixture, could you please tell me how to do the Almond Sprinkles or coating? Thank you very much. Sheila Fourtunia
That sounds delicious! You can place almonds and granulated sugar and pulse in a food processor to make a fine meal. Brush the pretzels with butter and sprinkle or dip the pretzels in the coating!
Hi, these look great! I was thinking of making these for the school bake stall, do they need to be served warm?..
No, but I would serve them the same day made.
You should go on Copy Cat she has so many recipes I bet she’ll have it.
Hello. These look great. I do not have a mixer and am unable to go to the store to get one due to a broken foot. Am I able to knead and make the dough by hand?
Yes so easy Just needs a little elbow grease I start with a wooden spoon and once it’s about all mixed I sprinkle flour on the surface(I have s smooth counter but you can use a cutting board and flour my hands and start kneading till soft and smooth. You know your done when it bounces back when gently pressed.I cover with a large bowl because I have one if you don’t place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a oiled saran wrap till ready this will keep it from sticking.good luck!!
yes
Yes, kneading by hand works great. I have made these 4 times so far all by hand and they are delicious. Only change I made was to add 1 tbsp of brown sugar along with the white. More of an Aunt Annie’s flavor.
Yum these look amazing! I love trying new recipes and I’ve never made these so this could be a fun one to try! I don’t think that I’ve ever eaten a soft pretzel either! I may have to change that, because this looks so good!
Your pretzels look amazing! I have a bit of a pretzel addiction and love getting one at the mall when we go! This could be dangerous being able to make these at home!! I bet you could wrap the dough around a hot dog as well for game day!
Definitely!! That’s an awesome idea, I may have to steal it!
I made pretzels in the mall once a Japanese Man shows me how to make pretzels he also showed me how to make stuffed jalapeno and cheddar pretzel balls they are amazing
Sounds so delicious!!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you! Am totally making and bringing this and some slow cooker beef so I have some deuoiicls noshes on Sunday. And no guilt. LOVE your recipes girl!
These are sooooo good thx for the recipie!
What a yummy looking collection of recipes! Now I really want to start cooking. I’ve never made pretzels before, but your instructions give me confidence. Hopefully I can pull them off! My family will be excited.
They’re super easy as long as you follow the instructions carefully. You can do it!!
When mixingflour andbyeast which amount of butter goes in? THE recipe is not clear.
I’m not huge into salty “junk” food. But I do have a soft spot for soft salty pretzels, especially from those mall kiosks. Oh, and movie popcorn. Top on my priority list when I go see a movie.
I better not read the recipe and see how easy it is to make it, because then I’D make it for my husband and I. Omg imagine making MINI pretzels. Okay, so then we’d make them all the time, and grow big ol’ bellies.
Okay. Maybe once. Maybe I”ll make it once. They look SO freaking good.
Sorry, that was a bit much. Lol.
Ahhh, mini pretzels would be SO cute!
Would you suggest the same process/ time in oven for pretzel bites?
Yes!
I love soft pretzels and your food photography is incredible! You do an awesome job capturing each mouthwatering pretzel. What is so great about this recipe is that you can easily customize it with say, coarse sugar, cinnamon, anything your heart desires. What a perfect addition to any party and keep up the fantastic recipes!
Thank you so much for your kind words!! Yes, exactly! I haven’t tried cinnamon sugar, but it is definitely on my must-make list for the near future – I’m sure it would be amazing!
Can you use a bread machine for the pretzels?
Yes, you can. On King Arthur Flour’s website where this recipe originated, they state, “To make dough with a bread machine: Place all of the dough ingredients into the pan of your bread machine, program the machine for dough or manual, and press Start. Allow the dough to proceed through its kneading cycle (no need to let it rise), then cancel the machine, flour the dough, and give it a rest in a plastic bag, as instructed above.”
I may also have a slight obsession with soft pretzels. I’m attracted just by the aroma and looking at these pictures now make my mouth water. Your recipe seems easy to follow. I will try to make them myself this weekend!
Your picture of this makes it looks so perfect I am seriously doubting I could do as good of a job as you. The older I get the more I love salty taste and this looks so delish I would love to attempt to make it. I am pinned this for future references just to see my attempt of if I can be successful of making it…thanks for the inspiration!
My daughter loves soft pretzels with nacho cheese. We only have them when we go to the spendy carnival concessions. This would be a fun family activity, as well as much less expensive than waiting for the carnival.
