Soft Pretzels

Similar to Auntie Anne’s, these soft pretzels are a touch sweet and deliciously buttery.

These soft pretzels can be customized to your liking—whether you prefer a classic salted pretzel or a sweet cinnamon sugar flavor. Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

View the print-ready version of this recipe.

Every parent needs a delicious soft pretzel recipe in their baking arsenal, as they make a fun rainy day baking project for kids of all ages (just prepare for a bit of mess in the kitchen!). My kids absolutely love these homemade soft pretzels—they are slightly sweet, buttery, and almost identical to Auntie Anne’s famous mall pretzels. Rolling and twisting the dough into pretzel shapes is all part of the fun, but you could also make them into bite-sized pieces if you prefer. While I use a stand mixer to mix and knead the dough, you can easily do it by hand if you don’t have one.

Not only are homemade soft pretzels a fun and tasty treat to make with kids, they can also be customized to your liking—whether you prefer a classic salted pretzel or a sweet cinnamon sugar flavor. For a cinnamon sugar topping, simply omit the coarse salt in the recipe, brush with butter after baking, and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar. If you’re making the pretzels for grown-ups, serve them with mustard or beer cheese dip for an extra kick of flavor.

What You’ll Need To Make Soft Pretzels

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Step-By-Step Instructions

Warm the milk and 2 tablespoons of the butter in the microwave until the butter is just melted, about 90 seconds; do not boil. (Alternatively, warm the butter and milk in a small saucepan.)

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved; set aside.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour with the yeast and salt.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Mix on low speed until well combined, about 1 minute.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

With the mixer on low, gradually add the warm milk mixture to the bowl.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

When the dough forms a cohesive mass, switch to the dough hook.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Knead, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Shape the dough into a ball, place in a clean, lightly greased bowl, and cover with plastic wrap.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Punch the dough to deflate it, then turn it out onto a clean work surface. Shape the dough into a log and cut into six equal pieces.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Roll and stretch each piece with the palms of your hands into a 24-inch rope, holding the ends and slapping the middle of the rope on the counter as you stretch.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Combine the baking soda with warm water in a 2-quart baking dish and stir until dissolved. Gently dip each “rope” into the soda solution. This alkaline solution is what gives the pretzels their signature dark brown, shiny crust and distinctive flavor. The solution causes a chemical reaction called the Maillard reaction, which results in browning and a distinctive taste. Without this step, the pretzels would not have the same taste, texture, or appearance that we associate with them.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Let any excess liquid drip off, then form the dough into a pretzel shape directly on the prepared baking sheet (form a U-shape, then holding the ends of the rope, cross them over and under each other—making a twist in the middle—and press the ends onto the bottom of the pretzel). Sprinkle evenly with the coarse salt.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Bake until golden, 8 to 12 minutes. Melt the remaining three tablespoons of butter and brush on the baked pretzels.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Enjoy the pretzels warm out of the oven, or reheat them in an oven or microwave.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

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Soft Pretzels

By Jennifer Segal, adapted from Food Network

Servings: 6 Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes Total Time: 40 Minutes, plus 1 to 2 hours to rise

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 2¼ teaspoons instant/rapid-rise yeast (1 package)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• ¼ cup baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon coarse salt

Instructions

Warm the milk and 2 tablespoons of the butter in the microwave until the butter is just melted, about 90 seconds; do not boil. (Alternatively, warm the butter and milk in a small saucepan.) Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Mix on low speed until well combined, about 1 minute. With the mixer on low, gradually add the warm milk/butter mixture to the bowl. When the dough forms a cohesive mass, switch from the paddle attachment to the dough hook. Knead on medium-low speed until the dough is smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. (Alternatively, the dough can be mixed and kneaded by hand.) Shape the dough into a ball, place in a clean, lightly greased bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

In a 2-qt baking dish, combine the baking soda with 2¼ cups warm water. Stir until the baking soda is dissolved; set aside. (Dipping the pretzel dough in a baking soda solution gives the pretzels a nice golden brown crust.)

Punch the dough to deflate it, then turn it out onto a clean work surface. (If the dough seems sticky, you can dust it with a bit of flour as needed.) Shape the dough into a log, then cut into 6 equal pieces; cover with a damp dishtowel so the dough doesn’t dry out. Roll and stretch each piece with the palms of your hands into a 24-inch rope, holding the ends and slapping the middle of the rope on the counter as you stretch.

Using two hands, gently dip each “rope” into the soda solution. Let any excess liquid drip off, then form the dough into a pretzel shape directly on the prepared baking sheet (form a U-shape, then holding the ends of the rope, cross them over and under each other -- making a twist in the center -- and press the ends onto the bottom of the pretzel). Sprinkle evenly with the coarse salt. Bake until golden, 8 to 12 minutes; watch the bottoms carefully as they can burn.

Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and brush on the baked pretzels. The pretzels are best enjoyed warm out of the oven or fresh on the same day (reheat in the oven or microwave).

Note: Active dry yeast may be used instead of instant yeast, however, the dough will take longer to rise. To give active dry yeast a boost, you can dissolve it in the warm milk and butter, let it sit until frothy, about 10 minutes, and then proceed with the recipe.

Note: If you prefer a cinnamon sugar topping, omit the coarse salt. Brush with butter after baking and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar (½ cup sugar plus about ¾ teaspoon cinnamon)

Make-Ahead Instructions: After the dough has risen, it can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for a few months. Thaw the frozen dough in the refrigerator before using. The dough can be shaped into pretzel bites while still cool, but allow about 30 minutes for the bites to puff up a bit before dipping and baking.

This article was originally published on OnceUponaChef.com. Follow on Instagram