This is one of the easiest ways to prepare homemade soft pretzels and the results are extra delicious. The soft pretzel dough only needs to rest for 10 minutes before shaping. The quick baking soda boil gives the pretzels their traditional flavor. Make sure you watch the video for how to shape pretzels!
Homemade soft pretzels are nothing new around here because this recipe has been a reader favorite for years. This recipe is such a fan favorite, that it deserved a spot in print! You’ll also find this recipe in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101 (which has become a New York Times Best Seller!).
The dough requires just 6 ingredients and there’s hardly any rise time, so not only are these easy, they’re pretty quick too. In fact, I remember feeling pleasantly surprised at the ease and speed the first time I made them—it took us only 30 minutes to make 1 batch!
Over the years, I’ve added a smidge of melted butter to the dough for improved flavor. Furthermore, we’ve introduced the baking soda bath. While it sounds strange, this step is what gives pretzels that iconic flavor, chewy texture, helps deepen their golden color in the oven, and locks in the super soft interior. If you get the water boiling ahead of time, it really only adds 5 minutes to the entire process.
We’ve also made them soft pretzel bites, soft pretzel knots (with various toppings), jalapeño cheddar pretzels, and soft pretzel rolls from this simple dough. There’s no wrong way to shape a pretzel, but let’s stick with the classic today. I promise you’ll no longer feel intimidated working with yeast, shaping pretzels, or the baking soda bath.
Even if you have zero skill in the kitchen, you can make these homemade soft pretzels.
Step-by-Step Photos
Let’s chat about the dough. You need the simplest, most basic ingredients possible and I bet each one is in your kitchen right now. Warm water, 1 packet of yeast, brown or regular granulated sugar, melted butter, salt, and flour.
Mix the yeast and sugar in the warm water, let it sit for a minute, then whisk in the butter and salt, then add the flour. You can use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment a big bowl and wooden spoon. Work with what you have in the kitchen. And if you need extra help with kneading, see my full How to Knead Dough video tutorial.
You don’t have to wait to let this dough rise for an extended period of time. Just 10 to 30 minutes does the trick. Don’t have a lot of time on your hands? This recipe is for you. If, however, you want to extend the rise time, you certainly could. Doughs that leave time for bulk fermentation (when the dough rises before shaping), typically have a more enhanced, developed flavor. In fact, some pretzel recipes require an overnight rise in the refrigerator. If you have the time for that, do it! However, I find a brief rise suitable for today’s pretzels, especially if I’m making them with younger bakers.
How to Shape Homemade Soft Pretzels
Now it’s time to shape.
Roll about 1/3 cup (75g) of dough into a long 20- to 22-inch rope.
Twist the ends and bring the ends down. That’s a pretzel!
Now drop the pretzels into the boiling water + baking soda. Let them boil for 20–30 seconds each, then place onto a baking sheet. This pretzel dough makes 12 regular-size soft pretzels, so I use 2 baking sheets. 6 on each.
Sprinkle with coarse salt and bake in a hot oven. That’s it, you’re done.
Make-Ahead Tip
If you are making pretzels in advance, do not top them with coarse salt before baking. The salt draws the moisture out of the pretzels, and once you’ve placed the baked and cooled pretzels in an airtight container or bag, it doesn’t take long before you’ll notice water droplets forming inside and the pretzels become soggy and wrinkled. Yuck!
If you won’t be serving the pretzels the same day you bake them, omit the salt-topping step. Bake as directed, then allow to cool completely before placing them in an airtight container, and store at room temperature. When you are ready to serve them, place the pretzels on a baking sheet and brush them lightly with water, then sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake them in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 5–10 minutes, or until warmed through.
Same goes for freezing homemade soft pretzels: wait to top with salt until you’re ready to serve them. Cool the unsalted baked pretzels completely, then freeze in an airtight freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. To reheat, brush frozen pretzels (no need to thaw) with water and sprinkle with coarse salt, then bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20 minutes or until warmed through.
And if you want to kick your soft pretzel status into major high gear, add some spicy nacho cheese sauce.