Yes, these would definitely be fun to make with the family! And so much more cost effective.
Wow these look so delicious! I love soft pretzels but never really gave it much thought to making my own. Yours are perfected cooked and baked! I always was fascinated by the loop of pretzels. I would love to make my own one day, thanks for sharing this great recipe!
The pretzels look amazing and delicious. They look like something I may try to have for our super bowl party. I’ll have to do a test run first though, mine never come out as pretty as pictures Thank you for the recipe!
Do you knead the dough by hand or in the kitchen aid?
I use my Kitchen Aid fitted with the dough hook attachment but I have done it by hand also for this recipe, it just takes a bit longer to get a perfectly smooth and pliable.
Freezeable? I just popped these babies in the oven!
I’ve never tried myself so I can’t say for sure, but I think they will be fine to freeze! I would allow the ones you want to freeze to cool completely, then transfer them to individual, freezer-safe zip-loc bags and then freeze them like that. When it comes time to thaw them, just take them out of the freezer, preheat oven to correct temperature and bake for 5-10 minutes until they are done (in their frozen state). Hope this helps, Amanda. Enjoy!! I need to make myself a batch of these, I’m long overdue!
I have tried twice making pretzels and i give up. They stick to the wax paper, and are hard. Is there a trick to this.
Wax paper is not recommended for baking as it can melt or ignite in the oven at such a high temperature which could be why your pretzels are sticking. I have never tried baking with wax paper, so I am unsure that is just my guess. I would use parchment paper instead. Have you tried my recipe or you just are talking about making pretzels in general?
Your guess is absolutely correct! You can’t bake with wax paper exposed. I’m trying this recipe right now! so excited!
Yay! Let me know how you like them. They’re my fav! And thanks for confirming my theory, Jessie!
I am wondering if maybe I soaked them in the water and baking soda to long because they had a funny taste to them?
Very odd. I’ve never had this problem before. Perhaps you kept them in the baking soda bath a little too long?
Use parchment paper.. Or silicon mat
Either one will work just fine.
I just made these and they were delicious! I used margarine instead of butter, because I didn’t want it to be dairy. It was pretty quick and simple. I don’t have a Kitchen Aid, so I kneaded it by hand. They were just what I needed! Absolutely delicious and perfect with yellow mustard. The best homemade pretzels I’ve every had! Thanks for the recipe.
Awesome!! I give you credit for kneading it all by hand, lol! Thanks so much for letting me know they turned out well for you!
How long total time do they take to make???
I would say an hour at most maybe even a little less if you’re quick.
Thanks for your sharing your yummy recipe. I just made a batch and they turned out great. The only thing I’m not sure about is the baking soda bath. Seems like an awful lot of baking soda for the amount of water? Mine Dissolved but then recrystallised as it cooled and seemed to give the bottom of the pretzels a bitter salty taste… I ate right past it though!
It does seem like a lot of baking soda, but in my experience and research that’s how much is needed to create the beautiful golden chewy exterior. I’ve never had a bitter salty taste, perhaps you kept them in a little too long? Either way, I’m happy you loved them anyway!
This is the worst pretzel recipe! None of your directions make any sense! No dough rises in 15 mins! 5 mins to knead the dough *scoff* now my pretzel taste like shit and are tough! Thanks for nothing! You tube had better instructions and made it easy to understand and make a good pretzel. You should delete this its very misleading.
I’m sorry you feel that way! If you had read the instructions correctly, it says for the pretzel dough to *rest* for 15 minutes, not rise. There is no need for the dough to rise. As for the kneading, yes, once the dough comes together, you knead for five minutes UNLESS you are kneading by hand. The instructions for kneading are for using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, I do not have instructions for making the recipe by hand. Also, before any recipe, especially one that uses yeast, you should always read the instructions one time fully before attempting so you have all the steps in order. Maybe you should have read the instructions more carefully or had someone read them for you because the instructions are pretty straight forward. Sorry you didn’t enjoy the pretzels. Have a great night, Johnnie.
Im sorry. You’re correct. I was pretty fucking drunk when I attempted to make your pretzels. I could of been wasted but they ended up being amazing. I actually did make them by hand because I didnt have a dough hook. But, all was good!
