We love this recipe for Homemade Soft Pretzels. Many pretzel recipes require you to boil the pretzels. This recipe calls for baking only- with plenty of butter- to create the most delicious, soft and buttery pretzels ever!
RecipeBoy Brooks first made this recipe way back in 2014 when he was just 13 years old. I didn’t help him much with this recipe at all. So it’s easy enough for a kid to make without any trouble. And he really loved making these too. Who wouldn’t love a homemade soft pretzel? I’ve saved his original photos for this post. He sure was a cutie!
This recipe comes from the cool kid’s cookbook: KIDS COOKING MADE EASY- FAVORITE TRIPLE-TESTED RECIPES. There are a ton of cool recipes from this cookbook! They are easy to make and even the pickiest eaters will find something to eat in here. We love to share kid’s cookbooks around here, and this one is a good one.
Ingredients Needed:
- instant dry yeast
- warm water
- granulated white sugar
- all purpose flour
- salt
- baking soda
- coarse salt
- butter
✏️ How to make Homemade Soft Pretzels:
The full printable recipe is at the end of this post.
- In a large bowl, combine the yeast, warm water and sugar. Add in the flour and salt and knead until smooth (you can use your hands, or you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook for this part).
- Grease a second bowl with nonstick cooking spray and place the dough into the bowl. Cover with greased plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and let rise for 30 minutes in a warm place. Note that RecipeBoy Brooks is being silly with his lacrosse stick and the risen dough!
- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Line 2-baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats.
Divide the dough into 8 equal parts. It’s easiest to do this by dumping the dough onto a floured surface, shaping it into a circle and then cutting it into 8 equal pieces.
➡️ Tips for making pretzels:
- Use recently purchased yeast. Old yeast will not work in allowing the dough to rise!
- In this recipe, we dip the pretzels in a water bath with baking soda before baking. This step gives the pretzels their signature brown and shiny crust. We find that there is no need to boil the pretzels in water with this recipe!
- Give the pretzels enough space to expand while baking. Overcrowding can cause them to bake unevenly.
- Soft pretzels served warm, right out of the oven, will be the best!
- Serve soft pretzels with mustard, cheese sauce, or any other dipping sauce of your choice.
Roll each part into a rope about 24 to 26 inches long and form into a pretzel shape. Traditional pretzel shapes are achieved by forming a U-shape, then crossing the ends over each other and pressing them into the bottom of the U. In a shallow bowl, combine water and baking soda. Submerge each pretzel in the water and then place on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt. Let the pretzels rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
✔️ How to Store Soft Pretzels:
Allow the pretzels to cool completely to room temperature before storing them. This prevents condensation from forming inside the storage container, which can make the pretzels soggy. Place the cooled pretzels in an airtight container or a zip-top plastic bag. Make sure to seal the container tightly to prevent air from getting in, which can cause the pretzels to dry out. Soft pretzels can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you need to store the pretzels for longer than 2 days, you can refrigerate them. Place them in an airtight container or bag and store them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Before serving, you can warm them up in the oven to refresh them.
✔️ How to Freeze Soft Pretzels:
Soft pretzels also freeze well. To freeze them, wrap each pretzel individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. To thaw, let them sit at room temperature for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven for a few minutes before serving to refresh them.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush each hot baked pretzel with melted butter immediately after taking them out of the oven.
❤️ What We Love About This Recipe:
- They are such a delicious snack- especially when served warm!
- Soft pretzels make me think of carnivals and pretzel carts. They’re always good when you buy one from a cart, but they’re so much more amazing when you make them homemade.
- They are easy to make, and it’s fun to experiment with different toppings and dippers.
More Homemade Snack Favorites:
How to Make Homemade Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
DOUGH:
- 3 teaspoons instant dry yeast
- 1½ cups warm water (about 105 degrees F)
- 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
CRUST:
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- coarse sea salt or kosher salt
- ¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the yeast, warm water and sugar. Add in the flour and salt and knead until smooth (you can use your hands, or you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook for this part).
- Grease a second bowl with nonstick cooking spray and place the dough into the bowl. Cover with greased plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and let rise for 30 minutes in a warm place.
- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Line 2-baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Roll each part into a rope about 24 to 26 inches long and form into a pretzel shape (see the link in my the post for detailed instructions on how to shape a pretzel).
- In a shallow bowl, combine water and baking soda. Submerge each pretzel in the water and then place on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt. Let the pretzels rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush each hot baked pretzel with melted butter immediately after taking them out of the oven.
Carol
Thursday 20th of June 2024
Made them they look so pretty
Gerry
Friday 9th of February 2024
I loved it! This recipe was easy to follow, very clearly written. I had delicious soft pretzels in an hour! I need to work on my shaping technique but that will come will practice. Thank you Recipe Boy❣️❣️❣️
BMac
Wednesday 9th of November 2022
Made these today with my sons. They turned out awesome! They were so simple and easy. Will definitely make these again!
Ang
Saturday 15th of January 2022
Easy recipe! Made them with my grandchildren! 3 tblsp of yeast? I thought they smelled yeasty… was that a misprint?
RecipeGirl
Wednesday 19th of January 2022
Ugh, yes. We just transferred that recipe into a new format-- should be 3 teaspoons. Sorry!!
Gloria Nienhuis
Thursday 25th of February 2021
WOW this is such a great recipe. I have made several different recipes for pretzels but this one ROCKS. The best I've ever made. Thank you so much for such a great and easy recipe.