Homemade Soft Pretzels

close up overhead shot of homemade soft pretzels topped with kosher salt on a plate

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5 from 7 votes

Buttery homemade soft pretzels are fun to make and just as fun to eat!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Rise Time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American, German

Keyword: Homemade Soft Pretzels Recipe

Servings: pretzels

Calories: 314kcal

Ingredients

Pretzels

1½ cups warm water
1 tablespoon honey
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
4¼ cups bread flour, divided into 4 cups and ¼ cup
¼ ounce instant yeast (also known as Rapid-Rise)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Hot Water Bath

⅓ cup baking soda
4 cups very hot water, (not boiling but around 150 to 160°F)

Topping

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons pretzel salt

Instructions

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.
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 eight 1 x 20-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 to 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 the 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 the pretzels are baking, melt the ¼ cup 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.

Video

Notes

If you do not have a stand mixer, you can mix the dough with a wooden spoon and knead the dough by hand.
If you are struggling with forming the shape of a pretzel in a traditional shape, feel free to shape the pieces of dough however you wish. You can just fold the thin ropes in half and twist them. You can make a heart shape with them or even bite-size pieces. There are several tutorial videos online that show you how to properly shape a pretzel if you are having trouble.
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.

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