Soft Pretzels
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Fun to make and even more delightful to eat, these buttery, slightly sweet soft pretzels taste just like Auntie Anne’s.
Every parent and grandparent should have a go-to soft pretzel for those rainy days when you need a fun baking project—just be prepared for a light dusting of flour all over the kitchen! My kids adore these homemade soft pretzels. They’re slightly sweet, buttery, and almost identical to Auntie Anne’s famous mall pretzels. The real enjoyment for kids comes from rolling and twisting the dough into classic pretzel shapes, though can shape the dough into pretzel bites, too. While I prefer using a stand mixer, kneading the dough by hand is just as effective.
“I made these for a party. They were amazing. I love Auntie Anne’s pretzels and these tasted just like them.”
Homemade soft pretzels are easily customized. For those who love the traditional salted version, follow the recipe as is. If you’re in the mood for something sweet, skip the coarse salt, brush the pretzels with butter after baking, and then sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar. And for the adults, pair these pretzels with mustard or beer cheese dip for extra flavor.
What You’ll Need To Make Soft Pretzels
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.)
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 with the yeast and salt.
Mix on low speed until well combined, about 1 minute.
With the mixer on low, gradually add the warm milk mixture to the bowl.
When the dough forms a cohesive mass, switch to the dough hook.
Knead, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Bake until golden, 8 to 12 minutes. Melt the remaining three tablespoons of butter and brush on the baked pretzels.
Enjoy the pretzels warm out of the oven, or reheat them in an oven or microwave.
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Soft Pretzels
Fun to make and even more delightful to eat, these buttery, slightly sweet soft pretzels 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 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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Delicious!
These salty pretzels with the queso dip are a perfect superbowl pregame snack!
What the measure if I want to serve only 3 pieces?
I would just cut the recipe in half if you only want 3 pretzels. Hope you enjoy!
Hey, there, I wanted to know if I could sub the active yeast for instant yeast? If so, what would be the difference? Thanks (^_^)
Sure, Alyssa – no changes necessary for this recipe. Enjoy!
Best soft pretzel recipe ever!!! I have made these multiple times and wouldn’t change a thing. Perfect
Hi Jenny! Can I use the stand up mixer to knead the dough? Thanks
Sure – hope you enjoy!
Hi – I’m wondering where the best place to let the dough rise would be? Thanks!
If you have a warm, sunny spot in your kitchen, that would be perfect.
Hi. Unfortunately I live in the Pacific Northwest and have no sun today. I want to make these pretzels this afternoon… do you have any other suggestions? Thanks!
Hi Caitlin, It’s rainy here on the East coast today, so I get it! Does your oven have a proof setting? If not, here are a couple of additional suggestions. Hope it helps!
I warmed my oven to 200 then shut it off and put the dough in to rise.
Any idea on how to double or even triple this recipe? I’m making pretzels for an Oktoberfest party. My main concern when scaling up is how much yeast to use. Appreciate your help. And P.S., I have made this recipe several times and just love it. Always a hit in my house.
Hi Lauren, it would be fine to double this recipe. When it comes to baking, I hesitate to make more than double a recipe as I think something starts to get “lost in translation” and the finished product often suffers. If you do double it, I would just double all the ingredients including the yeast. Hope the party is fun!!
My daughter has a dairy allergy. Do you think these would still work if I used water or rice milk instead of the milk? Your recipes are always a hit with my family and friends.
Thanks so much
I think rice milk would be fine, Annie. Hope you and your daughter enjoy!
These were so easy and delicious!! My 11 yo made them with a little assistance:)
My kids always beg for those mall pretzels and my girls said these were WAY better. Thank you for another amazing hit!!!
My family enjoyed these as pretzel bagels. Was a little lazy in trying trying to make the perfect pretzel knot so just made bagels. Which allowed us put in the toaster the next day with cream cheese for breakfast. They are great for making sandwiches too!
Did this recipe change? I swear I used to put the yeast in with the milk. I can’t tell if it makes a difference.
Yes, Sandy, I did change it recently I’ve changed all of my bread recipes to use exclusively rapid rise yeast as it saves a step. Sorry for any confusion and hope that clarifies!
