• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Baking Course
  • About Me
  • Newsletter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Baking Course
  • About Me
  • Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • Baking Course
    • About Me
    • Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Bread and Yeast Goods

    Homemade Soft Pretzels

    Published: May 9, 2022 · Modified: Dec 14, 2022 by Shiran · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Learn how to make soft, salty, delicious soft pretzels from scratch. This recipe is easy to follow and the pretzels taste incredible! Spread on some mustard, cheese sauce, or whatever other toppings you like.

    Homemade Soft Pretzels

    There’s nothing quite like a soft pretzel! The doughy, salty goodness, the soft texture, the unique flavor – they are just SO good. This recipe makes some of the best soft pretzels I’ve ever tasted, and is pretty simple to make! I’ve included a guide below to help you along the way.

    This recipe is made with active dry yeast, which can seem intimidating, but it shouldn’t be! The process of letting the dough rest and rise may take a while, but the yeast does all the work for you.

    However, if you’re new to working with yeast, you may want to use the guide presented in my cinnamon rolls recipe. Although the recipe is different, it can help you understand the stages and effort that goes into making yeasted dough.

    Let’s get baking!

    Homemade Soft Pretzels

    How to make soft pretzels

    Pre-heat your oven to 450°F/232°C.

    1. Proof the yeast. Place warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, and sprinkle the active dry yeast over it. Let sit for 10 minutes until foamy. This step is for “proofing” the yeast, which essentially activates it from it’s dormant state.
    2. Add the sugar, salt, melted butter, and 2 ¾ cups flour. Add to the water-yeast mixture and stir until combined.
    3. Mix and knead the dough. Mix on a low speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Keep kneading on low speed in the mixer for 5 minutes, or by hand on a floured surface for 7-8 minutes. The dough should be soft, smooth, and just slightly sticky.
    4. Proof the dough. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a large oil sprayed bowl. Use a bit of oil to coat the outside of the dough and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rest in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size

      (Note: Here’s a trick to help your dough rise. Put an oven rack in the middle of your oven. Fill a pan or bowl with hot water and place it on the bottom. Let the dough rest on the rack in the middle and close the oven door. However, this is optional: you can let the dough rest on the counter, as well).
    5. Punch down. After the dough has doubled, gently punch it down to remove air and distribute the flavor. Divide into 8 equal pieces.
    6. Shape. Roll each piece into a rope-shape, about ¼-inch wide and 20-inch long. Lift the ends of the rope toward the top of your work surface to form a U shape, then cross them. Cross one more time to make a twist, then bring them back down over the bottom loop (towards yourself) to form a traditional pretzel shape (see the picture below to see how to shape them).
    7. Second rise. Place the pretzels on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. When all pretzels are shaped, cover them loosely with plastic wrap and set them aside to rise until puffy, about 20 minutes.
    8. Dip your pretzels in a water bath. This is what gives pretzels they’re distinct texture and color. Place 6 cups of water and baking soda in a large, wide pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium to maintain a simmer, and use a large slotted spatula to place pretzels gently into the water. I like to work with 1-3 pretzels at a time (depending on how large your pot is and how many pretzels will fit). Let them simmer for 30 seconds. Flip pretzels over and let simmer for another 30 seconds. Lift the pretzels and allow any excess water to drip off. Return pretzels to baking sheet.
    9. Egg wash. Brush pretzel tops with egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake until deep brown and glossy – 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    Note: While shaping the pretzels, they might look a bit small. But once they’re dipped in the hot water mixture, they will puff up and expand. For this reason, don’t crowd the pretzels in the pot.

    Homemade Soft Pretzels

    Would you like to save this recipe?

    We'll email this recipe link to you, so you can come back to it later!

    Why are soft pretzels dipped in hot water?

    Traditionally, pretzels are dipped into a hot water bath with lye. However, it’s much easier to use baking soda (and honestly, I find it more appealing). Dipping them in a hot alkaline water bath gives soft pretzels their dark brown color and amazing texture – slightly crunchy on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside.