You’re a dick… even your apology was stupid. Idiot drunk. Pay no attention to these kind of people Jessica.. they are just another form of cancer in the world. So hateful, so ignorant, so pathetic. If it’s not proven by the lack of grace in his comment then it is when the majority of people’s comments are positive and he’s the only loud mouth on there saying otherwise. Not to mention repeating partial steps completely wrong in the recipe. John, just go drink, it’s what you’re good at.. not baking. Buh bye.
Danielle, he apologized!!!!
Made the pretzels would not recommend leaving them in the baking soda wash for 2 minutes gave it a really bad taste would just dunk and pull out of wash next time.
Made your recipe today. They look great and it was pretty easy but also had a weird baking soda taste to them. I followed the recipe to a T. Timed exactly 2 minutes and used exactly 2 C water with 6 TBSP baking soda. Wondering what i can do to not get that taste. My kids still want to eat them but I can’t gag down the baking soda.
Hmm, I don’t understand why this is happening to so many people! I have made these numerous times along with some readers in the comments below with no issues – very frustrating! I’m very sorry that this happened to your pretzels and I am going to edit the recipe to have the baking soda read 4 tablespoons instead of 6, that will get rid of the baking soda after-taste that you guys are getting and still be enough to give the pretzels a beautiful brown color. Again, I’m very sorry and I hope you give these pretzels another chance because they are so delicious!
Yes I actually saw the recipe called for 4 tbs and then in the recipe it said 6 so I thought I would look down comments to see and sure enough, I am definitely not putting 6 tbs in!
In the process of making them now, can’t wait to eat them
Thanks for pointing that out Natalie! The recipe is now updated. I hope they came out wonderful!
FYI – you updated the ingredients to 4 tbs of baking soda but the instructions still refer to 6. May want to make that consistent, thanks!
Hi there! I just wanted to let you know that this is by far my favorite pretzel recipe. I made these last night and quickly realized that I should have made a double batch. I’m pretty new to the blogging world, and am not sure how this all really works. But wanted to see if I could use your dough recipe for my pretzel post, I’m featuring several different flavor combinations, and this dough is much easier to make than some of the other recipes I use. I would obviously link back to you. Please let me know, Thanks!
Thanks so much, I’m so happy you love this recipe as much as we do! That is totally fine with me that you use this recipe.
I made them all the way here in South Africa and they did not disappoint. Thank you ❤️
I just made these and yum yum YuuuuuuM! So good! I dipped in cheese dip. Tastes just like the mall pretzels and they are so easy and not all time consuming! So good! Excellent!
Yay! So happy you loved them, Michelle!
I just tried these tonight, they are awesome! You’re right, they taste JUST like those soft pretzels from the mall. I made some with cinnamon sugar on them–new favorite. After a few more batches I think I’ll be a pro, thanks for the recipe!
Cinnamon sugar sounds so good!! I’ve only always stuck to making the traditional salt pretzels because they’re my favorite but I think I need to give cinnamon sugar a go next time! I’m glad you loved the pretzels, Morgan!
I love the soft pretzels at the mall, and the cinnamon sugar ones are a really good dipped in a chocolate fudge dip. Be sure and try that when you make them. I’m going to try your recipe, I have grandchildren who love getting soft pretzels at the mall. Now they will love it when Grammy makes them!
Aw, how adorable! Your grandkids will love them for sure! I STILL haven’t tried cinnamon sugar and I so need to. Sounds so delicious dipped in chocolate!!
Jessica these were so good! I was afraid to make them. But I did ! Was so easy. The only problem I had was they stuck to the parchment paper! How do I prevent this? Thank you so much.
I’m glad you loved my pretzels, Danielle! Hmm, my pretzels usually stick slightly but they’ll come right off. Maybe next time just grease the parchment very lightly and that should do the trick!
These are beautiful! I’ve tried baking pretzels with varying success but I haven’t given up yet. I’ve never seen a recipe that specified turning off the water after it came to a boil. As I think this is the step where I usually mess up (I think the water boils off and creates a stronger baking soda taste) I’m excited to give this method of cooled water a try. I’ll be attempting some pretzel “bites.” Wish me luck!
Awesome!! You’re going to love them!
These were delicious and so easy to make!!! Took less than 45mins! The kids were able to help and it was a fun family cooking adventure!! The pretzels came out perfect and were so great! I’m always nervous trying recipes out I find online but these we will be making again! Thank you!!
