Description
These Soft and Chewy Homemade Pretzels are golden, fluffy, and perfectly chewy with a crisp crust—everything you love in a classic pretzel. Whether served with mustard, cheese sauce, or cinnamon sugar, they’re the ultimate from-scratch snack for any occasion.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Warm water
- Active dry yeast
- Brown sugar
- Salt
- Unsalted butter, melted
- Baking soda (for boiling)
- Coarse salt (for topping)
- Optional: Egg wash (for shine)
Instructions
- In a bowl, dissolve yeast and brown sugar in warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add salt and gradually mix in flour to form a dough.
- Knead dough on a floured surface for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape.
- Bring water and baking soda to a boil. Dip pretzels for 20–30 seconds each.
- Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush with egg wash or butter and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 12–15 minutes until golden brown.
Notes
- Cheese-stuffed version: Wrap dough around cubes of cheese before shaping.
- Cinnamon sugar twist: Skip salt topping and coat baked pretzels in butter + cinnamon sugar.
- Pretzel bites: Cut ropes into 1-inch pieces for snacking.
- Pretzel dogs: Wrap dough around hot dogs or sausages before boiling and baking.
- Whole wheat option: Substitute half of the flour with whole wheat flour.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in oven for best texture. Freeze for up to 1 month.