Print
Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 pretzels
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is one of the easiest ways to prepare homemade soft pretzels for beginners, and the results are extra delicious! The dough is a family recipe and only needs to rest for 10 to 30 minutes before shaping. The quick baking soda boil gives the pretzels their traditional flavor, and I do not recommend skipping it. This recipe is also in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) warm water (around 100°F/38°C)
- 1 Tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 and 3/4–4 cups (469–500g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
- coarse salt, for topping
Baking Soda Bath (See Recipe Note)
- 1/2 cup (120g) baking soda
- 9 cups (2.13L) water
Instructions
- Whisk the yeast and sugar into warm water. Cover and allow to sit for 1 minute.
- Whisk in the melted butter and salt. Add 3 cups (375g) of flour. Mix with a wooden spoon (or dough hook attachment if using a stand mixer) until combined. Add 3/4 cup (94g) more flour until the dough is slightly tacky and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If it is still sticky, add up to 1/4 cup more (31g) flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, as needed. Poke the dough with your finger—if it bounces back, it is ready to knead.
- Knead the dough: Keep the dough in the mixer and beat for an additional 3 to 5 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 3 to 5 minutes. (If you’re new to bread-baking, my How to Knead Dough video tutorial can help here.) If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or on the work surface/in the bowl to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger—if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. You can also do a “windowpane test” to see if your dough has been kneaded long enough: tear off a small (roughly golfball-size) piece of dough and gently stretch it out until it’s thin enough for light to pass through it. Hold it up to a window or light. Does light pass through the stretched dough without the dough tearing first? If so, your dough has been kneaded long enough and is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading until it passes the windowpane test.
- Shape the kneaded dough into a ball. Cover lightly with a towel and allow to rest for 10 to 30 minutes. (Meanwhile, I like to get the water + baking soda boiling as instructed in step 8.)
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Silicone baking mats are highly recommended over parchment paper. If using parchment paper, lightly spray with nonstick spray or grease with butter. Set aside.
- With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into 75g sections, which is about 1/3 cup of dough each.
- Roll the dough into a 20–22-inch rope. Form a circle with the dough by bringing the 2 ends together at the top of the circle. Twist the ends together. Bring the twisted ends back down towards yourself and press them down to form a pretzel shape.
- Bring baking soda and 9 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Drop 1–2 pretzels into the boiling water for 20–30 seconds. Any longer than that and your pretzels will have a metallic taste. Using a slotted spatula, lift the pretzel out of the water and allow as much of the excess water to drip off. Place pretzel onto prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pretzels. If desired, cover the boiled, unbaked pretzels with lightly oiled plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking (step 9).
- Sprinkle the tops of the pretzels with coarse salt. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until dark golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and, if desired, serve warm with spicy nacho cheese sauce.
- Cover and store leftover pretzels at room temperature for up to 3 days. See Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions in recipe Notes below for more storage info. To reheat, microwave for a few seconds, or bake at 350°F (177°C) for 5 minutes.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: If planning to freeze fully baked pretzels, do not top them with coarse salt before baking. Cool completely, then freeze in an airtight freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. To reheat, brush frozen pretzels (no need to thaw) with water and sprinkle with coarse salt, then bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20 minutes or until warmed through, or microwave frozen pretzels until warm. The prepared pretzel dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to one day or frozen in an airtight container for 2–3 months. Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight. Refrigerated dough can be shaped into pretzels while still cold, but allow some extra time, about 1 hour, for the pretzels to puff up at room temperature before continuing with the baking soda bath and baking. You can also freeze the boiled, unbaked pretzels and here’s how: after boiling the pretzels in step 8, place them on a lightly greased parchment paper- or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet. Freeze the pretzels for about 1 hour, then transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe container or zip-top bag (squeeze out as much air as possible from the bag before sealing) and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, brush frozen pretzels (no need to thaw) with water and sprinkle with coarse salt, then bake at 400°F (204°C) for 15–20 minutes or until dark golden brown.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Stand Mixer or Glass Mixing Bowl | Wooden Spoon | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Pizza Cutter | Large Pot (such as a Dutch oven)
- Baking Soda Bath (Step 8): The baking soda bath is strongly recommended because it helps create that chewy texture and distinctive pretzel flavor. If skipping, brush the shaped and unbaked pretzels with a mixture of 1 beaten egg + 1 Tablespoon of dairy or nondairy milk. This is known as an egg wash. Sprinkle the brushed pretzels with salt. The egg wash will help the salt stick. If you don’t have an egg, simply brush with 2 Tablespoons of dairy or nondairy milk.
- Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels: Skip the coarse salt topping (and skip the egg wash, see note above, if you aren’t doing the baking soda bath step). Bake as directed in step 9. Meanwhile, melt 4 Tablespoons (56g) of unsalted or salted butter. Brush the baked and warm pretzels with melted butter, then dip the tops into a mix of cinnamon and sugar. I usually use 3/4 cup (150g) of granulated sugar and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Cinnamon-sugar pretzels taste best the day they’re made because the melted butter topping causes them to become soggy after a few hours.
- Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I’ve made this twice exactly as directed and it’s perfect! Classic soft pretzels.
First time doing pretzels , here we go. By the way, I MAKE THEEEE BEST / and ONLY REAL SWEET POTATOE “”CAKE””. Don’t even think about it. Hee hee
PEACE
This is the softest, fluffiest pretzel I’ve ever made. I added 1tbs of dry malt powder to the recipe and wow it really made a difference for me.
I’ve made these about 5-6 times now. They have turned out great every time! I keep my dough as moist as possible without it sticking all over the place so that when I cook them they are a lot softer and the texture is better for longer. I still suck at making the perfect looking pretzel shape, but I’m so much better now, lol.
If you’re like me and like to make all the pretzel shapes at once and then boil afterwards, I recommend using a spray bottle of water to lightly mist your dough every so often to prevent it from drying out. Though the pretzels do tend to stick to the silicone mats and counter tops before they’ve been boiled, so they might get a tad out of shape when you peel them off to boil them. And if you wait to salt them all at once before popping them in the oven, you can use the spray bottle to dampen them before adding the salt so it sticks better, or just get your fingers wet and rub them along the top of each pretzel before you add the salt.
If you like to boil as you go, I did find that putting the pretzels on a spatula and lowering them into the water worked best for maintaining their shape. They detach from the spatula after just a couple seconds.
I get a good laugh out of the comments blaming the recipe from the quite well-established baking blog when their pretzels don’t pretzel right. Like c’mon, look within people. I have very little baking experience, and this recipe was thorough but concise, and yielded totally awesome results. Thanks!
One third cup of dough?
This isn’t a cupcake.
Sally, I know you don’t really measure bread dough this way, right? 🙂
To everyone saying the dough was not right, (too sticky or too crumbly) and yelling at Sally about it, take note of this: Everyone’s kitchen conditions are different. Humidity, temperature, etc. , these will all factor into how your dough comes out. I LONG ago stopped measuring flour. I put together all the other ingredients and add the flour little by little (seriously I use a small ramakin not a measuring cup) dough whisking then switching to kneading, just adding a bit at a time until the dough feels and looks right. I haven’t had a dough issue since ! Nothing wrong with these pretzels!
Amazing recipe Sally. I just made my fourth perfect dozen. The only problem is moving the shaped pretzels to the bath. I shape them on the counter and when I pick the up they droop and lose their shape. Any tips?
Hi Ray! We like to use a large flat spatula to transfer the shaped pretzels to the water bath to help maintain their shape.
Have made these twice in the last two weeks – perfect! Will try the Pretzel Rolls next!
Complete failure for me. Weighed out the flour into a bowl, spooned and leveled each cup before mixing with a Danish dough whisk. Added all 4 cups. Seemed to not be sticky, until I turned it out; then it was stick-central. I get the feeling all these recipes are made with a stand mixer in mind, but I can’t really throw down $600 for the only one that’s ever used. Ah well, maybe I’ll try again when I feel like buying 30 pounds of flour to get this right.
Hi EBH! We actually usually knead this dough by hand – you can see a guide in the video tutorial. Did your dough look similar? Feel free to add a little flour when kneading to prevent sticking.
Would love to make these for a party at someone else home would you recommend? Or do they need to be eaten right away?
Hi Sam, they do taste best right out of the oven, but you can cover and store leftover pretzels at room temperature for up to 3 days. They lose a little softness over time, so if you can bake them close to when you’re heading to the party, that would be best. To reheat, microwave for a few seconds, or bake at 350°F (177°C) for 5 minutes.
These were delicious! Super easy and tasted AMAZING. Will definitely be making these again!