That’s so great to hear, Tina! Getting the family involved with these is such a great idea!
What if you do not have a stand mixer?
You can absolutely make it by hand. Add ingredients to a large bowl as they are stated in the instructions for a stand mixer and instead stir with a spoon until a dough forms. Flour your hands and a surface very well and knead the heck out of it! Prepare for an arm workout.
I totally made these for my family tonight. They really are delicious. Mine definitely were not as attractive as yours turned out, but my husband was raving out how good they were. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe. It was easy enough that I WILL be making them again.
I’m dutch and I found your recipe on pinterest. I made just half the recipe this afternoon, but after I tasted these i regret making half the recipe. They are delicious. I put some garlic, smoked pepper, chili powder and parmesan cheese to make a pizza topping and they’re even better than the ‘normal’. I’m actally making these agian tomorrow =)
X
That sounds amazing!! Your comment definitely made my night!
This recipe was amazing! They are better than all of the mall pretzels and any other soft pretzels we’ve ever bought. They turned out just like the picture and were mouth watering! Thank you for the great recipe. We added cinnamon sugar on top of a couple of them and omitted the salt on top and they were delicious like this too! My kids and I will be making this recipe many more times for many more years to come! A new family favorite
That sounds delicious! I’m happy your family enjoyed them, Katie!
thank you so much for the great recipe! I made these this morning. they were easy to make and came out perfectly on the first try! that doesn’t always happen : ))
That’s so great to hear! Thanks so much for letting me know, Debbie!
Thank you for this recipe! These are better than mall pretzels. I have tried several different soft pretzel recipes that involve long rising times and they were no where close to the fluffy insides/browned outsides that these have. I love them! I made myself sick eating 4 of them!
Aren’t you cute: “…but will keep for 2 days…” In December 2015 I stayed 5 weeks with my son and dil for the birth of their second child. Her mom was with us, too. I made one batch as Pretzel Balls and they were gone in no time. Hubby joined us for my last 10 days there. I made 2 DOUBLE batches (of the ball shapes) while he was with us. IF there were any left 24 hours later it was because my husband and son disciplined themselves harshly to leave a few “for later”! These are absolutely delightful. Later, back at home, I made them in pretzel stick shapes with vanilla added to the dough and rolled them in cinnamon sugar for backing. I have been instructed by my children that I could make these every day! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!
Haha, your comment made me laugh and it totally made my night!! Thanks so much! Enjoy
HI,
I just made these today for my grand kids after school snack. I have to say, I have made pretzels before and I have put them in the boiling soda water for about 30 sec so was concerned that these were a little different. Well let me tell you, THIS is the way I’m doing them now! Ok I have to be honest, I have a terrible head cold so I can’t taste or smell… but my husband can’t stay out of them. I’m like “how do they smell?” well he just couldn’t say enough. Getting a little cheese wiz for the kids to dip. Can’t wait until I can taste them too!
Haha!! Love this. They ARE totally addicting!
I was having some serious PMS cravings and this was the first recipe that popped up on Pinterest in my search for soft pretzels. I had another recipe that I really wasn’t fond of – it was a lot of work and the pretzels never tasted right. Whipped these up in about 45 minutes and enjoyed (gasp) TWO of them for lunch with homemade cheese sauce. Forbidding myself from going back into the kitchen so there are some left when everyone else gets home this afternoon…
Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Haha!! I know how those pregnancy cravings strike and they need to be curbed immediately!! So glad you enjoyed the pretzels, Deb!
These look amazing! I can’t wait to try them at home. I love pretzels, but I live in Norway and noone sells them here, and I miss Auntie Anne’s! Thank you for sharing
Hi! My kids eat a soft pretzel every night before bed. Have you tried making a batch and freezing them? Thanks!!!
I have not tried freezing them, but I did a little research for you and it looks like the best method to do this is to bake them the full amount of time, cool completely and freeze. I would place them all separated on a parchment-lined baking sheet first and allow them to freeze completely individually before sticking them in a freezer bag so they don’t stick together. Thaw them and reheat in the oven at 400 degrees. Let me now if you try it out!
I tried this recipe and it turned out amazing!!! Whenever i have the craving for a pretzel i can just pull one out of the frezer and heat it up!! The pretzels are both delicious right out of the oven or reheated!!! I will definatly be using this recipe in the future!!❤️
Awesomeness…..thank you….I made these for my Grandchildren…they loved it…easy to follow recipe…on point ….we made cinnamon sugar …dipped our warm pretzels in butter then the mixture..thanks for sharing got it from Pinterest !
