Soft Golden Pretzels Chewy Crumb (Print Version)

Golden twisted pretzels with tender chewy crumb, coarse salt crust, served warm with mustard.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 4 cups bread flour plus extra for dusting
02 - 1 ½ cups warm water about 110°F
03 - 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast 1 packet
04 - 1 tbsp granulated sugar
05 - 2 tsp kosher salt
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted

→ Baking Soda Bath

07 - 10 cups water
08 - ⅔ cup baking soda

→ Topping

09 - 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp water
10 - Coarse pretzel salt or kosher salt

→ For Serving

11 - Yellow or spicy brown mustard

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - Add melted butter and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, until a shaggy dough forms.
03 - Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
04 - Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
05 - Preheat oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
06 - In a large pot, bring 10 cups water and baking soda to a boil.
07 - Punch down dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each into a 20–22-inch rope. Shape into pretzels by forming a U, twisting the ends twice, and folding over to form the classic shape.
08 - Carefully dip each pretzel into the boiling baking soda bath for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spatula and place on prepared baking sheets.
09 - Brush each pretzel with egg wash and sprinkle generously with coarse salt.
10 - Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until deep golden brown.
11 - Cool slightly on a wire rack and serve warm with mustard.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The dough comes together faster than you expect, especially if you have a stand mixer to do the kneading work
  • That baking soda dip creates the authentic pretzel flavor and chewy exterior you cannot fake any other way
02 -
  • The baking soda bath is non negotiable, it creates the authentic pretzel flavor and texture that sets these apart from regular bread sticks
  • Work quickly when shaping the pretzels because the dough continues to rise and can become puffy and harder to handle
03 -
  • Weigh your flour if you can, because flour compacts differently in measuring cups and too much flour makes tough pretzels
  • Let the pretzels cool for at least ten minutes before eating so the interior has time to finish cooking through
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