Homemade Soft Pretzels
These homemade soft pretzels are golden brown on the outside and soft, fluffy, and chewy inside. A quick baking soda bath gives them that classic pretzel flavor and texture, but for even better browning and flavor, I like to use my baked baking soda method. It’s a simple extra step that makes homemade pretzels taste and look even more like the ones you’d get at a pretzel shop.
I’ve made thousands of breads over my years as a professional baker, and one thing I’ve learned is that small techniques can make a big difference. With soft pretzels, I’ve found two things make them so tasty – refrigerate the dough overnight and dip them in either a baked baking soda or lye bath before baking. The deep mahogany crust and rich flavor will be so much better! The ingredients are so simple, and there’s many different ways you can make part or all of the recipe ahead of time. Your family will love these for an afterschool snack, game day treat, or just because!
Quick Look: Homemade Soft Pretzels
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Fermentation Time: 30 minutes (recommended overnight cold proof)
- Bake Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Servings: 12 pretzels
- Calories: 355 kcal
- Cook Method: Baked at 425°F
- Flavor & Texture: Buttery, slightly sweet soft pretzels with a chewy crust and soft crumb.
- Difficulty: Easy
SUMMARIZE AND SAVE THIS RECIPE CONTENT ON:
Table of contents
Why these are the Best Homemade Soft Pretzels
- Soft and chewy: These pretzels have a soft, fluffy center with that classic chewy pretzel exterior.
- Better pretzel flavor: The baking soda bath is key to developing the flavor, color, and texture that make a pretzel different from regular bread.
- Make them ahead: You can refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours. I actually prefer this method because the longer rise develops even better flavor.
- Easy to freeze: Freeze the pretzels before or after baking so you can enjoy warm homemade pretzels whenever you want them.
- Use regular or baked baking soda: Regular baking soda works, but my baked baking soda method gives you an even deeper brown color and more pronounced pretzel flavor.
What Makes a Soft Pretzel Different From Regular Bread?
The dough is only part of what makes a pretzel a pretzel. One of the most important steps happens after the pretzels are shaped and before they’re baked.
Soft pretzels are dipped briefly in an alkaline water bath, also called a baking soda bath. This changes the surface of the dough and helps create the deep brown color, distinctive flavor, and chewy exterior we associate with a pretzel.
Baking Soda vs. Baked Baking Soda for Pretzels
You can make this recipe with regular baking soda, but I prefer baked baking soda for even better results. Regular baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. When you bake it, heat converts it into sodium carbonate, which is more alkaline. This more alkaline pretzel bath helps the outside of the dough brown more easily in the oven and develops a more pronounced pretzel flavor.
If you don’t have baked baking soda prepared, don’t worry. Regular baking soda will still give you delicious homemade soft pretzels.
Important Ingredients
- Instant Yeast – I like to use instant yeast in this recipe since it can be added directly to the other ingredients without needing to be activated in water first.
- Brown Sugar – A little brown sugar adds rich flavor to the dough and balances the salty pretzel exterior without making the pretzels too sweet.
- All-Purpose Flour – All-purpose flour gives these pretzels enough structure and chew while still keeping the inside soft and fluffy.
- Butter – Melted butter adds flavor and softness to the dough. And it’s an absolute must to brush the pretzels with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven.
- Baking Soda Bath – The baking soda isn’t mixed into the dough. It’s used to make the alkaline bath that the shaped pretzels are dipped into before baking. Don’t skip this step! It’s one of the most important parts of developing the color, flavor, and exterior texture of a soft pretzel.
- Salt – Pretzel salt is a classic topping for soft pretzels and perfectly balances the slight sweetness from the brown sugar in the dough.
Find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card towards the end of the post.
Homemade Soft Pretzel Variations
- Yeast: You can replace instant yeast with active dry yeast. Bloom it first by adding it to the warm water with a pinch of brown sugar. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, until bubbly. Learn more in my Active Dry Yeast vs. Instant Yeast guide. You can also use an active sourdough starter to make sourdough soft pretzels. See the recipe notes for measurements and my Baking Academy for my complete method.
- Flour: You can replace the all-purpose flour with bread flour, but your pretzels will have a slightly chewier, denser texture because of the higher protein. To add whole grains, start by replacing about 20% of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. I like to use hard white wheat. See my guide to Baking With Freshly Milled Flour for more tips. If using bread flour or freshly milled flour, you may need to increase the water by about 10% because these flours absorb more water.
- Baking soda bath: Don’t skip it! For even better color and pretzel flavor, I recommend using my Baked Baking Soda method instead of regular baking soda. It’s an approachable alternative to a traditional lye bath. For my lye-bath method, see The Baker’s Bucket List.