I literally just made these and have scoffed two already! I am so shocked at how well they have turned out!! Like, I made these and they’re better than any I’ve ever had! Thank you so much for the recipe!
That’s amazing! Thanks so much for reporting back, Leanne!
Hi I would love to make these today, however I don’t have a stand mixer with hook attachment all I have is a small handheld electric mixer. Would that work or even just a fork to beat it
Thanks
I am so gonna make these, wonder how cinnamon / sugar would be instead of salt? Can’t wait to try this recipe!!
Delicious!! If you scroll through the comments you’ll see many readers have made them this way also and they raved about them!
I just made these and they are AMAZING!!! I added cinnamon and sugar to half…4 out of 4 kids loved them!!!! We frequent our local soft pretzel place weekly and these are better, HANDS DOWN!!!!! Making them with Beer Cheese for an adult get together this weekend. Thank You
I made these today and they were super easy to make and delicious!
This is an easy fantastic recipe!!!!! I have tried to make pretzel’s before and they were very dense and dry, this recipe is the bomb!!!!!!! Taste like the pretzel’s you get at mall!!! What is the purpose of soaking them in the warm baking soda water for 2 min before baking???? They stuck to the was paper out of the oven should I have sprayed with cooking spray first????? Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe!!!
Hey Tracie, I’m so happy you loved these pretzels!! Soaking them in the warm backing soda bath gives the pretzels that nice golden brown chewy crust on the outside. As for the sticking, was that a typo and you meant to type wax? If so, you never, ever want to use wax paper in the oven. That is the reason they stuck. Use parchment paper instead – no need to grease it, they will just pop off. Hope this helped!
I have made this recipe about 9 billion times now, and it is the best I have found! They freeze well (when there is any left over) and it is seriously an “oops proof” recipe. For those of you who are wondering, as long as you get the ingredients and portions correct, these will turn out just fine. Its my go to for slumber parties, football games, and my job working 12 hour shifts. Thank you sooooooo sooooooo much!
Yay, this makes me so happy! I’m so glad you love them so much, Tara!
These were remarkable!! Super quick and they didn’t last three hours before getting eaten up! Thank you!
Yay!! You’re welcome!
I made these yesterday with my kids. They turned out great! Thanks for posting this recipe. Next time I use it, I think I will top them with garlic butter. Everything is better with garlic!
OMG that sounds AMAZING!
Hey Jessica, all I’ve got is a hand mixer, will this recipe still work? I’m thinking I’ll need to enlist my boyfriend to help in certain parts, but besides that will the recipe more or less turn out like yours?
Sorry about the late reply! A hand mixer wouldn’t work very well, I would probably just use your hands in a large bowl.
Made these tonight as a snack but then decided they would work for dinner too! Delicious! Thanks for the recipe! We will be making these again…and again!
Haha!! I’d eat these for dinner any night! Thanks for reporting back, Kelly!
Made these tonight- so easy and so delicious!!!! I made pretzel bites and baked them for 5 minutes. Yum!!
Yum!!
hi jessica, my pretzels look, smell and feel great, but the taste is terribly and unusually yeasty (tastes like the smell of raw yeast). any ideas what i could try next time or what i did wrong?
Hmm, I cannot pinpoint what could have went wrong. Could you have possibly measured the yeast wrong?
Love the recipe. I freeze them and when I’m ready for one, they heat up perfectly in microwave.
Yum! I’ve got to do that!
Tried this recipe for the first time tonight and fell immediately in love with how easy and delicious they turned out. My only complaint is after I brushed them with butter the bottoms got a bit soggy. Have you tried putting them on cooling rack and if so does It help with the sogginess. And could I make 4 segments of the dough and make larger pretzels? Would the soak and bake time be the same. Thanks for sharing the amazing recipe
Yay! I’ve never experienced the bottoms being soggy, but after baking you can absolutely put them on a cooling rack, this may elevate the sogginess you noticed. You can definitely make larger pretzels. The soak time will be the same but the bake time would just be a few minutes more, I’d just watch them carefully to be sure! Thanks Chandra!
