Soft Pretzels
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Easy to make and even better to eat, these buttery soft pretzels have that irresistible mall pretzel flavor everyone loves.
Everyone needs a go-to soft pretzel recipe—for snow days, rainy afternoons, casual get-togethers, or just because. My kids absolutely love these buttery, slightly sweet pretzels; they taste just like Auntie Anne’s. The dough comes together easily in a stand mixer, but kneading by hand works just as well. And while twisting them into classic pretzel shapes is half the fun, pretzel bites are a great option if you want to keep it simple.
These soft pretzels are easy to customize, too. Go classic with coarse salt, or skip the salt, brush with butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar for a sweet version. For the grown-ups, they’re great with mustard or a side of beer cheese dip for extra flavor.
“I made these for a party. They were amazing. I love Auntie Anne’s pretzels and these tasted just like them.”
What You’ll Need To Make Soft Pretzels
- Milk: Adds moisture and richness to the dough, giving the pretzels their soft texture.
- Unsalted butter: Some is melted into the dough for flavor and softness, while the rest is brushed on top for that buttery finish.
- Light brown sugar: Adds just the right amount of sweetness and helps the yeast do its job.
- Instant/rapid-rise yeast: Makes the dough rise and gives the pretzels their light, fluffy texture.
- All-purpose flour: The backbone of the dough that gives the pretzels their structure.
- Fine & Course salt: Enhances all the flavors in the dough and lends that classic salty bite.
- Baking soda: Mixed with warm water to create a solution for dipping the dough before baking. This step is what gives pretzels their golden-brown crust, shiny appearance, and classic flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Warm the milk and butter. Warm the milk and 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave for about 90 seconds, just until the butter melts—be careful not to let it boil. (You can also do this in a small saucepan if you prefer.) Stir in the brown sugar until it’s dissolved, then set it aside.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Mix on low speed for about a minute, until everything is well combined.
Step 3: Add the wet ingredients. Keep the mixer on low and slowly pour in the warm milk mixture. Mix until the dough comes to together into a cohesive mass.
Step 4: Knead. Swap the paddle attachment for the dough hook and knead on medium-low speed until the dough is smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Feel free to add a bit more flour if needed.
Step 5: Let it rise. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a clean, lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size—it will take 1 to 2 hours.
Step 6: Divide the dough. Gently punch it down to release the air, then turn it out onto a clean work surface. Shape it into a log and cut it into six equal pieces.
Step 7: Roll it out. Roll and stretch each piece into a 24-inch rope using the palms of your hands. Hold the ends and gently slap the middle of the rope on the counter to help stretch it out.
Step 8: Dip the dough. Combine the baking soda and warm water in a 2-quart baking dish, stirring until the baking soda dissolves. Gently dip each rope into the solution—this step is key to giving the pretzels their signature dark brown, shiny crust and unique flavor.
Step 9: Shape the pretzels. Let any excess liquid drip off, then shape the dough into a pretzel directly on the prepared baking sheet. To do this, form a U-shape with the rope, cross the ends over and under each other to make a twist in the middle, and press the ends onto the bottom of the pretzel. Sprinkle evenly with coarse salt.
Step 10: Bake and butter. Bake the pretzels until golden, 8 to 12 minutes. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and brush it over the warm pretzels. Enjoy them fresh from the oven, or reheat later in the oven or microwave.
More Homemade Bread Recipes You’ll Love
Soft Pretzels
These buttery, slightly sweet homemade soft pretzels are fun to make and taste just like Auntie Anne’s.
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 fine 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.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 pretzel
- Calories: 331
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Sugar: 9 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Sodium: 2540 mg
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I made these pretzels tonight for our movie night and they were fabulous! My kids inhaled them so fast I only got a taste. I sprinkled minced garlic and parmesan cheese and one and the flavor was great. Thank you for a great recipe.
These pretzels are amazing! They are the best pretzels I’ve ever had, hands down. We made half the recipe sweet and the other half salty. The pretzels were fluffy, not too dense. We will definitely be making these again.
I just have to say we loved these pretzels! I just made them an hour ago and they turned out awesome! I was a little scared to roll out the dough too skinny and being my first time ever making pretzels, although I bake on a regular basis, I didn’t want them to turn out to thin and crunchy. But they absolutely turned out amazing I have to say. So soft! They were more on the thick side which I do prefer anyways. My son loves pretzels and he really enjoyed these! I made garlic and herb on some and a few plain and the rest cinnamon! Oh yes! I doubled the recipe to make a DOZEN because 6 is not enough! Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe. I will be making these again and again. I even passed it on to my friend as she was impressed with them!
This recipe was easy to follow and so so delicious! Thank you!
Hi Jenn,
I love your site and all the recipes that I have tried, thus far (and let me tell you, that is a lot!!!) Quick question, I don’t have parchment paper to bake these pretzels on, can I use aluminum foil, instead?
Thank you,
Amy
So glad you like the recipes! 🙂 Non-stick foil would work if you don’t have parchment paper on hand.
Hi Jenn, Thank you for your quick response, we made them yesterday, and they were fantastic!!! They were a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. Your recipes and pictures are so easy to follow. Thank you so much!! We have been cooking a lot and your blog is such a great thing to be armed with! 🙂
Thank you for sharing your love of cooking and baking with us!!!
Amy
Could this recipe be made with a sourdough starter? If so, what would be the adjustments to the ingredients?
Hi Jessica, I don’t have any experience with sourdough starter so I can’t confidently weigh in — sorry!
WOW!!!! I had to use active dry yeast and dark brown sugar but it was a huge hit! My teenagers 18 and 15 were like mom these taste like “Auntie Anne’s”! My daughter wanted to know how to make them herself. I did bites and only 2 pretzel shapes, which were actually easy as well.
Thanks!
Can I use active dry yeast?
Sure – I’d add it to the warm, wet ingredients and then proof for 15 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Can I omit butter for vegetable oil or olive oil? Thanks
Sure, Anna, either of those should work. Hope you enjoy!
This recipe was great! I made it on a whim with the help of my kids for National Pretzel Day since soft pretzels aren’t easy to find these days. My family loved them! I don’t bake breads so I had to borrow some yeast but I will definitely be making them again soon. Thank you so much for your delicious recipe!
Hi,
I love your recipes. Will it work if I make pretzel bites instead?
Thanks,
Sure, Melanie, that should work. Please LMK how they turn out! 🙂