- Salt: Pretzel salt is traditional, but flaky salt works well too. If using pretzel salt, sprinkle it over the pretzels just before baking. If using flaky salt, like Maldon or fleur de sel, add it after buttering the baked pretzels.
- Toppings: For a sweet pretzel, skip the salt and finish with butter and cinnamon sugar. For a savory version, add Parmesan before baking, then brush the warm pretzels with garlic butter.
How to make Homemade Soft Pretzels
Step 1: Mix the pretzel dough in a stand mixer. Knead until it’s a cohesive dough that holds its shape as you stretch it apart.
Step 2: Place the dough in a greased bowl to rest and rise. for about 30 minutes. It will rise about 50% in volume. After 30 minutes, you can either shape your soft pretzels or place the dough in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Heather’s Tip for the Best Soft Pretzels
For the tastiest soft pretzels, refrigerate the dough overnight. Chilling the dough slows down the fermentation process, which creates a soft pretzel with richer flavor and better texure. Like sourdough bread, it can also increase digestibility, because the extended fermentation time allows enzymes and ambient microbes to partially break down complex carbohydrates and gluten proteins.
How to Shape Soft Pretzels
Step 3: Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the soft pretzel dough into 12 equal sized pieces. Flatten each piece to a small rectangle. Roll them up and pinch the seam shut. Cover them with a kitchen towel and rest the pre shaped doughs for 15 minutes – this will allow the gluten relax and make the dough easier to roll out.
Step 4: Using the palms of your hands, roll each piece of dough into a 30-inch long rope. Start with the center and work your way outwards. If the dough keeps springing back, cover it and let it rest for 5 minutes; then continue baking. The dough rope should be about 1/2-inch in diameter.
Step 5: To shape a pretzel, bring the ends up into a “U” shape, twist once, then fold over and press the ends to the bottom portion to get a pretzel shape. Place the shaped soft pretzels on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat, or parchment paper, sprayed with nonstick baking spray.
Heather’s Tip for Shaping Soft Pretzels
*Heather’s tip: Use a clean work surface to roll the dough – if it’s too floured, the dough will just slide around and will be difficult to roll.
The Baking Soda Bath
Step 6: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the baking soda and water. Heat it over medium high heat until it comes to a low simmer. One or two at a time, cook the pretzels for 20 seconds on each side.
Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to remove the soft pretzel from the baking soda bath and place each one onto a lined baking sheet.
Heather’ Tip for boiling Soft Pretzels
Get all the pretzels shaped and on the pans. Then dip the first 6 soft pretzels in the baking soda bath, 1 or 2 at a time (don’t overcrowd the pan). While baking the first pan, go ahead and dip the second set of 6 soft pretzels. That way, they’ll be ready right when the first batch is coming out of the oven.
If you’re adding pretzel salt to your soft pretzels, sprinkle them on after the baking soda bath, but before baking. I love a salty pretzel, but I love sprinkling a flaky sea salt (like Maldon) over them after baking. I find that flaky salt has just the right amount of saltiness without being too strong, like pretzel salt can be.
Bake the Soft Pretzels
Step 7: Bake the soft pretzels at 425°F for about 10 minutes, until their golden brown. As soon as they come out of the oven, brush the soft pretzels with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Make Ahead Tips
- Make the dough up to 24 hours ahead of time, and refrigerate it until ready to use. This adds a better flavor and texture. Before shaping, let the dough rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- When freezing baked soft pretzels, don’t add the salt. Completely cool them and then place in a zip top bag. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. To serve, preheat oven to 350°F. If adding pretzel salt, brush the pretzels with water and sprinkle the salt over them. Bake about 10 to 15 minutes, or until warm all the way through.
- Flash freeze the pretzels after the baking soda bath, but before baking. After the baking soda bath, place the soft pretzels on a baking sheet lined with parchment, sprayed with nonstick spray. Freeze for 1 to 2 hours, until they’re frozen solid. Place them in a zip top freezer bag and press out as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 4 weeks. To bake, preheat oven to 425°F. If adding pretzel salt, brush the pretzels with water and sprinkle the salt over them. Bake the frozen soft pretzels for 12 to 15 minutes (no need to thaw them), or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter after baking.
More Recipes You’ll Love
MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 🤎 Please leave a 5-star⭐️ rating and comment below! I love hearing how my recipes turned out for you! It impacts my blog so much and allows me to keep sharing helpful tips and delicious recipes with you!