These were so easy and so delicious! I just finished making them with my 2 year old daughter and we are obsessed!!! She made some fun shapes and we made regular pretzels, bites and sticks. They all taste amazing, I can’t believe how easy it was!
Aw, that makes me so happy! I’m glad you guys got to spend time in the kitchen together making these pretzels. I may do this with my 3 year old.
I I am in the middle of making these pretzels right now. Some of the other recipes I look that called for an hour or two of resting time for the dough to rise. Is the 15 minutes of resting time for the bread to rise because mine did not and I’m waiting a little longer what should I do
So sorry about the late response. They don’t rise much, it’s just resting time.
Hi, I’ve used this recipe multiple times with great success. We are going to use it this weekend and I think we are going to shape them like Mickey heads and pumpkin shapes for our Halloween party. Anyway, the question I have is: how long can I let the dough sit before starting the soaking and baking process? They taste so good fresh out of the oven that I try to avoid reheating them. I’m hoping to start the dough at home, then take them to the party and bake them there. Is this possible?
Sorry about the late response, Harmony. That sounds adorable! I think you’d be fine preparing the pretzels at home, placing them on the pan. Then at the party I’d do the baking soda soak and bake there.
I just made these pretzels. They are awesome!
Thanks Brenda!
In the recipe it has 2 different melted butter ingredients but when i am to add the butter the recipe does not say which one to add.
I edited the recipe instructions to clarify when each butter addition is incorporated.
Hi! A quick question regarding the step that involves mixing the flour into the dough– is it supposed to be very flaky for a while before becoming one big ball (when using the mixer with the hook I mean)? I mixed mine in the mixer for about five minutes and it wouldn’t make a ball. thank you in advance!
That probably happened because you added too much flour. Next time try adding a little less and see if that works for you.
Can I used instant yeast instead of dry yeast coz my country hardly to find.how to substitute the ingredients
My bf and I are going to make them right now!!!!
I literally just made these. They are on my stove right now and I already ate 2 and a half! They are sooooo good and sooo easy!! I am a novice baker. This is my second time working with yeast. I second and triple guess everything, read and then re-read instructions, and get things all confused in my head. I even looked up on YouTube how to shape pretzels. But I trusted my gut, and followed the recipe, and they are fantastic!!! I wish I could post a picture of them to share but you will just have to take my word for it. I made 3 cinnamon sugar ones. Sooo good!!! They took me an hour and a half, but I am very slow and kept checking my dough and pausing to read instructions. The most tedious part was figuring out how to roll them out and shape them. Thank you!!! I will be making these again for sure!!!!
Dude these are so fun to make, the best part about making them was it didn’t take forever. I Love it thank you so much hopefully one day soon I will have my own website and recipes just like you.
I look forward to reading it, Annie!
I made these tonight, and they are absolutely delicious! And the directions are very easy to follow, thank you! I love the suggestions about cinnamon/sugar and garlic butter … I may have to give them a try. I am curious about if I try to double the recipe, would you also double the water and baking soda or leave it the same as the original recipe? Thanks!
That’s awesome to hear, Jen! Yes, you will need to double every ingredient.
I have a couple of questions before I try this.
1. I have rapid rise yeast so can I just add everything together without waiting for the yeast to proof since it doesn’t need to?
2. I want to make pretzel bites so I’m thinking I can make it the same up until you turn it into a pretzel. I could cut them to the size I want and then put in the water bath and then on to the baking sheet. Does that sound right?
3. Why do you salt them before they go into the oven? Wouldn’t it be better to wait until you drench them in butter when they come out and then salt them? Would the salt not stick?
I’ve made bread before but pretzels are a whole new ballgame.
Thank you
Hi Barbara! For your first question, yes, you can use the rapid rise interchangeably with the active dry yeast. You are correct about the pretzel bites, just make the recipe the same right up until you shape the pretzels and cut them into bites instead. The salt will not stick as well if you add them after they are baked. Hope this helps!! Have a great day.
-Jess
Omg I just made this and holy moly are they delicious!!! I only soaked in the baking soda mixture for a few seconds but they still turned out fabulous. My family scarfed them down and the neighbors even came over and stole a few. Amazing recipe and so not scary for a first time pretzel maker
Woo! Thanks for reporting back, Chelsea!
Hi.
