Homemade pretzels are easy to make, soft, buttery, and delicious! With no boil step, these won’t take you all day to make!
Giant soft pretzels are one of those treats that you know you love, but you rarely get to indulge in. It’s hard to find a place that sells good pretzels at a reasonable price, but with this homemade pretzel recipe, you don’t have to look so hard! You can have the best soft pretzels made in the comfort of your own home at a fraction of the price.
Making these homemade soft pretzels isn’t nearly as hard as you may think, in fact, it’s actually both easy and fun! Grab your kids and have them help you make the pretzel shapes later in the recipe and you can not only create a delicious snack but also create some life-long memories out of the mix too!
Homemade pretzel recipe
In a bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, yeast and salt. Then add in the softened butter, milk, and water, stirring until combined. Knead for 5 minutes and then let the dough rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size.
After the dough has doubled, preheat the oven to 450 degrees and turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 2 inches thick and then cut into 12 equal-sized pieces.
Twist each rope into a pretzel shape. Lay each piece on a lined cooking sheet and let them rest for about 20 minutes.
In a small bowl beat together water and egg for an egg wash. Using a brush, dip it into the egg mix and spread it onto the pretzels. Then sprinkle on your course salt.
The egg wash will help to give the pretzels that beautiful brown color and help the salt to stick.
Then bake the pretzels for about 15 minutes and after they are done baking you can brush them with melted butter before enjoying.
Other pretzel topping idea
While the most common (and most popular) topping for a giant soft pretzel is salt, you may choose to go a different route.
While a salted soft pretzel and a side of warm melted cheese dip make for the most dynamic savory duo, a cinnamon-sugar coated pretzel served with a side of icing or cream cheese frosting may be the perfect treat for a sweet tooth.
Both options are excellent, and only the starting point.
What is your favorite way to top a soft pretzel?
Answer in the comments down below!
Looking for more great bread recipes??
Homemade Soft Pretzels
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour all purpose
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons yeast see note
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter softened
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons butter for later
- 3 tablespoons coarse salt
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Combine flour, brown sugar, yeast, and salt.
- Add softened butter, milk, and water. Combine.
- The dough should be soft and slightly sticky, not too dry. You may need to adjust the amount of water or flour you use depending on where you live (altitude, weather, etc).
- Knead for 5 minutes.
- Let the dough rise until doubled.
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out slightly until it's about 2 inches thick and slice it into about 12 strips.
- Twist each rope into a pretzel shape. Place on a lined baking sheet.
- Let rise for 20 minutes.
- Combine egg and water. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until dark golden brown on top.
- Brush with melted butter after baking.
Miss Hannah says
These are amazing! I’m a camp chef and I did this as a hands-on activity/snack for our littlest ones. It was so easy and everyone enjoyed both making and eating them. This recipe is definitely a keeper!!!
Alli says
This is so amazing! I’m so happy everyone loved them.
Anonymous says
I am not the best at baking or cooking but these were fantastic. They are soft and buttery like auntie annes but better.
Alli says
So happy to hear this! Thank you!
Jasna says
The best recipe ever !! I like it that you don’t have to boil the pretzels! Thank you.
Alli says
So glad you liked them, Jasna!
Whitney says
Can I make the dough and prove it the night before, and roll out and bake the next day? Thanks.
Alli says
Hi Whitney! Yes, you can for sure do that. I’d put it in the fridge the night before. Then when you are ready to bake, get it out, shape the pretzels, let them rest for about 30 minutes, and then bake. Does that make sense?
Anonymous says
I’m kind of getting into baking so I didn’t know I was supposed to proof the yeast. Or maybe I was using a different yeast from your recipe? Needless to say my dough didn’t rise. But, hopeful for my second attempt!
Alli says
Hey! So you don’t have to proof the yeast for this recipe, it’s fairly basic so even if you’re using active dry instead of instant yeast it should work. Do you know when your yeast expired? That could be the issue.
Hailee says
Was a little sad because they did NOT taste like pretzels at all, but fine with it because they were more like delicious pretzel shaped rolls 😉
Alli says
Happy to hear you still liked them!
Alli says
Love pretzels!