Homemade Soft Pretzels Recipe
Soft Pretzels
Video
Ingredients
Dough:
- 480 g warm water around 105°F(2 cups)
- 12 g instant yeast (4 teaspoons)
- 110 g light or dark brown sugar packed (½ cup)
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- 57 g unsalted butter melted (¼ cup/4 tablespoons)
- 820 g all-purpose flour (7 cups)
Baking soda bath:
- 1.2 kg water (5 cups)
- 75 g baking soda (I prefer to use baked baking soda) (⅓ cup)
Topping
- 57 g unsalted butter melted (¼ cup/4 tablespoons)
- optional: pretzel salt, flaky sea salt, cinnamon sugar
Instructions
- Make the dough: To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the water, yeast, brown sugar, fine salt, melted butter and about half of the flour. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until the mixture is smooth and the ingredients are fully incorporated, about 1 minute. While on low, gradually add the remaining flour, allowing it to fully incorporate after each addition. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes, on low speed, until it comes to a smooth, elastic dough. It should clean the sides of the bowl as it's kneading. 480 g warm water12 g instant yeast110 g light or dark brown sugar1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt57 g unsalted butter820 g all-purpose flour
- Rest the dough: Transfer the dough to a greased bowl. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. (You can also refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours at this point.)
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide it into 12 equal pieces.
- Shape the pretzels: Roll each piece into about a 30-inch-long rope. Working from the center and rolling outwards makes this job quick and easy. To shape a pretzel, bring the ends up into a "U" shape, twist once, then fold over and press the ends to the bottom portion to get a pretzel shape. *Heather's tip: Use a clean work surface to roll the dough – if it's too floured, the dough will just slide around and will be difficult to roll.
- Place the pretzels on a lined baking sheet. Silicone mats work best for this. Parchment can also be used but be sure to spray it with nonstick spray.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the water and baking soda. Bring the baking soda bath to a low boil. Drop 1-2 pretzels in and boil for about 20 seconds. Remove and place back onto the baking sheet. If desired, sprinkle with pretzel salt. Repeat with the remaining pretzels.1.2 kg water75 g baking soda (I prefer to use baked baking soda)
- Bake for 7-9 minutes until golden. Melt the butter and set aside. 57 g unsalted butter
- Immediately after removing the pretzels from oven, brush with melted butter and sprinkle flaky salt over the tops. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes before enjoying. Serve warm and pair with your favorite dipping sauce!
Notes
- My biggest tip: For extra delicious, fluffy pretzels, cover and refrigerate dough overnight. Remove from refrigerator, let sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, and continue to shape and bake as directed.
- Flour substitution: You can swap out the all-purpose flour for bread flour or freshly milled wheat flour. When incorporating whole grain flour, start with replacing only 20% of the white flour and see how you like it. The more whole grain flour in bread, the denser it will be. Reduce the water content by about 10% to compensate for the increase in protein in the flour.
- For cinnamon sugar pretzels, combine 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Brush the pretzel with butter after baking and coat with the cinnamon sugar topping.
- For pretzel bites, roll divided dough out into 20-inch-long rope and cut 2 inch pieces. Boil in water about 10 seconds and bake about 6-7 minutes.
- Try other variations like: sprinkling with freshly grated parmesan cheese before baking, sprinkle with garlic powder & Kraft parmesan cheese before baking, layer on some pepperoni before baking. These are all so yummy with a marinara or Alfredo dipping sauce.
- Make Ahead Options:
- Make the dough up to 24 hours ahead of time, and refrigerate it until ready to use. This adds a better flavor and texture. Before shaping, let the dough rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- When freezing baked soft pretzels, don’t add the salt. Completely cool them and then place in a zip top bag. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. To serve, preheat oven to 350°F. If adding pretzel salt, brush the pretzels with water and sprinkle the salt over them. Bake about 10 to 15 minutes, or until warm all the way through.
- Flash freeze the pretzels after the baking soda bath, but before baking. After the baking soda bath, place the soft pretzels on a baking sheet lined with parchment, sprayed with nonstick spray. Freeze for 1 to 2 hours, until they’re frozen solid. Place them in a zip top freezer bag and press out as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 4 weeks. To bake, preheat oven to 425°F. If adding pretzel salt, brush the pretzels with water and sprinkle the salt over them. Bake the frozen soft pretzels for 12 to 15 minutes (no need to thaw them), or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter after baking.
I just had to come back and say this recipe is AMAZING!! 😍🥨 I made 12 pretzels and they literally disappeared right away 😂 I’ve tried so many recipes before, but I’ve never had them turn out this good. And baking the baking soda first?? Such a game changer!!
Yay! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for the note!
should i let the dough rest for 30 minutes if i am going to refrigerate it over night?
Hi Angela, there’s some tips in the recipe notes, but yes, I’d give it maybe just 15 minutes to warm up a bit before you divide and shape your pretzels.
Hi,
Can i add starter instead of instant yeast?
Best
Mona
Hi Mona,
Yes! Absolutely! I make this sourdough version using 1 cup (240g) active starter. Then decrease the water and flour by 120g each. Of course, rise times will be longer. After kneading, let it rise about 3 to 5 hours, until it doubles in size. Then continue with the recipe as written.