Homemade Buttery Soft Pretzels
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Prep Time: 20 mins | Bake Time: 14 mins | Inactive Time: 90 mins | Total Time: 2H 4M
Golden and chewy with a melt-in-your-mouth interior, these classic pretzels are dipped in a baking soda bath, baked to perfection, and finished with melted butter and pretzel salt. Whether you're prepping for a party or craving a cozy snack, this recipe delivers bakery-style results at home. Tap for the full recipe, ingredient tips, and shaping guide!
What Are Homemade Soft Pretzels?
Golden brown on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, with that classic pretzel flavor you can only get from a baking soda bath. Brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with coarse salt, they are everything you love about pretzel shop pretzels. For a sweet twist, roll them in cinnamon sugar and watch them disappear.
What Ingredients Do You Need to Make Soft Pretzels?
You only need a handful of pantry staples to make these pretzels at home.
Warm water
Active dry yeast
Brown sugar
Unsalted butter
All purpose flour
Salt
Baking soda
Egg yolk
Pretzel salt
Optional cinnamon sugar
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How to Make Homemade Buttery Soft Pretzels
Activate the yeast Stir warm water, yeast, and brown sugar together. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
Mix the dough Add more brown sugar, melted butter, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir in the flour until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead the dough Knead for about 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size which takes about 1 to 2 hours.
Shape the pretzels Punch down the dough and divide into 8 pieces. Roll each into a long rope about 20 inches. Twist into pretzel shapes and place on parchment lined trays. Rest for 30 minutes.
Give them a baking soda bath Bring water and baking soda to a boil. Dip each pretzel in for 30 seconds per side. They will puff up and turn shiny.
Bake Brush each pretzel with egg wash, sprinkle with pretzel salt, and bake at 450 F/220 C for 12 to 14 minutes until golden brown.
Finish Brush with melted butter while still warm. Serve right away with cheese dip or mustard.
Tips for the Best Soft Pretzels
Do not skip the baking soda bath. It is what creates the chewy crust and pretzel flavor.
You can refrigerate the dough overnight then shape and bake the next day.
For sweet pretzels skip the salt and roll them in cinnamon sugar right after brushing with butter.
How to Store Soft Pretzels
Room temperature Best eaten the same day. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Reheat Warm in the oven at 300 F for about 5 to 7 minutes.
Freeze Freeze shaped pretzels after the baking soda bath. When ready to bake brush with egg wash and bake straight from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time.
Homemade Buttery Soft Pretzels
Golden, chewy, buttery, salty. These homemade soft pretzels taste just like the ones you would grab at the mall, only fresher and better. Whether you are making them for game day, movie night, or just because you need carbs now, these bakery style pretzels are a guaranteed win.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups warm water (360 milliliters)
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (6 grams)
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar, divided (75 grams)
- 4 tablespoons melted, cooled butter (57 grams)
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour (540 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt (3 grams)
- ½ cup baking soda (120 grams)
- 9 cups water for boiling (a pot full)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon pretzel salt (15 grams)
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted or salted butter (56 grams)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
Instructions
- Activate the yeast: In a small bowl, mix together the warm water, 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar, and the yeast. Stir gently, then cover the bowl with a towel and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, or until the mixture becomes frothy.
- Mix the dough: In a large mixing bowl, add the remaining brown sugar, salt, melted butter, and the frothy yeast mixture. Stir until well combined.
- Incorporate the flour: Gradually add 4 ½ cups of the flour to the wet mixture, stirring until the dough begins to come together. If using a stand mixer, attach the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 3-4 minutes. If mixing by hand, transfer the dough to a floured surface.
- Knead the dough: Knead by hand for about 7 minutes, adding small amounts of the remaining flour as needed, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- First rise: Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and let it rise for about 1-2hour, or until it has doubled in size. For a more relaxed schedule, you can refrigerate the dough overnight - see note.
- Shape the pretzels: Once risen, punch the dough down and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 20 inches long, then shape into classic pretzel forms. Place the shaped pretzels on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let them rest for 30 minutes - see note for pretzel shaping.
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 450°F (220°C) while the pretzels rest.
- Prepare the baking soda bath: In a large pot, bring water to a boil, then carefully add the baking soda. Be cautious, as it may bubble up.
- Boil the pretzels: Working in batches, gently drop the pretzels into the boiling water for 30 seconds on each side. They should puff up and develop a slightly shiny exterior. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer back to the baking sheet.
- Egg wash and bake: In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk. Brush the tops of the boiled pretzels with the egg wash and sprinkle with pretzel salt. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the pretzels are golden brown and cooked through.
- Finish and enjoy: Brush the freshly baked pretzels with melted butter while they’re still warm. Let them cool slightly, then enjoy!
Notes
- When Kneading: Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough.
- Refrigerated dough can be shaped into pretzels while still cold, but allow some extra time, about 1 hour, for the pretzels to puff up before continuing with the baking soda bath and baking.*
- Baking Soda Bath: The baking soda bath is strongly recommended because it helps create that chewy texture and distinctive pretzel flavor.
- Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels: Skip the coarse salt topping. Bake as directed. Meanwhile, melt 4 Tablespoons (56g) of unsalted or salted butter. Brush the baked and warm pretzels with melted butter, then dip the tops into a mix of cinnamon and sugar. I usually use 3/4 cup (150g) of granulated sugar and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. (Cinnamon sugar pretzels are best served that day because the melted butter causes them to become soggy.)
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