I’m wondering if I am doing something wrong? I made two batches and each time the dough was very crumbly and wouldn’t form. The second time around I did add a little bit of oil and water once finding I was having the same problem again. It did come together, but it’s very hard. I have it resting and will continue just to see what happens but I am not very optimistic ad the dough is pretty hard. What could I have done?
Could the dough be made (after the baking soda bath) and then refrigerated/frozen? I’d like to make-ahead and then only cook once we are ready to eat if possible!
Sure, I don’t see why not. Just thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
Just made these and they are TOTALLY AMAZING!! I followed the directions exactly as written. Need a little work on my pretzel twisting skills. My picky daughter said they taste very similar to Pretzel Maker but mine needs more butter. Well, I doubled everything except the butter. Next time I’ll probably just dunk them in butter like PM does. We had them with cream cheese (our favorite). Thank you!! I think I may have found my neighbor/friend Christmas gifts… Some pretzel bites in cute containers and a little diipping sauce on the side.
This recipe is amazing! Absolutely love it. I have a question though, have you tried to freeze the dough before? As in make the dough and let it rise then freeze and let thaw out completely before following the steps with soaking in baking soda bath? We are attempting to make a lot of dough ahead of time for a party and wondering what the best option is, either freezing or making a day ahead and keeping in fridge.
Thanks!
I have not tried freezing this dough. I would make it ahead the day before the party and keep it in the fridge until ready to use.
Awesome recipe!!!! Tried it this morning and they came out perfect . Kneading the dough in your KitchenAid for the 5 minutes makes it very easy .
Very quick delicious recipe
Thank you
This recipe says to leave the pretzels in the baking soda bath for 2 minutes but most recipes say for no more than 30 seconds hmm…
I made these tonight after the recipe sat on my Pinterest board for years. The recipe so easy to follow and I can’t believe how delicious they are. Will definitely make them again!
These look absolutely amazing but taste horrible… back to square one looking for a recipe
I tried this recipe just now, it turned out great!
For the soft pretzels can Canola oil be substituted as I am trying to make them dairy free?
So I saw this recipe and got super excited to try it! Thanks for sharing. I do have a couple questions. I’m new to making homemade doughs and working with yeast. When you combine the yeast, sugar and water, should you mix enough for everything to dissolve (this may be a silly question, especially if yeast doesn’t dissolve)? I can get an idea of about what ‘frothy’ might look like, but I was wondering about how long it takes for this to occur. Thanks for the additional instructions for a complete newbie. I’m looking forward to trying to make your recipe!
I looked through the comments but could see if someone had asked this already so I am sorry if they have! But I don’t have a mixer so how would I do this by hand? (sorry I am new to the baking world) Thanks!
I was trying to read this recipe when I accidentally clicked on something and it redirected me to fapmeth.com. Makes me not want to visit your website ever again.
Happy Ending…
As I was kneading the dough and waiting for my guests to arrive, I have to admit – I was feeling disappointed. It was the oddest feeling dough I’ve worked with (tough, almost…) I was afraid it was a botch recipe or I botched the recipe, but I kept kneading , hoping for a surprise ending.
And they were great, delicious! Everyone’s favorite. Thank you for sharing. I’m glad I found this one.
Best Pretzel recipe ever!
These turned out really good, mine cooked a little too long. Next time I will cut the time down by a minute or so. I can’t wait to try the bites. Thanks!
This recipe is the closest to the mall pretzel that I have ever tried. It is delicious! Thank you!
Optional modifications that made my life easier based on observation and investigation:
– no need to boil the water for the baking soda solution. Combine hot water and baking soda.
– use 1 tablespoon baking soda per cup of water. 4 cups of water +4 tablespoons of baking soda. This should eliminate the baking soda taste and provide better coverage of the pretzels when you dip them.
– dip the pretzels quickly in the baking soda solution, then blot on a paper towel before you place them on the parchment paper.
– I accidentally let the dough rest 30 minutes and had great results.
– if they stick, use spray, grease or butter on the parchment or baking sheet.
– if you are going to butter the pretzels, add the salt after you butter them.
– since ovens vary, you might want to try a shortened cooking, like 6 to 8 minutes. You can always leave them in longer.
–
Made these with my kids, delicious, soft, salty and a great easy fun time!!
Oh. My. God….just made these pretzels and they are INCREDIBLE! You’re totally right, better than any chain. And super easy to make. Thanks so much!!!!
Hey, I’d really like to try making these! Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?