Hi! Do you have a video on how to make this recipe? I was also curious why you dip the pretzels into baking soda. Sincerely, Cameron
Hi Cameron, No, I don’t have a video for this recipe – sorry! The baking soda bath gives the pretzels a nice, shiny crust. Hope you enjoy!
Oh yeah!
Enough said!
This is a simple and comforting pretzel recipe. This is the second time I’ve made it this week. Thanks for the detailed steps!
If I wanted to add cheese or sausage/pepperoni, would that work ? If so, when should I add it in the recipe?Thanks so much Jenn! You’re recipes are awesome.
Hi Erica, I wouldn’t recommend it here – sorry!
Super yummy! Soft and fluffy!
I made these for a party, and they were a huge hit! I made the pretzel ropes, but cut them into pieces to make pretzel bites. It worked great. The only thing I noticed is that the baking time needs is slightly longer than the recipe suggests. We have a gas oven that is pretty spot on temperature wise, so I would suggest finding out if the oven you use is accurate by using a secondary thermometer. Then adjust your time accordingly.
LOVED IT!!!!. soft. buttery. yummy. So glad you included the jar equivalent of yeast. Makes my life easier….you’d think that with all the cooking I do I’d have 2.25 tsp/pkt memorized but I don’t. Thanks for including it.
Woah! This soft pretzel recipe is the best! I have made them a few times and every time I make them, they come out even better! Thank you! I was confused about the conversation because we buy yeast that comes in the jar and not packets. I ended up reading the reviews and that’s where I found out how to convert to teaspoons. Anyways, if the conversation was listed in the recipe it may make things easier. Sorry- don’t mean to be bossy..we love your recipes and my wife works weekends so my 2 year old and I end up doing a lot of cooking and baking and following your recipes and we have a blast. Thank you.
Hi Jody, Sounds like a fun activity to do with a toddler – so glad you have enjoyed them. And I agree that adding the jarred equivalent of yeast is an excellent idea – I just updated the recipe to reflect that. Thank you!!
Hi, I made these today. Easy to make, delicious to eat! I was wondering though: what is the effect of the baking soda bath? What does it do to the dough/pretzel? Many thanks, Frank
Hi Frank, so glad you enjoyed them! The baking soda bath gives them a nice, shiny crust.
Just made these pretzels. They are very, very good! I made Alton Brown’s version last week (where I had to boil them in baking soda water prior to baking), but we love these ones much more. They’re also simpler to make. One recipe yielded 8 pretzels – not as big as at the mall, but big enough for a portion. Thank you for another reliable and yummy recipe.
Can the dough be made in a bread maker?
Sure, Amber, that should work. Enjoy!
These pretzels are crazy awesome!
Love them and this website. Thanks Jennifer.
Hi Jenn! Can i get the exact measurement of the active dry yeast? Will try this recipe soon. Thank you!
Hi Wella, One packet of yeast contains 1/4 ounce or approximately 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast. Enjoy!
What is the nutritional content per pretzel? (Calories) thank you
Hi Tabatha, Each pretzel has 317 calories. (I added all of the nutritional info to the recipe.)
Thank you so much for replying so quickly. The information is very helpful. These pretzels taste amazing and are a perfect treat 🙂
Delicious first time I ever made pretzels.
Made the pretzels and did the following:
1. used white sugar instead of brown.
2. Skipped completely the baking soda step. In Puerto Rico, the mall pretzels aren’t chewy on the outside but completely soft. They’re also sold only with sweet toppings. I also didn’t use any salt but cinnamon and sugar topping.
3. Instead of using butter, before baking, I used cooking spray.
The results were:
1. Very pale pretzels, soft but fluffy!!!
2. Will need to use the brown sugar.
My question is can you freeze the dough and for how long and before or after the rise?
Hi, these are really best made fresh, but you could get away with freezing the dough (after it rises) for up to 3 months. You can find some additional tips here on thawing and baking the dough.
These pretzels are amazing!! I am not a dough person. If it requires kneading and proofing, I usually steer clear. Jenn has written this recipe so that even I can create delicious food with dough. Her detailed instructions from the extra flour to slapping the dough were extremely helpful. My entire family raved about the final product and can’t wait for me to make them again. Thank you Jenn!