First time making pretzels and it was perfect! Thank you for your hard work and taking the time to share it!!
I love this recipe and want to make it for a party. Can the recipe be doubled or tripled, or do I have to make individual batches? I am aiming to make 50.
Hi Jen, for best results, we recommend making separate batches rather than doubling or tripling.
My grandniece joined me recently for a bake day before going back to school. She requested pretzels. As we were rolling them, she remarked that the dough was like making cinnamon rolls and wouldn’t these pretzels be just yummy with cinnamon and sugar rather than salty. I didn’t necessarily agree, but it was her day, so we tried it using coarse sugar and some spices, then just for fun topped them with a drizzle of glaze. The result was better than I expected. She absolutely loved it! An interesting twist on an already good recipe.
i followed the recipe to a T and it was perfect!! they turned out really good and this was my first time making them (:
These came out fantastic. I’m in the Uk and we don’t use cup measurements soo took a bit of converting but as long as your dough isn’t sticky it’s just like making bread. Tasted better than shop bought ones!
Great recipe! Looking forward to making it. I love all your recipes as they are so helpful to me. I do have a question. I usually weight my flour but your weights in recipes does not equate to weights from King Arthur weights on their website. Can you help me understand the difference.
Hi Beth, I’ve never been able to have 1 cup of spooned and leveled flour weigh 120g. It’s usually closer to 125 or 130g using the same flour, and that’s how I test my recipes. Use the grams given here for best results.
Thinking of using this dough with mini hotdogs. Can I make through the boiling process and then freeze to bake off later?
Hi Nancy, If you want to freeze the shaped, unbaked pretzels, we do find it’s best to do the baking soda bath right before baking– even drop them into the bath while frozen. That being said, we have frozen these shaped pretzels AFTER the bath too. It doesn’t make a huge difference either way.
where was the recipe
You can find the recipe at the end of the page (gray recipe box) or by clicking the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page.
Kids loved it, I thought I let it rise enough, but following the sizing recommended in the recipe it only yielded 6+ several “hole” size pretzels.
Made this recipe for the first time today. My hubby loves soft pretzels and found this recipe for me to look at. For my altitude it took more flour to get to the right consistency but it was well worth it. I’m salt conscious so I cut back on the amount the recipe called for. BIG MISTAKE. It severely lacked the salt taste pretzels are known for. I did the butter and salt before baking and that didn’t make up the difference in the missing salt in the pretzel itself. I will make this again and again. Thank you Sally for a fantastic pretzel recipe!!
These came out perfectly! I left some plain to do cinnamon and sugar, but also added cardamom, and that was fantastic!
I went to a restaurant with friends, and had a pretzel with asiago cheese. I haven’t stopped thinking about how yummy it was. I found this recipe and gave it a try. Oh My Gosh!!!!! There are no words for how great they turned out. Coming from someone who doesn’t like to cook, I’m here to tell you that these are super easy.
I love all your recipes so much thank you . I’m home fighting chemo for lung cancer ( I’m know cancer free) and have tried numerous recipes that my family have enjoy
I love your recipes. These pretzels are so good. I buttered and salted both pre- and post-bake. I can see these becoming a snack staple at my house.
Looking forward to trying this. One question: If opting to do bite size rather than full size, I assume the only difference is to just cut the rolled out dough in small bite size pieces rather than forming the pretzel. Would there be anything else you would recommend to do differently? I’m thinking this would be a great appetizer for parties and potlucks! I like to have things that don’t require staying hot or cool for these events and while these would also be great warm, they don’t have to be, which is a great plus!
Hi Cheryl! Here’s our detailed soft pretzel bites recipe (using the same pretzel dough).
Absolutely loved this! Our first attempt at making pretzels and this was so easy to follow and turned out absolutely delicious!
So, are we brushing these puppies with melted butter? If so, pre- or post- bake?
Hi Megan, you can brush them with melted butter when they come out of the oven – yum!
Thanks! They turned out amazing! I feel nervous knowing how easy these are to just whip up…
I keep improving they are great my family loves them
Love all of your recipes. I am testing these this weekend to get ready for the upcoming tailgating season. Does using white vs brown sugar make a difference in the taste?
Hi Angela! With such a small amount, it doesn’t matter much here. Hope you love these pretzels!