Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels

Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels are warm, golden-brown bread snacks with a soft inside and a slightly chewy outside. They are shaped into fun twists and sprinkled with salt, making them perfect for snacks, parties, or after-school treats. You often see pretzels at fairs, stadiums, and bakeries, but the good news is that you can make them right at home with simple ingredients. They smell amazing while baking and taste even better fresh out of the oven.

Soft pretzels are different from hard pretzels because they are fluffy and tender instead of crunchy. They are made from a simple yeast dough, which means the dough rises and becomes airy. Don’t worry even though yeast sounds fancy, it’s actually easy to use. If you can mix and stir, you can make these pretzels. This recipe is designed to be simple, fun, and friendly for beginners even a 10-year-old with a little help can do it.

You Should Try the Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels

You should try Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels because they are fun to make and even more fun to eat. You get to roll the dough into ropes and twist them into pretzel shapes like a baker. It feels like playing with edible clay. They are also budget-friendly and taste fresher than store-bought pretzels. You can make them salty, buttery, cheesy, or even a little sweet.

Another great reason to try this recipe is that it teaches basic baking skills like working with yeast, kneading dough, and shaping bread. Once you learn this, you can make many other breads too. These pretzels are perfect for family cooking time, weekend baking, or school projects. Plus, everyone loves warm pretzels they disappear fast!

Table of Contents

Ingredients you’ll need for Homemade Soft Pretzels

Here is everything you need to make Homemade Soft Pretzels:

For the Dough:

• 1 ½ cups warm water (not hot)
• 1 packet active dry yeast about 2 ¼ teaspoons
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 ½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons melted butter or oil

For the Baking Soda Bath:

• 6 cups water
• 2 tablespoons baking soda

For Topping:

• 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
• Coarse salt pretzel salt or sea salt
• Optional: melted butter for brushing after baking

How to Make Homemade Soft Pretzels

Step 1

Start by pouring the warm water into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the top and gently stir once or twice. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it looks foamy and bubbly. This means the yeast is alive and ready to help your dough rise. If nothing happens, the water may have been too hot or too cold, and you should start again. Once foamy, add the salt and melted butter or oil and stir to combine.

Step 2

Add the flour one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. The dough will slowly become thicker and harder to stir. When it becomes shaggy and starts pulling away from the bowl, move it onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough by pushing it away with your hands, folding it back, and turning it. Keep kneading for about 8 minutes until the dough feels smooth and stretchy like soft clay. If it sticks too much, sprinkle a little more flour.

Step 3

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover it with a towel. Let it rest in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size. This is the rising stage, and it helps make the pretzels fluffy inside. While waiting, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

Step 4

After rising, gently press down the dough to remove air bubbles. Divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope about the length of your forearm. To shape a pretzel, make a U-shape, cross the ends over each other, then fold them down and press onto the bottom of the U. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect homemade shapes are part of the charm.

Step 5

Next, bring 6 cups of water and the baking soda to a gentle boil in a pot. Carefully lower each pretzel into the water for about 20–30 seconds, then lift it out with a slotted spoon and place it on the baking sheet. This step gives pretzels their classic chewy outside and deep color. After all pretzels are dipped, brush them with the egg wash and sprinkle with salt.

Step 6

Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden brown. When they come out of the oven, you can brush them with melted butter for extra flavor. Let them cool slightly then enjoy warm.

You can add this post to your favorite Pinterest board!

Kitchen equipment you will need :

Before you start, make sure you have these kitchen tools ready:

• Large mixing bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Clean counter or board for kneading
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper optional but helpful
• Medium pot for baking soda bath
• Slotted spoon
• Pastry brush or clean spoon for egg wash
• Oven mitts
• Cooling rack optional

Tips and Variation Ideas

Use instant yeast to skip the waiting step you can mix it right into the flour.

Don’t worry about perfect shapes funny pretzels still taste great.

Add shredded cheese on top before baking for cheesy pretzels.

Sprinkle cinnamon sugar instead of salt for sweet pretzels.

Make pretzel bites by cutting ropes into chunks instead of twisting.

What can I serve with this Homemade Soft Pretzels ?

I often serve this Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels with tasty drinks like fruit juice or orange juice, and sometimes I also enjoy it with coffee. I also serve it to my daughter with milk or milkshakes.

Commonly Asked Questions

Can I make soft pretzels without yeast ?

You can, but they won’t have the same fluffy and chewy texture. Yeast helps create the classic soft pretzel feel.

How do I reheat leftover pretzels ?

Warm them in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 5 minutes.

Can I freeze soft pretzels ?

Yes. Freeze baked pretzels up to 2 months and reheat in the oven.

Can I use whole wheat flour ?

Yes, but mix half whole wheat and half white flour to keep them soft.

Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels

Recipe by sophieCourse: Snacks, Appetizers, BreadCuisine: American, GermanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Calories

220

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

35

minutes

Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels are warm, chewy, golden-brown twists made from simple yeast dough, baked until soft inside and slightly crisp outside — perfect for dipping and snacking.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups warm water (not hot)

• 1 packet active dry yeast about 2 ¼ teaspoons

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3 ½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons melted butter or oil

• 6 cups water

• 2 tablespoons baking soda

• 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water for egg wash

• Coarse salt pretzel salt or sea salt

• Optional: melted butter for brushing after baking

Directions

• Start by pouring the warm water into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the top and gently stir once or twice. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it looks foamy and bubbly. This means the yeast is alive and ready to help your dough rise. If nothing happens, the water may have been too hot or too cold, and you should start again. Once foamy, add the salt and melted butter or oil and stir to combine.
• Add the flour one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. The dough will slowly become thicker and harder to stir. When it becomes shaggy and starts pulling away from the bowl, move it onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough by pushing it away with your hands, folding it back, and turning it. Keep kneading for about 8 minutes until the dough feels smooth and stretchy like soft clay. If it sticks too much, sprinkle a little more flour.
• Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover it with a towel. Let it rest in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size. This is the rising stage, and it helps make the pretzels fluffy inside. While waiting, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
• After rising, gently press down the dough to remove air bubbles. Divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope about the length of your forearm. To shape a pretzel, make a U-shape, cross the ends over each other, then fold them down and press onto the bottom of the U. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect homemade shapes are part of the charm.
• Next, bring 6 cups of water and the baking soda to a gentle boil in a pot. Carefully lower each pretzel into the water for about 20–30 seconds, then lift it out with a slotted spoon and place it on the baking sheet. This step gives pretzels their classic chewy outside and deep color. After all pretzels are dipped, brush them with the egg wash and sprinkle with salt.
• Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden brown. When they come out of the oven, you can brush them with melted butter for extra flavor. Let them cool slightly then enjoy warm.

Notes

• If your yeast doesn’t foam after 5 minutes, start over with fresh yeast.
• If dough sticks to your hands, add flour a little at a time not too much.
• Don’t worry about perfect pretzel shapes homemade looks great.
• Use parchment paper so pretzels don’t stick to the pan.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE…

Texas Roadhouse Rolls

Brioche Hamburger Buns

Cinnamon Crunch Bread

Almond Poppy Seed Bread