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Homemade Soft Pretzels
Recipes
Homemade Soft Pretzels
8 servings
2 hours total (Active 1 hour)

Ingredients

  • 11 cups warm water (100°F–110°F), divided
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 (¼ oz) envelope active dry yeast
  • 6 tablespoons salted butter
  • 5 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • Plastic wrap
  • Parchment paper
  • ¾ cup baking soda
  • Spicy brown mustard (optional)

Steps

    1. Combine in bowl of stand mixer: 1 cup warm water and sugar until blended. Sprinkle yeast on top and set aside 5 minutes until mixture begins to foam. Add butter to microwave-safe bowl; microwave on HIGH in 10 second intervals until just melted.
    2. Add to yeast mixture: 1 teaspoon salt, flour, melted butter, and caraway seeds; mix on low, using dough hook attachment, until well combined. Raise speed to medium and knead 5–6 minutes, until dough is smooth and pulls away from side of bowl. Remove dough from bowl; clean bowl and coat with spray. Return dough to bowl, cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in warm place about 1 hour, until dough has doubled in size.
    3. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and coat with spray; set aside. Add remaining 10 cups water and baking soda to large saucepan; bring to boil on high. Turn dough out onto lightly sprayed work surface; divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Lay rope in a U-shape. Twist ends of rope over each other 2–3 times, then press end into bottom center of U to form a pretzel. Arrange pretzel on parchment-lined baking sheets. Repeat with remaining ropes.
    4. Add pretzels to boiling water, 1 at a time; and boil 30 seconds. Remove from water and arrange on baking sheet; sprinkle each pretzel with ½ teaspoon remaining salt. Repeat process until all pretzels are boiled.
    5. Bake pretzels 10–12 minutes, until dark golden brown. Transfer to cooling rack and set aside 5 minutes before serving. Serve with spicy brown mustard (if desired) and Beer Cheese Sauce (see recipe).

Amount per ⅛ recipe serving: Calories 280, Total Fat 11g, Sat Fat 6g, Trans Fat 0g, Chol 25mg, Sodium 2400mg, Total Carb 40g, Fiber 2g, Sugars 3g, Protein 5g, Calc 2%, Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, Iron 10%