Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups warm water
- 2-1/2 teaspoons yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar (white or brown)
- 1 tablespoon melted butter or oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3-3/4 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
- Coarse salt and fine salt for baking
Soda Bath
- 9 cups water
- 1/2 cup baking soda
Directions
- In a mixing bowl, pour in 1-1/2 cups warm water, and then stir in yeast and sugar. Cover the bowl, and let yeast rise for about 5 minutes. Melt butter and add to bowl when warm, not hot. Add salt, and then add flour 1 cup at a time. Mix the dough with a dough hook if you have a mixer. If mixing by hand, stir until dough is smooth and shiny and bounces back when you press a finger into it.
- Knead dough in the mixing bowl for 3 minutes.
- Shape dough into a ball and let sit for 10 minutes in a clean, greased bowl.
- Shape dough into a rectangle on a flour-dusted counter or flour-dusted board. Cut dough into 12 pieces with a knife or pizza cutter. I cut it in half and then cut each half into 6 equal pieces. If weighing the dough, it should weigh about 65 to 70 grams (about 2.3 to 2.5 ounces) per pretzel.
- After cutting dough into 12 pieces, flatten each piece into a rectangle about 1 inch across by 3 inches long with a rolling pin. This will save time when you start rolling later. Also, put a little oil, butter, or pan spray on the work surface to get a smooth, glossy, rolled dough that doesn’t stick to your hands when rolling it out.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Put 9 cups water in a pot and mix with baking soda. Bring to a boil. Add baking soda before water is boiling. If you add baking soda when water is already boiling, it’ll probably froth and spill out over the pot.
- Prepare a cooking tray by lining it with parchment paper and spraying cooking spray lightly on the paper.
- Roll individual dough pieces to about 20 to 22 inches long. Because I don’t like to find a tape measure each time I make these, I discovered the perfect length is from my elbow to my fingertips plus the width of one hand. After making a few batches, you’ll be able to estimate the length of the pretzel dough.
- How to make a pretzel shape:Grab the ends, twist them one time, and lay the twisted or knotted end over the rounded part of the pretzel. Once twisted, lay all pretzels on prepared cookie sheet. I’ve used a metal cookie sheet with parchment paper and a stone pan lined with parchment paper. The cookie sheet gives a much better browned bottom on the pretzels
- Once all the pretzels are rolled out and knotted, place them in the boiling soda water for 20 to 30 seconds each. If they boil longer than that, they’ll have a somewhat-metallic taste. I fit 3 pretzels at a time in my pot. Just make sure they don’t touch each other when boiling. At first, they’ll sink to the bottom but then float to the top. Sometimes, they’ll flip over, so flip them right-side up in the water before taking them out of the pot.
- Using a slotted spoon, lift the boiled pretzels out of the pot after letting the excess water roll off each pretzel. While pretzels are still wet, sprinkle salt on them. I use regular fine white salt and a coarse salt after that. Using 2 layers of salt will give the pretzels the salty flavor and texture all over without too much coarse salt.
- Bake for approximately 12 to 15 minutes. When done, pretzels should be lightly browned on top and a darker brown on bottom.
Learn how to make a pretzel shape the easy way. With only a 10-minute proofing time, an hour is all you need to make this homemade pretzel recipe!
(Based on “Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels” by Sally McKenney at Sally’s Baking Recipes.)
Grab your favorite apron, roll up your sleeves, and let’s get started. Not only are there just 6 ingredients in this recipe, but most of them are probably in your cupboards already. If you’ve made sadwich bread before, check in the back recesses of your fridge for yeast packets, as they can last up to 1 year. If you don’t have any, it’s simple to find yeast in any grocery store. Nothing fancy; just regular yeast will do.
Simple and Scrumptious Homemade Pretzel Recipe
Unlike sourdough, pretzel dough doesn’t have mood swings. I know the sourdough fad traveled faster than wild yeast on a warm kitchen counter, but let’s face it, sourdough is moody. You must feed it, stir it, and wait for days just to get started on a loaf. The last loaf I made actually turned out a masterpiece, but I’ll admit, I added a spoonful of quick-rise yeast as insurance. I couldn’t bear the thought of spending all that time and effort only to end up with a great door stopper or, worse yet, a brick the size of my bread pan.
It’s time for a new trend, one that’s quick and tasty and doesn’t depend on wild yeast harvests from your kitchen. Making pretzels is an ideal way to dive into bread-making. The dough rises in 10 minutes, and the entire process takes only about an hour. Then, there’s about a 15-minute period when these delicious, salty, chewy treats will be polished off by friends and family. Pretzels always taste great fresh out of the warm oven. If you keep them for tomorrow’s school lunch or a quick snack, heat them up slightly before enjoying.
Many legends disclose the origins of pretzels, but one of the more popular ones recounts that pretzel-making began in medieval Europe, where Italian monks gave them to children as a treat or a reward for memorizing their prayers and lessons. The pretzels’ knotted shape was perhaps supposed to resemble the way children crossed their arms when they prayed. Additionally, during the Lenten season in the Catholic church, Christians observed strict fasts and couldn’t eat meat, milk, or animal products. Pretzels, made of flour and water, were a tasty, permissible treat.
Making pretzels doesn’t have to be a religious experience, nor does it require prayers to make a good batch. Homemade pretzels are perfect for the holidays as a lovely gift, a one-handed snack, or a crowd-pleaser during gatherings. Their salty, savory flavor pairs well with beer, wine, or fresh fruit. Their chewy interior tastes great with a cheese dip, hummus, or a stone-ground mustard. I’ve served these pretzels with brats and sauerkraut, using them as a creative and fresh replacement for bland hot-dog buns. Additionally, making pretzels is a fun activity for everyone: parents and kids, grandparents and grandkids, or between friends.
Pretzel-Making Tips
I like to streamline when I can. This pretzel dough is easy to mix up ahead of time and can be frozen until needed. Take the dough out the night before and refrigerate for up to three days. The pretzels roll easily when the dough is slightly chilled. The day you want to prepare the pretzels, just roll, boil, and bake them.
Create a little variety with the pretzels by experimenting with different types of salts. I’ve tried pink salt, Celtic salt, black lava salt, regular iodized salt, coarse kosher salt, and flaked salt. My favorite is the flaked salt, because it seems to have extra flavor to it.
Other savory topping ideas include Parmesan cheese or different seeds, such as poppy seeds, caraway seeds, or toasted sesame seeds. For a special holiday twist, you can sprinkle sweet toppings, such as cinnamon and sugar, finely crushed candy canes, or finely crushed toffee.
Nothing compares to the flavor and texture of a homemade pretzel. After making this tasty snack, invite your friends to come by and share – as long as you’re okay with your loved ones polishing off the pretzels in a pinch!
Michelle Fryc and her husband live at the family farm she grew up on. She sells eggs, breads, and grass-fed beef, and she has a garden that’s way too big – just for fun. Michelle also teaches writing, literature, and social studies to middle schoolers.