Sure
hi, how much water do you add with yeast? thankyou
There’s too many ads on your blog – it makes it so that when I try to scroll to the recipe, I end up clicking like 5 ads and it takes me away from the recipe. Then when I finally got to the recipe, there were so many pop up ads that I only had about 2 inches of screen to read off of. That’s the worst part about blogs nowadays.
Anyways, I made these and they’re really good
It took me reloading the website 4 times to look at the recipe because of spam adds that I didn’t even click on loaded me to iPhone winner viruses.
Could I just freeze some of the dough itself for use later?
Hey Jessica< I was just wondering if you have posted any cinnamon rolls.
I have made soft pretzels and they turned out good, but your recipe looks more like what I really want from my soft pretzels. Thank you so much for posting! I am going to make some tomorrow. God bless….
How Long does it take for the yeast to become frothy?
About a minute or two.
Mmmm!!! I saved this pin ages ago, and finally got around to making this recipe! I wish I hadn’t waited so long!!! Simply delicious!! We had a homemade Oktoberfest at our place this weekend, and this was a huge hit! I need to work on my pretzel shaping, but the taste is spot on! Thank you, Jessica!!
Woo! Thank you for letting me know!
Hi Jessica,
These look nice! Do you think the recipe would turn out ok if you didn’t add sugar? Looks really good!
Sure. The taste may just be off a bit.
This recipe is amazing!! I wasn’t too sure if it was going to turn out right but they are soooo good. My dough was a little tough to roll into pretzel shapes, so I ended up cutting it in little bite sizes and doing some pretzel bites. (Mostly because I was too lazy to work with the dough) Thankyou so much for sharing this recipe. Will be using it again for Super Bowl appetizers
Bite size pretzels are great too! These would make the perfect Super Bowl appetizers – I will probably be making them for that too!
Hi! I’m a New Yorker who loves soft pretzels, but I love ve in New Zealand where they’re hard to come by. I have not made pretzels since I was a brownie and that was basically my mom making them and me sprinkling salt.
This recipe was easy (and I’m dough-fearing) and the pretzels are delicious. Thank you!!
Aw, such a cute memory! I’m glad you loved them, Betz!
Hi! I just made some pretzels using your recipe and I they turned out perfect! I never realised soft pretzels were this easy to make! They’re not readily available in the UK either so this is a total bonus! Thanks for sharing! xxx
Oh, that’s wonderful then that you can make them at home now!!
Jessica, what a gorgeous idea! We absolutely love pretzels! Definitely need to try these!
Just made them. Amazing! I was skeptical of not letting them rise, just rest, but they turned out great. Nice and chewy with brown outside. The 6 TBSP of butter (melted) to brush with was about 2tbsp too much I had a lot leftover, and I even drowned them. But alas, my 13 y/o said, “Hey, butter dip!” And it all worked out well!! I also used 4TBSP soda and it was too much. It precipitated out when it cooled and I did have a slight taste of soda after they were done but it wasn’t really that bad and I didn’t find it strong enough to be objectionable.
One question, my dough was very elastic and difficult to roll out. I think I may have added too much flour (about 3C + 2 tbsp). Do they normally take a lot of work to roll out? They just kept springing back. I really had to work at it to get long, thin ropes.
Overall great recipe and my family thinks I’m a genius!! Thanks Jessica
Yes, it does sound like too much flour was added. Next time, try adding a little at a time until the dough is no longer super sticky but soft and elastic enough to roll out. Temperature does plays a large roll in dough making and so this may have played a factor when you added the flour – something to think about!
I have a slight obsession with all soft carbs – especially fresh baked ones – so fresh soft pretzels are totally up my ally! I know this will sound really silly but I had no clue you could make them. I mean, I know you can make anything per se but this is such an easy recipe to follow. This might be a new breakfast option for us:) Thanks for sharing…
LOL, me too! They are so simple to make that they’re almost dangerous, right?!
These pretzels were delicious! My roommate and I have followed a variety of soft pretzel recipes, as its a great way for us to destress after a long week, and we both agreed this was the best! The baking soda bath was extremely low stress, especially because the water was cool enough it wouldn’t burn us if we got splashed, so we already knew this was a great recipe, but the butter coating at the end just made it perfect! Thank you so much for taking the time to share this recipe, I’m looking forward to trying out some of your others
Also, we used vegan butter for this recipe and had no issues, for others who are interested.