Last Updated on September 1, 2022 by Kathryn Donangelo

These are the best and easiest Homemade Soft Pretzels you could make! Made in 1 hour and have a chewy exterior and soft and fluffy inside.

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I love everything about these Homemade Soft Pretzels and these are better than any other soft pretzel you’ve ever had! Although homemade pretzels don’t seem like an easy task but trust me they are with this recipe. When I first made this recipe, I made another batch the next day because we loved them so much!

The pretzels are incredibly fluffy thanks to the yeast and perfectly light golden brown on the outside to make these pretzels a bit crispy and chewy. Melted butter is brushed on top of the pretzels after they are baked to give them an ultra-buttery flavor. The butter also makes these pretzels nice and shiny!

If you are like me and have no idea how to tie a pretzel, check out videos on YouTube.

If you have kids, these Homemade Soft Pretzels make the best after-school snack! It’s hard to beat a fresh homemade soft pretzel right out of the oven. They can even help assemble these pretzels by kneading the dough, sprinkling on salt or brushing on the butter.

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HOMEMADE SOFT PRETZELS

Water
Sugar
Instant yeast
All-purpose flour
Salt
Butter
Baking soda
Coarse salt

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE SOFT PRETZELS

To make the soft pretzels

Mix together the warm water, sugar and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes to activate.
Add 1 cup of flour, salt and melted butter. Mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining flour and mix on low-medium speed for 5-6 minutes and until a dough has formed. The dough should be elasticy and not too sticky.
Lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil and lightly coat all sides of the dough ball. Cover the bowl with a warm damp towel and allow to rest in a cool dry area. The kitchen counter is perfect.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each dough piece out to about 26-28 inches long rope. Twist the rope into a pretzel shape and repeat with all of the pretzels.

Soak in Baking Soda Bath

Make the baking soda bath. Boil or microwave the water and place in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Whisk in the baking soda until it has completely dissolved. Place 4 pretzels in the water bath at a time and let them sit for 2 minutes. Spoon the water mixture on top of each pretzel. Repeat with the 4 remaining pretzels.

Bake the prezels

Sprinkle pretzels with coarse salt and bake for 7-8 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
Brush each pretzel with melted butter. It’s best to eat pretzels while they are warm. Serve with a cheese sauce or Dijon mustard.

DON’T SKIP THE BAKING SODA WATER BATH

The baking soda water bath is a must when making these Homemade Soft Pretzels. If you skip this process, the pretzels won’t come out the same.

Here’s why, the baking soda bath gelatinizes the outside of the pretzel, that’s why it’s important to also spoon the water on the tops of the pretzels. This bath prevents will help the pretzel crusts get nice and brown on top, similar to a bagel.

This baking soda bath gives these pretzels their signature chewy and slightly crispy crust and “pretzel” flavor that were all familiar with and love, yum!

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST HOMEMADE SOFT PRETZELS

You can make these into 8 large pretzels or 16 smaller pretzels. Reduce the baking time by a few minutes if you make smaller pretzels and you’ll need to put the pretzels on 2 baking sheets.

If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can mix and knead these pretzels by hand.

These pretzels are best when served warm. Serve them with Dijon mustard, pizza sauce, nacho cheese, cheese dip or enjoy them just as they are- plain with salt!

If you want to get creative on toppings you can make these sweet or savory! For sweet pretzels, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top before baking. For savory pretzels, you can add jalapeños, cheese, everything but the bagel seasoning, garlic and parmesan cheese or anything else you want!

HOW TO STORE HOMEMADE SOFT PRETZELS

Leftovers: You can store these soft pretzels in an airtight container or large ziplock bag. Store them in a cool and dry environment for up to 3-4 days.

Freezer-friendly: You can freeze these pretzels after they have been baked and cooled completely. Wrap each pretzel in plastic wrap and place them in a heavy duty ziplock bag. When ready to reheat, place pretzels in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes if frozen, or 5 minutes if thawed. You can also microwave or place them in the toaster when frozen until they are reheated.

LOOKING FOR OTHER EASY BREAD RECIPES? TRY THESE!

Sweet and Moist Cornbread: a classic cornbread recipe that goes with any meal! Perfectly sweet, moist and can be made in 45 minutes from start to finish!
Olive & Herb Focaccia: the easiest focaccia bread you could make.
Fluffy Dinner Rolls: made with only 7 ingredients and super easy to make.
Rustic Olive Bread: if you love olives, you need to try this recipe!

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Homemade Soft Pretzels

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HOMEMADE SOFT PRETZELS