How to Make Pretzels
Want to learn how to make pretzels? This is an easy to follow Pretzels recipe that yields golden, shiny exterior crust and chewy, soft crumbs. Make pretzels with success with this tested and delicious recipe!
If you enjoy making bread, then chances are, there will come a time that you will want to venture into making more varieties like.. pretzels.
I have always wanted to learn how to make pretzels because my husband always gets excited about the aroma of those pretzels in the mall. I can’t blame him really, because the smell is divine and the flavor line-ups that you can have are endless.
The Process of Making Pretzels
At first, you might be intimated to make pretzels. After all, they do not like basic and the intricate shaping of these treats make them look nothing like basic.
Well, today is the day you set those misconceptions aside. Making them is relatively simple! And bonus is, you don’t need a couple of hours for dough rising. It’s very similar to making bread, but no rise times.
At the end, you will get soft and chewy knots of bread with shiny and golden exterior and pleasantly chewy all-over. And oh, if you pop the leftovers in the toaster, you will get crisp, flavorful edges too!
The Baking Soda Water Bath
One notable thing about making pretzels is that you will have to briefly dip the shaped dough into a boiling mixture of water and baking soda. This will give them a chewy exterior, and the distinct pretzel flavor. This is just a quick process, and then we go straight to baking after.
Let’s Make it!
Make the Dough
- First things, first, prepare two large baking pans by lining them with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast, 1 teaspoon of the brown sugar and ¼ cup water. Let this sit for about 5 minutes, until thick and frothy.
- Add the remaining brown sugar, water and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Add 3 cups of the all-purpose flour. Using the dough hook attachment, start to mix the dough using low speed, then increasing gradually until all the flour has been mixed in.
Knead
- Continue to knead at high speed, add 1 cup of flour to the mixing bowl. Knead until the dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl and making slapping sounds, about 6-9 minutes.
- If the dough is still sticky, add more flour gradually in small amounts. The dough is ready when it cleans the sides of the bowl, and you can stretch it thinly without breaking right away (aka the windowpane test). Do not add too much flour. The should be soft, elastic and smooth, not dry. Allow the dough to rest for 10-20 minutes.
- If you are new to kneading, check out windowpane test post. Also, How to Knead Bread Dough with Video.
Shape the Pretzels
- Preheat your oven to 400 ℉. Turn the dough out into a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 12 equal portions.
- To shape the pretzels, roll each portion into a log that is 22 inches long. Next, make a U shape with the log. Take the two ends of the U and put one end over the other. Twist the ends one time.
- Holding the two ends of the twist, fold the dough downwards so that the tip of the rope meets the base of the letter U. Pinch the ends to seal. Arrange the shaped pretzels, shaped evenly on two baking pans. I put 6 in each.
Boil in Water and Baking Soda
In a large pot, combine 10 cups of water and ½ cup baking soda. Bring to a boil. Boil the pretzels, a few at a time, in the pot for 15 seconds. Drain as much liquid as you can then put them back in the pan.
Finishing and Baking
- Beat together egg and 1 tbsp. of water. Brush the pretzels with this egg/water mixture. Sprinkle coarse salt all over the boiled pretzels.
- Bake at 400 F for 12-15 minutes, or until the exterior is nicely golden. Brush with melted butter as soon as they are out of the oven.
Leftovers
To store leftovers, keep them in a container with tight lid at room temperature for up to 2 days. To reheat, pop them in the microwave for 8 seconds or in a toaster.
More Special Bread
How to Make Pretzels
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ tsp. (2 ¼ tsp.) active dry yeast
- 1 ½ cup (354.88 ml) water 105-115℉
- 2 tbsp. (2 tbsp.) brown sugar
- ¾ tsp. (¾ tsp.) salt
- 1 tbsp. (1 tbsp.) melted butter
- 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour plus ½ cup reserved
For the Baking Soda Bath
- 10 cups (2.37 l) water
- ½ cup (60 g) baking soda
Finishing
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp. water
- 2 tsp coarse salt
After Baking
- 1 tbsp. (14.2 g) melted butter
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast, 1 teaspoon of the brown sugar and ¼ cup water. Let this sit for about 5 minutes, until thick and frothy.
- Add the remaining brown sugar, water and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Add 3 cups of the all-purpose flour. Using the dough hook attachment, start to mix the dough using low speed, then increasing gradually until all the flour has been mixed in.
- Add 1 cup of flour to the mixing bowl. Knead until the dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl and making slapping sounds, about 6-9 minutes.
- If the dough is still sticky, add more flour gradually in small amounts. The dough is ready when it cleans the sides of the bowl, and you can stretch it thinly without breaking right away (aka the windowpane test). Do not add too much flour. The should be soft, elastic and smooth, not dry.
- Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400 ℉. Line 2 large baking pans with parchment paper.
- Turn the dough out into a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 12 equal portions. To shape the pretzels, roll each portion into a log that is 22 inches long.
- Next, make a U shape with the log. Take the two ends of the U and put one end over the other. Twist the ends one time. Holding the two ends of the twist, fold the dough downwards so that the tip of the rope meets the base of the letter U. Pinch the ends to seal. Arrange the shaped pretzels, shaped evenly on two baking pans. I put 6 in each.
- In a large pot, combine 10 cups of water and ½ cup baking soda. Bring to a boil. Boil the pretzels, a few at a time, in the pot for 15 seconds. Drain as much liquid as you can then put them back in the pan.
- Beat together egg and 1 tbsp of water. Brush the pretzels with this egg/water mixture. Sprinkle coarse salt all over the boiled pretzels.
- Bake at 400 F for 12-15 minutes, or until he exterior is nicely golden. Brush with melted butter as soon as they are out of the oven.
Notes
- To store leftovers, keep them in a container with tight lid at room temperature for up to 2 days. To reheat, pop them in the microwave for 8 seconds or in a toaster.
- Add flour in small amounts so that you do not end up adding too much flour. You want don’t the dough to dry up. It should be elastic, and smooth.
- To make a cinnamon sugar pretzel, skip the sprinkling of salt. As soon as they are out of the oven, brush them with melted butter then dip in cinnamon sugar mixture (½ cup of sugar and 2 tbsp. cinnamon).
So, you dont say how long to leave in, after you put them back in the pan.
Hello Guadalupe! You bake the pretzels after putting them back in the pan once they have finished the soda bath. There is no wait times in between 🙂
Recipes are great. Everyone has loved everything!
Hi Gerry! I am so happy that the recipes are enjoyed.
❤️