About the Recipe
Authentic Pretzel Flavor The baking soda bath gives these pretzels a delicious, traditional taste and signature chewy texture.
Perfect for Any Occasion Whether you’re snacking, hosting a party, or making them for Oktoberfest, these bretzels are always a crowd-pleaser.
Simple Ingredients Made with pantry staples, this recipe is budget-friendly and easy to whip up anytime.
Customizable Toppings Add your favorite toppings, from coarse salt and cheese to sweet cinnamon sugar for a dessert twist.
Homemade Whipped Butter The creamy, lightly salted whipped butter is the perfect pairing for these warm, golden bretzels.
What You'll Love
Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast? Yes, you can! However, active dry yeast needs to be activated first. Dissolve it in the warm water with the sugar and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until frothy before adding it to the dough.
What if I don’t have baking soda for the bath? The baking soda bath is key to achieving that characteristic pretzel flavor and deep brown color. If unavailable, you can use a lye solution (traditional) or skip it for softer, bread-like pretzels, though the flavor won’t be as authentic.
How do I know if my dough is kneaded enough? The dough should be smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky to the touch but not sticky. You can also perform the "windowpane test": stretch a small piece of dough between your fingers—if it forms a thin, translucent sheet without tearing, it’s ready!
Can I freeze the pretzels? Yes! You can freeze unbaked pretzels after shaping or baked pretzels once cooled. To reheat baked pretzels, warm them in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes.
Can I add toppings? Absolutely! Try coarse salt, sesame seeds, or even grated cheese before baking.
Frequently asked Questions
Ingredients
Bretzel Dough
360 ml Water (warmed) (1 1/2 cups)
28 g Unsalted Butter (melted) (2 tablespoons)
12 g Brown Sugar (1 tablespoon)
7 g Instant Dry Yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
390 g All-Purpose Flour (3 1/4 cups)
5 g Salt (1 teaspoon)
Baking Soda Bath
90 g Baking Soda (1/2 cup)
2L Water (9 cups)
Whipped Butter
240 g Whipping Cream (1 cup)
3 g Salt (1/2 teaspoon)
Preparation
Making homemade bretzels is easier than you think. They may look fancy but with a few easy steps you can make your own really easily. Shape them into the traditional twisted pretzel or simply make buns for your sandwiches and burgers. Either way, you'll be sure to impress with these!
If you are curious about their history, check out my "bretzel" blog post.
Begin by sifting together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add in the brown sugar. Mix together with a whisk.
In a separate bowl, combine the warm water and instant yeast. Give it a stir and let sit for approximately 15 minutes to let the yeast activate. (When foamy layer develops on the top you'll know it's ready to go!)
Make a small indent at the center of your flour mixture and pour in your yeast mixture. Add in the melted butter.
Knead your ingredients together until you have acheived a smooth elastic dough. If you find that it is still too sticky add in an other tablespoon or so of flour. If it is too dry add a splash of water. The dough should feel elastic, but should remain firmly together and not be overly stick to the touch. Knead for about 5 minutes.
Cover the bowl of dough with a kitchen towel or cling wrap so that it doesn't dry out as it rises and let rest for approximately 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size. (Since I live in a cooler climate, I like to place my dough bowl in the oven with the oven light one (make sure the oven is off though!)
Once the dough has risen, give it a punch to deflate and separate into 4 equal sized pieces.
If you are making the traditional pretzel shape, make sure you have a well floured work surface with enough space to be able to roll out your dough. you will want to be able to roll out 60-75cm long dough snakes (2-2.5').
Shape your bretzel by bringing both ends up into a 'U' shape, twisting them twice and bringing the twist downwards. You can make them long and skinny or you can make them bigger and more like buns. Either works and both will taste amazing!
If you do not want to be fancy and simply want round bread buns, roll them into equal sized balls.
Let the shaped brezels sit and rise for another 30 minutes before giving them a dunk in the baking soda bath.
When they are ready, heat up your water and baking soda mixture in a medium to large pot. When boiling, dip your brezels one-by-one into the baking soda bath. Let soak for 20 seconds and remove with a slotted spoon letting as much water drip off as possible. Lay the finished bretzels onto a lined baking sheet.
*for the round bun version- I like to cut a small "X" in the top center of each bun after the baking soda bath but before baking- this will give a nice contrast to the golden dough
Sprinkle with flaky or coarse salt.
Preheat your oven to 450F.
Bake the bretzels for 12-14 minutes until they are a deep golden brown. You can leave them as is or brush the tops with some melted butter to give them some shine.
Serve with whipped butter or mustard. (Or make them into a sandwich... Now it's up to you to do whatever you want!)
How to make Whipped Butter:
To make the whipped butter simply pour your whipping cream into a medium mixing bowl. Use a hand-mixer to whip the cream until it becomes a butter like consistency (about 12-15 minutes). Same as making whipped cream- but whip longer! Add in the salt. Mix for another minute or so, et voila! Spread some over your brezel and enjoy! You can even add in some deli meats and make a wonderful sandwich!
Hope you enjoy these as much as I do!
