Snow day at the Whitaker house. The kind where the power company sends out an alert, the school calls at 6 AM, and by 9 o’clock, Wyatt and Mason have already been outside twice and tracked mud through the kitchen. Clara is reading on the couch under three blankets. The house is freezing because the furnace takes its sweet time on the coldest days.
So we do what we always do when we’re stuck inside: we bake. Soft pretzels. We have hands in dough within fifteen minutes.
There’s something about bread-making that stops kids from complaining. Mason takes his job of “dough roller” very seriously, his little hands covered in flour up to the elbows. Wyatt shapes his pretzels with the focus of an engineer. Clara joins in eventually, abandoning her book for the warm pull of the kitchen.
The real magic happens when the baked pretzels come out of the oven—all golden and steaming, the salt crystals catching the light. We brush them with butter while they’re still hot and dip them in the cheese sauce that Mason has been stirring with the dedication of a tiny chef. Jake’s out on a job, but I send him pictures. He texts back something sweet about wishing he was here.
How to Make Homemade Soft Pretzels
Make the dough. Warm water, yeast, a pinch of sugar—let it foam for 5 minutes to make sure your yeast is alive. Then add flour, melted butter, and salt. Knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky. It doesn’t need to be perfect. Cover and let it rise for about an hour until doubled.
Shape the pretzels. Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope—about 20 inches—and twist into the classic pretzel shape. If you’ve never done it: make a U-shape, cross the ends over each other twice, then fold them down onto the bottom of the U. Mason’s look more like abstract art, but they taste the same.
The baking soda bath is the secret. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add baking soda (about 2 tablespoons per quart of water). Drop each pretzel in for 30 seconds. This is what gives them that deep golden color and chewy, glossy crust that makes a soft pretzel a soft pretzel instead of just a bread roll in a funny shape.
Top and bake. Place the boiled pretzels on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush with an egg wash, and sprinkle generously with coarse salt. Bake at 425°F for 12-15 minutes until they’re deep golden brown. Brush with melted butter the second they come out of the oven. Serve with cheese dip, mustard, or just eat them plain with butter. They won’t last long.
If your kids love making these pretzels, try my Pull-Apart Garlic Bread for another fun bread-baking project. My Hot Cross Buns are worth the effort for Easter, and my Hot Honey Skillet Cornbread is the quickest homemade bread you will ever make.
Homemade Soft Pretzels with Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water 110°F
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 tablespoons baking soda for boiling water
- 2 quarts water for boiling
- 2 tablespoons butter for brushing after baking
- Coarse salt pretzel salt or sea salt
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds optional, or everything bagel seasoning
Instructions
-
In a small bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
-
In a large bowl, mix together flour and salt. Pour the yeast mixture and melted butter into the flour. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then knead by hand or with a stand mixer for about 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
-
Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise for 30-45 minutes until doubled in size.
-
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Punch down dough and divide into 8 equal pieces.
-
Roll each piece into a rope about 20 inches long. Shape into a pretzel by forming a loop, crossing the ends, and tucking them back through the bottom of the loop.
-
Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil and stir in the baking soda. Working in batches, carefully drop pretzels into the boiling water and cook for about 20-30 seconds until they float, then remove with a slotted spoon.
-
Place boiled pretzels on the prepared baking sheets. Brush immediately with melted butter and sprinkle generously with coarse salt and optional sesame seeds or seasoning.
-
Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly on the baking sheet before serving warm with cheese dip or mustard.
Common Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Nana Ruth’s Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
- Maggie’s Buttermilk Biscuits: The Saturday Morning That Brings Everyone Home
- Nana Ruth’s Brothy White Beans
- Old-Fashioned Hot Cross Buns
What I Use for This Recipe
A couple things from my kitchen that make this one easier.
The skillet that never leaves our stovetop. Pre-seasoned, affordable, and built to last.
No handles, more feel. Nana Ruth used one just like this. You can feel the dough better.
Good sheet pans that never warp in the oven. Years of cookies and sheet pan dinners.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I actually use. See all my kitchen picks
