This homemade soft pretzels recipe has been one of our favorite snacks for years! The pastry is chewy, delicious and easy to make with 8 ingredients.
This easy soft pretzel recipe has been a favorite in our house for years. These soft, homemade pretzels have a deliciously chewy texture and the perfect pretzel flavor thanks to a quick baking soda boil. They’re a fun cooking project anytime, but we especially love making them for parties and game days—they’re always a crowd-pleasing snack!
Jack and I shared the first version of this recipe in 2014. We’ve since updated it to produce a larger batch (this pastry is quick to make!) and a smoother dough that’s easier to work with.
Whether you eat your pastry with melted butter, honey mustard, vegan or plain cheese sauce, we think you’ll love it. Keep reading for our best tips and step-by-step instructions!
Ingredients in this pretzel recipe
This soft pretzel recipe starts with 8 simple ingredients:
- All-purpose flour -Because flour is the main ingredient in this recipe, measuring it accurately is important. whatever you do, no Scoop the flour directly using your measuring cup – you may accidentally use too much. Alternatively, weigh out the flour (you’ll need 563 grams) or use the spoon and level method.
- Granulated sugar – Adds sweetness to biscuit dough. Maple syrup works well too.
- Active dry yeast – Helps the dough rise. Instant yeast also works here, but I still recommend proofing it to make sure it’s fresh.
- Melted butter or neutral oil – It adds richness to the dough, making the pastries chewy, moist and delicious.
- water -You will add a little to the dough for moisture and use the rest to boil the pretzels.
- baking soda You can add it to boiling liquid to give pastries their distinctive golden color and malt flavour.
- And sea salt Season the dough with fine sea salt and sprinkle coarse sea salt over the biscuits before baking!
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to make soft pastry
You can find the full soft biscuit recipe with measurements at the bottom of this post. But first, here’s an overview of how it goes (step-by-step formation photos are included!):
Start by preparing the pretzel dough. Test the yeast with the water and sugar, then combine the yeast mixture with the flour, fine sea salt and oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Work on medium-low speed for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the dough is elastic and somewhat smooth.
Some tips:
- No stand mixer? You can also knead this dough by hand.
- Check the dough after 3 minutes. If it seems too dry and won’t come together, knead it in 1 tablespoon of water.
After that, let the dough rise. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly to form a ball, then transfer to an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside to rise until approximately doubled in size, 60 to 90 minutes.
How to shape pastries
After the dough has risen, you’re ready to shape the soft pastry. I’ll admit, shaping the pastry may seem a little difficult at first, but once you get the hang of it, I promise it will be easy!
First, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
Next, twist one into a rope 18 to 20 inches long.
Then form the rope into a U shape (pictured above).
To make a pretzel twist, We pass the edges of the dough over each other, leaving a wide ring of dough underneath.
Twist the ends around each other again.
Finally, fold the roll down into the middle of the dough ring To create a pretzel shape. Repeat the shaping process with the remaining pieces of dough!
Boiling and baking
You will assemble this soft pretzel recipe by Boil and bake pastries.
Boiling pretzels in a baking soda bath gives them their distinctive pretzel flavor, golden brown color, and locks in moisture in the dough. Here’s how we do it:
Boil 6 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a large pot. Add one pretzel to the baking soda bath and cook for 30 seconds.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pretzels to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with coarse salt, then use a sharp knife to cut a 4-inch hole in the bottom of the pretzel (this will allow steam to vent into the oven).
Repeat with remaining pastry.
Bake the pastries at 450°F until golden brown and slightly crispyfrom 14 to 16 minutes. Enjoy!
How to store soft pretzels
We love these soft, homemade pastries warm from the oven, but they’re delicious, too.
Allow to cool completely, then store the cooled cookies in an airtight container or bag.
Store at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
More baking recipes to try
If you like these soft, homemade pastries, try one of these easy bread recipes:
Homemade soft pastries
serves 8
Prevent the screen from turning dark
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Preparing the pretzel dough: In a small bowl, mix sugar, yeast and water. Leave it aside for 5 minutes, or until it becomes foamy. If the yeast does not foam, discard the mixture and start again with new yeast.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer* fitted with the dough hook, place the flour, salt, oil, and yeast mixture. Mix on medium-low speed for 5 to 6 minutes, or until dough is stretchy, fairly smooth, and well formed around the hook. If the dough becomes too dry after 3 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of water.
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Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead gently to form a ball. It’s okay if it’s a little sticky, but if it’s too sticky to handle, knead it with a little more flour. Grease a large bowl with a little oil, then place the dough inside it. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and set aside for 60 to 90 minutes, or until the dough has approximately doubled in size.
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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Roll out the dough on a clean (not floured) work surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll one piece of dough into a rope 18 to 20 inches long. Hold both ends of the rope of dough to make a U shape. Pass one end of the rope over the other, leaving a wide loop of dough underneath. Then wrap the ends of the dough around each other again to form a pretzel shape. Fold the roll towards you, in the middle of the dough ring, to create a biscuit shape. (See step-by-step photos above). Place it on the baking tray and repeat with the remaining dough.
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Prepare the boiling water: In a large pot, put the water and baking soda and bring to a boil. Drop one pretzel at a time into the pot and boil for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on the baking tray. While the dough is still wet, sprinkle it with coarse salt. Use a sharp knife to cut a 4-inch slit along the bottom of each cookie to allow steam to vent while it bakes. Repeat with remaining pastry.
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Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until slightly crispy and golden brown.
*If you do not have a mixer, use a wooden spoon to mix the dough ingredients together, then knead it by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 to 6 minutes.
Adapted from Alton Brown