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Soft Pretzels
Serves 6 Prep 1 hr 30 min Cook 15 min Total 1 hr 45 min Type Side Origin American

Soft Pretzels

The Philadelphia-Bavarian pretzel: large knotted bread with a chewy malty interior and a dark burnished crust. Bath-dunked in soda water before baking.

Serves 6 Prep 30 minutes (plus 1 hour rising) Cook 15 minutes Units Rate

Overview

A yeasted bread dough rises for 1 hour. Divided into 6 ropes (50 cm each); each rope knots into the classic pretzel shape. Each pretzel dips for 15 seconds into a baking-soda bath (boiling water + soda), this gives the colour and characteristic flavour. Salt scattered; baked at 220°C until darkly burnished.

Ingredients

Dough

  • 500 g plain flour (or strong bread flour)
  • 1 sachet (7 g) fast-action yeast
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon caster sugar
  • 30 g unsalted butter (melted)
  • 280 ml warm water

Bath

  • 1 ½ litres water
  • 4 tablespoons baking soda

To finish

  • 1 egg (large, beaten with 1 tbsp water)
  • 2-3 tablespoons coarse pretzel salt (or coarse sea salt)
  • 30 g unsalted butter (melted, for brushing after baking)

Method

Stage 1 - Dough

  1. Whisk flour, yeast, salt, sugar.
  2. Add melted butter and warm water; mix to a soft dough.
  3. Knead 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  4. Cover; rise 1 hour until doubled.

Stage 2 - Shape

  1. Knock back; divide into 6 equal pieces.
  2. Roll each piece into a long rope, 50 cm long, slightly fatter in the middle than the ends.
  3. To shape: form a U with the rope on the work surface. Cross the two ends over the middle of the U (left over right then right over left to make a twist). Bring the twisted ends down and press onto the bottom of the U.
  4. Lay shaped pretzels on lined baking trays.

Stage 3 - Heat oven

  1. Heat oven to 220°C (200°C fan).
  2. Bring the bath water to a hard boil in a wide pan; add baking soda carefully (it foams).

Stage 4 - Bath

  1. Lower each pretzel into the simmering bath with a slotted spoon for 15 seconds.
  2. Lift onto the tray.

Stage 5 - Bake

  1. Brush each pretzel with the egg wash.
  2. Sprinkle generously with pretzel salt.
  3. Bake 12-15 minutes until deep mahogany brown.

Stage 6 - Finish

  1. Brush hot pretzels with melted butter immediately out of the oven.

Stage 7 - Serve

  1. Eat warm with yellow mustard, a beer cheese dip, or just plain.

Notes

  • Baking soda bath: This is the secret of pretzel colour and flavour. Don't skip it. Industrial bakeries use lye (more aggressive); home bakers use baking soda - close enough.
  • Pretzel salt: Big, flaky, non-melting. Coarse sea salt is the substitute. Fine salt dissolves into the surface; doesn't give the crystal contrast.
  • Eat warm: Pretzels are 50% better the moment they come out. Day-old pretzels turn into bread.

Storage

  • Best fresh, eaten warm.
  • Keep 24 hours wrapped at room temperature.
  • Reheat at 180°C for 4 minutes.

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