    How to shape soft pretzels

    To shape the pretzels:

    1. Roll each dough piece into a rope-shape, about ¼-inch wide and 20-inch long.
    2. Lift the ends of the rope toward the top of your work surface to form a U shape, then cross them.
    3. Cross one more time to make a twist, then bring them back down over the bottom loop (towards yourself) to form a traditional pretzel shape
    Homemade Soft Pretzels

    Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast to make soft pretzels?

    Yes. The difference between instant and active dry yeast is that active dry yeast needs an activator, which is usually warm water or milk in bread doughs. When you sprinkle the active dry yeast on the warm water and let it sit for 10 minutes, this brings the yeast back to life. However, instant yeast can be added directly to the dry ingredients.

    To substitute instant yeast for active dry yeast: Use 1 ¼ teaspoons instead of 1 ½. Mix the instant yeast with the dry ingredients and place in your mixer bowl along with the warm water. Proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.

    More of my favorite yeasted dough recipes

    • Chocolate Babka: Rich brioche dough swirled with rich chocolate.
    • Cinnamon Babka: Another amazing babka, this one is swirled with cinnamon and sugar.
    • Maple Pecan Sticky Buns: Made with maple, pecan filling and sticky glaze.
    • No-Knead Bread: The easiest bread recipe you’ll ever make.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print

    Homemade Soft Pretzels

    These amazing soft pretzels are slightly crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Spread on some mustard or cheese sauce for an unbelievable snack!

    Prep Time 2 hours
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
    YIELD 8 medium pretzels

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup warm water (110°F-115°F)
    • 1.5 teaspoons (4.5 grams) active dry yeast
    • 2 ¾ to 3 cups (mine was exactly 400 grams) all-purpose flour
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 tablespoons (30g) butter, melted
    • 6 cups water
    • 3 tablespoons baking soda
    • 1 large egg , whisked with 1 tablespoon warm water
    • Coarse sea salt or pretzel salt

    Instructions

    1. Place warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and sprinkle the yeast over it. Let sit for 10 minutes until foamy. This step is for “proofing” the yeast; if it doesn’t dissolve and become slightly foamy, then the yeast is dead. In this case, repeat with new yeast.

    2. Add sugar, salt, melted butter, and 2 ¾ cups of flour to the water-yeast mixture and stir until combined. Mix on a low speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If you don’t have a mixer, mix by hand or use a wooden spoon. If the dough is still wet at this point, add more flour – 2 tablespoons at a time, up to 3 cups total. Keep kneading on low speed in the mixer for 5 minutes, or by hand on a floured surface for 7-8 minutes. The dough should be soft, smooth, and just slightly sticky.

    3. Shape the dough into a ball. Lift it and spray the bowl with a non-stick cooking spray to prevent the dough from drying out. Turn the dough over to coat both sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place* for about 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size.
    4. When it’s finished rising, gently punch to remove air. Divide into 8 equal pieces.
    5. Roll each piece into a rope (1cm width, 50cm long) against the counter using the palms of your hands. Lift the ends of the rope toward the top of your work surface to form a U shape, then cross them. Cross one more time to make a twist, then bring them back down over the bottom loop (towards yourself) to form a traditional pretzel shape (see the post above for a picture demonstration). Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and continue shaping the rest. When all pretzels are shaped, cover them loosely and set them aside to rise until puffy, about 20 minutes.
    6. Preheat the oven to 450°F/232°C.

    7. Next, prepare the water bath. Place 6 cups of water and baking soda in a large, wide pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium to maintain a simmer. Using a large slotted spatula, and working with 1-3 pretzels at a time (depending on how large your pot is and how many pretzels will fit), place pretzels into the water and let simmer for 30 seconds. Flip pretzels over and let simmer for another 30 seconds. Lift the pretzels and allow any excess water to drip off. Return pretzels to baking sheet.**

    8. Brush pretzel tops with egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake until deep brown and glossy – 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
    9. Pretzels are best eaten the same day they are made, but can be frozen for up to 2 months in an airtight container.

