Just a few simple ingredients is all you need to make Homemade Soft Pretzels. This recipe has a warm, buttery, salty exterior and is delicious by itself, or dunked in your favorite cheese dip!
While the thought of soft pretzels might leave you reminiscing over your teen years at the mall or amusement parks, once you make them at home you will never go back to the food court again! These pretzels have a soft interior, and chewy, salty exterior. You will find yourself coming back for seconds and thirds every time you make them!
This recipe is so easy, even the kids can get involved. Between making the dough ropes, dunking in the baking soda mixture, and brushing with melted butter, there is a job for everyone in the family to help out with! These are truly the best soft pretzels. Get ready for it to become your family favorite!
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How do I make sure I make 12 even sized pretzels?
Weigh the dough in ounces before dividing the dough. Divide the weight by 12. This will tell you how much each dough ball should weigh. As you are pinching dough off, weigh each one and add or remove dough as needed to keep them a similar size. You can also eyeball it, and keep them about the size of golf balls.
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How hot of water do I need? What’s the best method for this?
The easiest option is to simply use the hottest water possible from the tap. It does not have to be boiling, but you do want it very hot. Other options are to microwave, boil on stove, or use an electric hot water kettle.
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Are there any flavor variations I can make?
Yes, there are so many flavors that work well with pretzels! Cinnamon and sugar is a popular flavor. To make these, simply sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top after brushing the pretzels with melted butter. Another favorite is cheese pretzels. After dunking in the baking soda mixture, sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top right before baking. You will not want to brush melted butter on top of any cheese pretzels, as you do not want the added grease.
If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other delicious pretzel recipes:
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes onYouTube, Facebook Watch, or ourFacebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
Just made these for the second time. They are very soft and delicious. However, I can’t get them to hold their shape. I shaped them just like in the photo, but they look more like a bun or honey bun. They won’t hold their shape. What am I doing wrong? The dough is very sticky and I LIGHTLY rolled each ball in some plain flour to keep it from sticking to my hands, rolled and shaped it. But they look more like pretzel buns. What should I do?
The amount of flour you use in yeast doughs can vary based on so many different factors, including the humidity where you live. You should rely on feel. You should add enough flour so that the dough is soft and tacky, but not sticky enough to stick to your hands. So in this case I think you simply need to add more flour to the dough itself rather than rolling it in the plain flour to make it easy to work with.
This were so easy to make and taste great. I shared the recipes with friends and family. Thank you so much. You make everything so easy to make.
We just made this boy they were so good. This is a keeper.
Thank-you. Love your recipes
This pretzel recipe is so easy and quick! My whole family scrambles over when they hear I made them, so they go quickly.
I made these tonight. I doubled the recipe and they made exactly 24 pretzels. I only had 1.5 tablespoons of yeast, so I let the dough rise for an extra 20 minutes. I topped 1/2 with salt and 1/2 with cinnamon sugar and they taste marvelous! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I can not get light brown sugar here, Is it possible to use dark brown sugar or regular sugar?
Dark brown sugar should be fine.
You could also dilute your dark brown sugar by
adding in some sugar and mixing it well until you get the color you are looking for. Brown sugar is just sugar and molasses.
In a pinch any brown sugar should do. It just might affect the color.
Made these exactly according to the recipe! So very good! Will be making these again!!
Can you refrigerator or freeze the raw dough and save it for baking at another time?
Yes, yeast doughs always freeze quite well.
Love that you responded. The dough turned out beautifully but too many pretzels for only two people! So glad the dough can be frozen! 🥨
I only have bread flour or self raising flour which should I use
Bread flour.
My house loved these! We’ve made the a couple times. Wondering if you have ever made the dough a day in advance and then baked??
Was wondering if they could be made in advance as well. Even if it was just an hour or two.