Classic Soft Pretzels

Name: Classic Soft Pretzels
Prep time: 49 min
Cook time: 24 min
Total time: 1 h 13 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 1⅓ cups (315 ml) water, warm, about 105–110°F (40–43°C), comfortably warm to the touch but not hot; 1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar; 2¼ teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast (or active dry yeast), one standard packet; 4 cups (500 g) bread flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 2 teaspoons (12 g) fine sea salt; 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; 1 tablespoon (14 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable, for greasing the rising bowl and the parchment; 10 cups (2400 ml) water, cold tap water; ½ cup (110 g) baking soda; 2 tablespoons (20 g) coarse pretzel salt or flaky sea salt; 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted, for brushing after baking

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Chewy, deep mahogany German-style pretzels with a glossy, burnished crust, a soft pillowy middle and a crunch of coarse salt. A quick baking-soda bath gives them their classic flavor and color.

Prep: 49 min
Cook: 24 min
Wait: 1 hr 28 min
Total: 2 hr 41 min
Makes: 8 large pretzels

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the dough
1⅓ cups (315 ml) water, warm, about 105–110°F (40–43°C), comfortably warm to the touch but not hot
1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
2¼ teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast (or active dry yeast), one standard packet
4 cups (500 g) bread flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
2 teaspoons (12 g) fine sea salt
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 tablespoon (14 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable, for greasing the rising bowl and the parchment
For the baking-soda bath
10 cups (2400 ml) water, cold tap water
½ cup (110 g) baking soda
To finish
2 tablespoons (20 g) coarse pretzel salt or flaky sea salt
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted, for brushing after baking

Equipment (9)

Stand mixer with dough hook (or large bowl and a sturdy spoon)
Large bowl, 4–5 quart (4–5 L), for rising
2 rimmed baking sheets, 18×13-inch (46×33 cm), lined with parchment paper
Wide pot, 6-quart (5.7 L) or larger, for the bath (not aluminum)
Slotted spatula or large flat skimmer
Pastry brush
Kitchen scale
Bench scraper or sharp knife
Wire cooling rack

Steps

Before you start

Read the timing: about 1 hour of the 2 hours 40 minutes is the dough rising, so plan accordingly.
Use a pot at least 6 quarts (5.7 L) and 4 inches (10 cm) deep for the baking-soda bath; the soda foams up when added to hot water.
Set out two rimmed baking sheets and line them with parchment paper. Do not use wax paper or foil, which sticks to the wet pretzels.
Measure flour by weight if you can. Spooning and leveling cups gives about 125 g per cup; scooping packs in too much and makes a dry, tough dough.