    Recipe Notes

    *Here’s a trick to help your dough rise: Put an oven rack in the middle of your oven. Fill a pan or bowl with hot water and place it on the bottom. Let the dough rest on the rack in the middle and close the oven door. However, this is optional: you can let the dough rest on the counter as well.

    **While shaping the pretzels, they might look a bit small. But once they’re dipped in the hot water mixture, they will puff up and expand. For this reason, don’t crowd the pretzels in the pot.

    More Bread and Yeast Goods

    • Moist lemon poppy seed scone broken in half to show its texture, topped with icing and styled with fresh citrus.
      Lemon Poppy Seed Cream Scones
    • Orange Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
      Orange Chocolate Rolls
    • Cheesy garlic pepperoni pizza rolls baked and coated in garlic and herb.
      Soft Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
    • Whole wheat buns with black sesame seeds.
      Whole Wheat Sandwich Buns (fresh and soft for days)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Anne says

      June 16, 2014 at 11:01 am

      Ohhh… I love pretzels!!! Those look wonderful!

      Reply
    2. Winnie says

      June 18, 2014 at 10:26 pm

      יאווווווו שירן הם ניראים מעולה
      מאד אוהבים אצלי פרצלס רק שלא הכנתי כבר הרבה זמן
      בהחלט עשית לי חשק

      (אגב, שקיבלתי את העדכון במייל, אז כל המתכון מופיע, בעצם כל הרשומה מופיעה במייל, ולדעתי זה לא רצוי. אם המתכון כבר מופיע במייל,זה לא ממריץ גולשים להיכנס לרשומה. הייתי משנה את זה

      Reply
    3. hazel says

      January 08, 2015 at 4:29 pm

      This looks delicious.I’m going to try this reciepe tonight. I hope it turns out well.

      Reply
      • Shiran says

        January 11, 2015 at 7:33 am

        Thank you Hazel! I hope you’ll like it!

        Reply
    4. Daneen says

      August 21, 2015 at 7:11 am

      I have a similar recipe. I omit the egg wash. And use my bread machine to make the dough. Which simplifies the process for me.
      I agree the baking soda bath is key. As with bagels. It just gives that wonderful, chewy feel.

      Reply
      • Shiran says

        August 24, 2015 at 11:19 am

        I agree! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with everyone 🙂

        Reply
    5. Susanna says

      October 29, 2016 at 2:38 pm

      One of my favorite movies! My dad & I still talk about it & watch it every so often. Anyway, I’ve been looking for a good pretzel recipe and can’t wait to make this!

      Reply
    6. Roxanna says

      March 25, 2020 at 7:36 pm

      Hello! I am going to try making these and I was wondering if I could use instant yeast instead of the active dry yeast? Thank you for the wonderful recipes!

      Reply
      • Shiran says

        March 29, 2020 at 3:06 am

        Yes you can!

        Reply
        • Roxanna says

          April 01, 2020 at 8:59 pm

          Thanks Shiran! They turned out wonderful!!

          Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Stephanie! Join me in my kitchen, where we’ll be making simple and classic desserts and learning the science of baking along the way.

    More about me →

    Find A Recipe

    Recent Popular Recipes

    • Creamy orange curd in a jar with a spoonful of curd being removed, flanked by fresh oranges.
      How To Make Orange Curd
    • Chocolate Panna Cotta with shaved chocolate and a dollop of whipped cream.
      Chocolate Panna Cotta (Easy)
    • Citrusy orange cupcakes with a swirl of orange cream cheese frosting surrounded by fresh oranges.
      10 Orange Flavored Desserts You’ll Love
    • Shaved asparagus salad with chive blossom vinaigrette dressing.
      Shaved Asparagus Salad with Chive Blossom Vinaigrette
    Shop King Arthur Baking for all your baking needs!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Website Policies

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Testimonial Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • About Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 Pretty. Simple. Sweet.