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Homemade Soft Pretzels

5 from 7 votes
These golden-brown beauties are soft, buttery, and oh-so-delicious. With just a handful of ingredients and a little bit of kitchen magic, you'll have a batch of these tasty treats ready to enjoy in no time. So roll up your sleeves, preheat that oven, and get ready to impress your taste buds with these homemade delights!
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 8 soft pretzels
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 263
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pretzel dough
  • 2¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour + up to ¾ cup more if needed
Baking Soda Bath
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tbsp baking soda
Topping
  • 1 tbsp coarse salt for sprinkling on top
  • 6 tbsp salted butter, melted

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 475°F and line a large baking sheet or two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, combine yeast with warm water and sugar. Let it sit until frothy.
  3. Stir in salt and melted butter.
  4. Gradually add flour, 1 cup at a time, and knead on the lowest setting until a dough forms and is no longer very sticky.
  5. Knead the dough for 5 minutes or until smooth and pliable.
  6. Form the dough into a ball, grease the bowl, and let the dough rest for 15 minutes, covered with a damp towel.
  7. In a medium-sized pot, boil 2 cups of water with 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Once dissolved, remove from heat.
  8. After 15 minutes, take the dough out of the bowl and flatten slightly. Cut it into 8 sections and roll each into a long rope.
  9. Shape each rope into a pretzel shape and dip into the baking soda bath for 2 minutes.
  10. Remove the pretzels from the bath and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt.
  11. Bake for 8-9 minutes or until golden brown.
  12. Brush the pretzels with melted butter immediately after removing them from the oven.
  13. Enjoy your homemade soft pretzels warm!

Notes

Pro Tip: For an extra burst of flavor, try sprinkling your pretzels with a combination of herbs and spices before baking. Some popular options include garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, or even everything bagel seasoning. Get creative and customize your pretzels to suit your taste preferences!
Variation: Want to switch up the classic pretzel shape? Instead of traditional twists, try rolling the dough into bite-sized nuggets for pretzel bites. Simply cut the dough into smaller pieces before dipping them into the baking soda bath and baking as usual. These bite-sized treats are perfect for snacking and sharing with friends!