Homemade soft pretzels, chewy with pretzel salt, are easy to make with few ingredients—a perfect afternoon snack!

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The best homemade soft pretzels are chewy and salty on the outside and warm and soft on the inside. Made with just a handful of ingredients, these buttery soft pretzels are fun to make and fun to eat. 

Homemade Soft Pretzels

A staple at amusement parks, baseball games, and trips to the mall, you can now enjoy tasty soft pretzels at home. Easier to make than you think, with just a few simple ingredients. Best part, the dough only takes 15 minutes of prep time to mix together. 

Enjoy this buttery soft pretzel recipe alone or dunk them in cheese sauce or another favorite dipping sauce. Try them with barbecue sauce, mustard, or even cinnamon sugar for a sweet twist.

Pretzels are such a delicious snack, and they go with pretty much anything. Serve your soft pretzel recipe as the perfect afternoon snack with a glass of southern sweet tea. 

Homemade Soft Pretzels Ingredients

If you are struggling with shaping your pretzels in a traditional shape, feel free to shape them however you wish.  You can just fold the ropes in half and twist them. You can also try making a heart shape with them or even bite-size pieces. 

If you have a sweet tooth, combine 1 teaspoon cinnamon with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Sprinkle your hot buttered pretzels with the cinnamon-sugar mixture instead of the salt after baking.

How to Make Homemade Pretzels

FIRST STEP: In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook, combine the warm water, honey, and salt.  With a spoon, stir the water around to dissolve the honey and salt.

SECOND STEP: Next, add the 4 cups of bread flour and instant yeast.  Turn the mixer on very low speed (setting 1, or stir, on a standard mixer) and slowly drizzle the melted and cooled butter into the flour mixture.  Allow the butter to fully incorporate. Mix for 2 minutes, then increase the speed of the mixer to medium-low (or setting 3). Continue to mix for an additional 5 minutes.  Your dough should form a ball and be smooth but still slightly sticky.

THIRD STEP: Remove the bowl of your stand mixer and the dough hook, and cover it loosely with plastic wrap allowing the dough to rest and rise on the counter for 1 hour, or until your dough has doubled in size.

Shaping the Pretzel Dough

FOURTH STEP: Preheat oven to 400*F.  Prepare a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, and set it aside.

FIFTH STEP: On a clean counter or large cutting board, sprinkle your remaining ¼ cup of flour and turn out your dough.  Gently press out your dough into an 8 X 20-inch rectangle. 

SIXTH STEP: With a very sharp knife (or a pizza cutter works great also), cut (8) 1x20 inch long strips of dough.  Gently shape your strips of dough into 20-inch long ropes, being very careful not to overwork the dough.

SEVENTH STEP: To shape your pretzels, take the ends of 1 dough rope and cross them, making a large circle with about 2 inches of the ends overhanging.  Take those two overhanging ends and cross them again.  Holding both ends (already twisted),  bring them forward to meet the bottom of the circle. Repeat this with the remaining seven dough ropes and place them on your prepared sheet tray to rest and rise while preparing your water bath.

EIGHTH STEP: In a medium-sized baking dish, with 2-inch high sides, place your baking soda and very hot water.  Stir it around with a spoon until all of the baking soda dissolves.  

NINTH STEP: Gently place 1-2 pretzels (depending on the size of your dish) into the water bath for 30 seconds, then flip them over for another 30 seconds.  Very carefully remove your pretzels using an extra-large slotted spoon or a spider, allowing the excess water to drip off and place them back onto your prepared baking sheet.  Repeat this until all of your pretzels are done.

TENTH STEP: Bake your pretzels for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

ELEVENTH STEP: While your pretzels are baking, melt your ¼ cup of butter for your topping in a microwave-safe cup for 30 seconds.

TWELFTH STEP: When you remove your pretzels from the oven, immediately brush them with the melted butter and sprinkle them with the salt.

How to Store Homemade Soft Pretzels 

ON THE COUNTER: Ideally, soft pretzels should be savored immediately; however, in the event that you have leftovers, they can be carefully preserved in an airtight container situated on the counter for a period not exceeding 3 days. You can reheat them in the microwave for 30 seconds. 

IN THE FREEZER: Baked and cooled pretzels can be frozen for up to 2 months. To reheat, bake frozen pretzels at 350°F (177°C) for 20 minutes or until warmed through or microwave until warm. 

MAKE-AHEAD: Conveniently, pretzel dough can be prepared in advance and safely refrigerated for up to one day. Additionally, for longer storage, it may be securely stored in an airtight container and frozen for a span of 2 to 3 months.

Thaw the frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight. The refrigerated dough can be shaped into pretzels while still cold, but allow some extra time for the pretzels to puff up before the baking soda bath and baking.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Homemade soft pretzels, chewy with pretzel salt, are easy to make with few ingredients—a perfect afternoon snack!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Rise Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Desserts

Cuisine American

Servings 8 pretzels

Calories 311 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 ½ cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
• 4 ¼ cups bread flour, divided
• 1 ounce packet of instant yeast , (also known as Rapid-Rise)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Hot water bath for the pretzels:

• 4 cups very hot water, not boiling~around 150-160*F
• ⅓ cup baking soda

Topping:

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons pretzel salt

DIRECTIONS

 

• In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook, combine the warm water, honey, and salt. With a spoon, stir the water around to dissolve the honey and salt.
• Next, add the 4 cups of bread flour and instant yeast. Turn the mixer on very low speed (setting 1, or stir, on a standard mixer) and slowly drizzle the melted and cooled butter into the flour mixture. Allow the butter to fully incorporate and mix for 2 minutes, then increase the speed of the mixer to medium-low (or setting 3) and continue to mix for an additional 5 minutes. Your dough should form a ball and be smooth but still slightly sticky.
• Remove the bowl of your stand mixer and the dough hook, and cover it loosely with plastic wrap allowing the dough to rest and rise on the counter for 1 hour, or until your dough has doubled in size.
• Preheat oven to 400*F. Prepare a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, and set it aside.
• On a clean counter or large cutting board, sprinkle your remaining ¼ cup of flour and turn out your dough. Gently press out your dough into an 8 X 20-inch rectangle.
• With a very sharp knife (or a pizza cutter works great also), cut (8) 1x20 inch long strips of dough. Gently shape your strips of dough into 20-inch long ropes, being very careful not to overwork the dough.
• To shape your pretzels, take the ends of 1 dough rope and cross them, making a large circle with about 2 inches of the ends overhanging. Take those two overhanging ends and cross them again. Holding both ends (already twisted), bring them forward to meet the bottom of the circle. Repeat this with the remaining seven dough ropes and place them on your prepared sheet tray to rest and rise while preparing your water bath.
• In a medium-sized baking dish, with 2-inch high sides, place your baking soda and very hot water. Stir it around with a spoon until all of the baking soda dissolves.
• Gently place 1-2 pretzels (depending on the size of your dish) into the water bath for 30 seconds, then flip them over for another 30 seconds. Very carefully remove your pretzels using an extra-large slotted spoon or a spider, allowing the excess water to drip off and place them back onto your prepared baking sheet. Repeat this until all of your pretzels are done.
• Bake your pretzels for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
• While your pretzels are baking, melt your ¼ cup of butter for your topping in a microwave-safe cup for 30 seconds.
• When you remove your pretzels from the oven, immediately brush them with the melted butter and sprinkle them with the salt.

Notes

• Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your pretzels as the suggested baking time approaches.

• If you do not have a stand mixer, you can mix the dough with a wooden spoon and knead the dough by hand.

Nutrition

Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 1591mg | Potassium: 70mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 222IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

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