Try this Homemade Soft Pretzels recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 68.8498025012534 g
- Cholesterol 1589.01062949141 mg
- Fat 592.859617944412 g
- Fiber 2.41920004272461 g
- Protein 16.0831987677568 g
- Saturated Fat 374.888550073093 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (1013g)
- Sodium 4216.78401203922 mg
- Sugar 66.4306024585288 g
- Trans Fat 41.7806553686151 g
- Calories 5562 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine the water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Stir and allow to sit for five minutes or until the yeast dissolves and the mixture becomes foamy (if this doesn't happen your yeast is likely dead and you will need to start again).
- Add in the salt, flour, and butter. Knead in a stand mixer with the dough hook on low speed for 5-6 minutes. Add any additional flour until the dough starts to pull away from the bowl (up to ½ cup additional flour could be needed depending on how you measure your flour). Remove the dough from the bowl.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm environment for at least one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 pans with parchment paper and set aside. Boil the water in a large pot.
- Pull apart the dough into 10 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope and then form a U-shape. Cross the ends of the U over each other and press into the bottom of the pretzel twisting in the center. Add the baking soda to the boiling water and stir together.
- Place the formed pretzels in the boiling baking soda water and allow them to sit in the water for 30-45 seconds. Remove the pretzels with a slotted spoon onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Lightly beat an egg yolk and paint with a pastry brush over the pretzels. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and bake for 10-13 minutes or until a light golden brown color.
Swapping active dry yeast for instant varieties without adjusting liquid temperatures will stall the initial fermentation phase entirely. Yeast requires precise hydration and warmth to metabolize sugars into carbon dioxide gas. Without this microbial expansion, the gluten network lacks the internal pressure needed to produce a light crumb structure during baking. Precise liquid temperature control prevents thermal shock, keeping the microorganisms active before flour addition.
Kneading forces individual protein strands in white flour to align and bond into gluten sheets. Operating a stand mixer on low speed for five to six minutes develops tensile strength gradually without tearing the developing matrix. If the dough clings aggressively to the bottom of the mixing bowl, incorporate extra flour in small increments until the mass pulls away cleanly. Insufficient mixing yields dense, crumbly shapes that deflate in the oven.
Submerging shaped dough into a boiling solution of water and baking soda triggers the Maillard reaction. Sodium bicarbonate creates an alkaline environment on the exterior surface. This high pH accelerates browning and produces the characteristic glossy, chewy crust associated with traditional pretzels. Boiling each piece for thirty to forty-seconds gelatinizes the surface starches before heat hits them.
Brushing the boiled dough with beaten egg wash before applying coarse sea salt secures the crystals during baking. Set the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for ten to thirteen minutes until the exterior turns light golden brown. Pulling the pans too early leaves the interior gummy, while overbaking dries out the crumb.