1
Proof the yeast
- Pour the 1⅓ cups (315 ml) warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Stir in the sugar and sprinkle the yeast over the top.
- Let it sit for about 8 minutes.
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Ready when: The surface looks creamy and foamy, with a yeasty smell
Tip: If nothing foams after 10 minutes, the yeast is dead or the water was too hot or cold; start again with fresh yeast.
2
Mix the dough
- Add the bread flour, fine salt and 2 tablespoons (28 g) melted butter to the yeast mixture.
- Fit the dough hook and mix on low speed for 2 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl once, until no dry flour remains and a shaggy dough forms.
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Ready when: A rough, shaggy mass with no dry flour at the bottom of the bowl
3
Knead until smooth
- Knead on medium-low speed for 7 minutes.
- By hand, knead on a lightly floured counter for 10 minutes.
- The dough should be smooth, elastic and slightly tacky but not sticking to your fingers.
- If it sticks stubbornly, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time.
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Ready when: A small piece stretches thin enough to see light through without tearing (windowpane test), and the dough springs back when poked
Tip: A firm dough makes pretzels that hold their shape in the bath, so don't add much extra flour.
4
First rise
- Grease a large bowl with 2 teaspoons of the oil.
- Shape the dough into a ball, turn it in the bowl to coat, and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel.
- Leave in a warm spot (75–80°F / 24–27°C) for 60 minutes.
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Ready when: Doubled in volume, and a finger pressed in about ½ inch leaves a dent that fills back in slowly
Tip: In a cool kitchen, rise in the oven with only the light on.
5
Preheat and prep pansOven 450°F / 230°C
- Position two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat to 450°F (230°C).
- Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Brush the parchment lightly with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil so the boiled pretzels release easily.
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Ready when: Oven reaches 450°F (230°C), checked on an oven thermometer if you have one
Tip: Start the oven before shaping so it is fully hot when the pretzels are ready.
6
Divide and roll ropes
- Turn the risen dough onto an unfloured counter and divide into 8 equal pieces, about 105 g each (use a scale).
- Cover with a towel.
- Roll one piece into a rope, starting from the center and working outward with flat palms, until it is about 24 inches (60 cm) long and tapered slightly at the ends.
- If the dough keeps springing back, let it rest 3 minutes under the towel and continue.
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Ready when: Each rope is 24 inches (60 cm), even in thickness in the middle with slightly thinner ends
Tip: Work on a clean, unfloured counter. A little friction helps the dough stretch instead of sliding.
7
Shape the pretzels
- Lay a rope in a U-shape with the ends pointing away from you.
- Cross the ends over each other twice to make a twist, then fold the twisted ends down over the bottom of the U and press them firmly onto the thick sides at about 4 and 8 o'clock.
- Place on the prepared sheet.
- Repeat, putting 4 pretzels on each sheet, spaced apart.
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Ready when: Pretzels hold the classic shape with ends firmly pressed down
Tip: Press the ends down firmly or they will pop loose in the bath.
8
Rest and heat the bath
- Let the shaped pretzels rest uncovered for 10 minutes; this lets a light skin form so they are easy to lift.
- Meanwhile, bring the 10 cups (2.4 L) cold water to a boil in a 6-quart or larger pot over high heat.
- Turn the heat to medium-high, then carefully stir in the baking soda; it will foam up.
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Ready when: Water is at a steady gentle boil with the baking soda fully dissolved
Tip: Add the baking soda slowly to avoid a boil-over, and don't use aluminum pots, which discolor with baking soda.
9
Boil the pretzels
- Lower 2 pretzels at a time into the bath, top side down.
- Boil for 30 seconds, flipping gently with a slotted spatula after 15 seconds.
- Lift out, let the water drip off for a moment, and return to the parchment, top side up.
- Repeat with the remaining pretzels.
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Ready when: Pretzels puff slightly and look a bit glossy and wet
Tip: Boiling longer than 30 seconds gives a metallic taste and a tough, leathery skin.
10
Salt and bakeOven 450°F / 230°C
- Sprinkle the tops generously with the coarse salt, about 1 teaspoon per pretzel.
- Bake both sheets at 450°F (230°C) for 12–14 minutes, swapping and rotating the sheets halfway through, until deeply browned.
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Ready when: Deep mahogany brown all over, with a crisp crust that sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom
Tip: Salt right after boiling, while the surface is wet, or it will not stick.
11
Butter and cool
- Immediately brush the hot pretzels with the 2 tablespoons (28 g) melted butter.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving warm.
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Ready when: Crust is glossy and the pretzels are warm, not piping hot

Good to know

Tips

Weigh the dough pieces so all pretzels are the same size and bake evenly.
Water for the yeast should be warm, not hot: above 120°F (49°C) can kill the yeast.
Don't skip the baking-soda bath; it is what gives the crust its deep color, shine and classic pretzel flavor.
Serve with grainy mustard or warm cheese sauce for dipping.

Make ahead

After kneading, the dough can rise in the fridge instead: cover the oiled bowl tightly and refrigerate 8–18 hours. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then divide, shape, rest, boil and bake as written.

Storage & reheating

Best the day they are baked. Room temperature: store in a paper bag up to 1 day (plastic makes the crust soft). Fridge: not recommended, as it dries them out. Freezer: wrap individually and freeze up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes, or from room temperature for 4–5 minutes, until hot and the crust is crisp again.

Substitutions

bread flour → all-purpose flour. Use the same weight (500 g). The pretzels will be a little less chewy and the dough slightly softer; hold back 2–3 tablespoons of the water if the dough seems sticky.
instant yeast (or active dry yeast) → active dry yeast. Use the same amount; proof it in the warm water and sugar for 10 minutes until foamy.
coarse pretzel salt or flaky sea salt → flaky sea salt. Use about the same amount. Kosher salt works but is slightly less crunchy; avoid fine table salt, which dissolves and tastes too salty.
unsalted butter → olive oil. Brush the same amount over the hot pretzels for a dairy-free finish.