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Baked golden brown homemade soft pretzels with coarse salt on parchment paper. Overhead view showing shiny crust and twisted shape.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Soft, chewy homemade pretzels with a golden crust and coarse salt, just like your favorite mall-style snack. This foolproof recipe is perfect for pretzel lovers craving bakery-quality results at home using simple ingredients.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Rise Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 8 pretzels
Course: Appetizer, bread, Snack
Cuisine: American, German
Calories: 225
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups All-purpose flour Spooned and leveled
  • 1 tablespoon Sugar White or brown sugar
  • 1 pkg Active dry yeast About 2¼ teaspoons
  • 1.5 cups Warm water 105°F–110°F
  • 1 teaspoon Salt For dough
  • 2 tablespoon Unsalted butter Melted
  • ⅔ cup Baking soda For boiling bath
  • 1 Egg Beaten with a splash of water (egg wash)
  • Coarse salt For topping

Equipment

  • 1 Large mixing bowl For mixing dough
  • 1 Measuring cups/spoons For ingredients
  • 1 Baking sheet Line with parchment paper
  • 1 Large pot For baking soda bath
  • 1 Slotted spoon To lift pretzels from water
  • 1 Kitchen towel To cover dough while rising

Method
 

  1. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.
  2. Make Dough – Add flour, salt, and butter; knead until smooth.
  3. Let Rise – Cover and let dough rise for 1 hour.
  4. Shape Dough – Divide and roll dough into ropes; shape into pretzels.
  5. Prep Bath – Boil water and baking soda. Preheat oven.
  6. Boil Pretzels – Simmer each pretzel 20–30 seconds.
  7. Brush & Salt – Place on tray, brush with egg wash, sprinkle salt.
  8. Bake Pretzels – Bake 12–15 minutes until golden brown.
  9. Cool & Serve – Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.