Homemade soft pretzels are a true treat. With a golden, crisp crust and a fluffy, doughy interior, these salty pretzels are a must-try home baking project.
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Proofing Time 1 hourhour
Total Time 1 hourhour50 minutesminutes
Servings 10
Ingredients
For the sponge
½cup(65g)bread flour
¼teaspooninstant yeast
3tablespoonswater, at 70°F
¼teaspoonsalt
For the dough
3 ⅔cups(476g)bread flour
2 ¼teaspoonsinstant yeast, 1 packet
1 ¼cup(300ml)water, warmed to 105-115°F
1teaspoonsalt
1tablespoonunsalted butter, softened
coarse salt, as needed
For the poaching liquid
1gallonwater
¼cup(72g)baking soda
Instructions
Make the sponge
Using a wooden spoon, combine the ingredients in a medium bowl. Once incorporated, use a clean hand to knead the dough inside the bowl until the dough comes together.
Cover with plastic wrap. Leave at room temperature for 6-12 hours.
Make the dough
Place the sponge, flour, yeast, water, salt, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on low speed until well combined. Turn the speed up to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let sit at room temperature until doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
Make the poaching water
Bring the water and baking soda to a full rolling boil in a large wide pot.
Meanwhile, divide the dough into 10 equal-sized pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Keep dough balls covered with a lint-free cloth to prevent drying. Roll each ball of dough into 22-inch ropes, pressing to taper the ends.
Shape pretzels by crossing over the ends of a rope of dough to form a 4-inch loop. Twist the ends two times. Lift the twisted ends and fold them back on the loop to make a pretzel shape. Place the shaped dough onto prepared baking sheets and keep covered with a lint-free cloth.
Gently lower as many pretzels as the pot will hold in one layer. Poach for 20-30 seconds. Use a slotted spatula to remove the pretzels and allow the water to drain off. (Don't leave the pretzels longer than 30 seconds or they'll take on a metallic taste from the baking soda.)
Transfer pretzels back to the prepared pans and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for 12-15 minutes until evenly browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
The sponge adds a slightly tangy flavor. The longer it ferments, the more flavor the pretzels will have.
Don't skip the poaching step! This is necessary to promote the signature golden-brown crust.
Brush the shaped dough with melted butter or egg wash before sprinkling salt. The butter will make the pretzels more like the famous Auntie Anne’s pretzels, while the egg wash will give the pretzels a shiny crust. These are completely optional additions to the pretzels.
You can also brush hot-from-the-oven pretzels with melted butter for additional flavor.
Make ahead tips
Baked and cooled pretzels can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 3 days.
Baked and cooled pretzels can be frozen for up to 2 months. To reheat, bake frozen pretzels at 350°F for 20 minutes or until warmed through.
The prepared pretzel dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Dough from the fridge can be shaped into pretzels while cold, but let the shaped pretzels sit at room temperature until they puff up before poaching and baking.
The dough can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator.
You can cover and refrigerate the poached/unbaked pretzels for up to 24 hours before baking.