I made these today. Recipe really Should come with a warning: hugely addictive. Very easy and so delicious. Was also quick to make and caused no mess in my kitchen whatsoever. Boyfriend who is an extremely picky eater and generally does not like to eat had four of them on the spot. Thank you Jenn for another delicious recipe !!
Malak
Amazing, but highly addictive! My boyfriend and I scarfed down the whole batch in one night.
Hi, Can you freeze these and reheat ?
Hi Allen, I’ve never tried freezing these but I think they’d be best fresh out of the oven. I don’t think they’d be nearly as good after being frozen- sorry!
I made them yesterday and I must say (big wow) sooooo delicious I will make it again and again . great thanks
So I’ve made pretzels with my six kiddos too many times to count, and every time it was just blah. I want Aunt Annie’s! Well, bam!!! This recipe is BETTER than that! I ran out of sugar and used only 1 tablespoon of white sugar and the found out I was out of baking soda so I used a slightly less amount of baking powder and it all worked out perfectly. 8,000 stars, whoop, whoop!!
These are AMAZING!!! I made them yesterday for my boyfriend and I and my family swiped them all and we raving about how yummy they were! I now have to make more since my family and boyfriend loved them so much!! Great job!!
The first few times I made the recipe, the pretzels were perfect. I even ran amok and made cheese-stuffed pretzel balls with great success. The last two times were disastrous. The dough seemed very soft and wet and I added a lot of flour. How many grams of flour. My current flour is pre-sifted – grrr. That might result in too little flour. Possibly, I didn’t knead enough? Any thoughts?
Hi Sally, So sorry to hear that you’ve struggled with these! I don’t think it’s the pre-sifted flour as most flour is pre-sifted now. I wondered if perhaps one of your measurements is off. I added the metric conversion thinking that might help. To view them, scroll down to the recipe and immediately under the recipe title on the right side, you’ll see a little toggle. If you move it from “cup measures” to metric, you’ll see measurements that will work for you. Hope that helps!
How much yeast should I add? I only have a large container of yeast
Nate, I believe you would 1/4 ounce or approximately 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast.
Fabulous! Just made these with my kids. They had so much fun. They were easy and not time consuming. They are delicious! I probably over-proofed them so my 6 pretzels were very fat. Next time I’ll just make them smaller and make more! But the taste is outstanding! I love your recipes. All the ones I’ve tried so far have been absolute winners. Thank you!
My husband and I are HUGE soft pretzel fans, other than Annie’s which we don’t have close by (and they are kinda of greasy), where can you really get a decent soft pretzel, nowhere! So when I saw this recipe and given literally EVERYTHING I have made from this site has been perfect, I was not surprised this recipe is no exception! It doesn’t have that chewy consistency of those dreadful frozen pretzels; it is soooo much better than that! I followed the recipe exactly and they came out perfect!!! I was a bit nervous when it came to rolling the dough, but so easy to work with and they stayed together beautifully after I dipped them in the solution. I served them with Jenn’s Queso dip, OMG….pretzels warm out of the oven with delicious cheese dip…Christmas came early! Jenn, I no longer have words for your brilliance!!! THANK YOU!!
Would it be possible to add a touch of beer into the dough without affecting it? Just thought it might compliment the flavor a little more. Excellent recipe by the way!!!
Hi Will, I’ve never tried them that way so it’s hard to say. Perhaps you could try replacing a little of the milk with the equivalent amount of beer? Let me know how they turn out!
can i change the brown sugar to just regular granulated sugar? it’s bit hard to find brown sugar in my country hoho thanks
Yes, that fine, Cantika.
These tasted great but though the crust was brown it did not get not crusty/hard like it should be for pretzels (I did the water bath) ? What did I miss or not do right?
Else a fabulous and easy recipe. .thanks!
Hi Megha, Do you think you undercooked?
Hi Megha, You may just need to bake a little longer.
These are not supposed to be crunchy pretzels. This is a recipe for soft pretzels.
Hi Jenn,
Could I make the dough in the bread machine?
Thanks
Yep, that should work 🙂
Hi Jen,
If I wish to double the recipe (soft pretzels), should I double all of the ingredients? I’ve tried this recipe and it turn out perfect. Thank you for sharing such great recipe.
-Tini, Malaysia-
Hi Suryatini, Yes, that should work just fine. Enjoy!
How long can and how do you hold dough ?
Hi James, It depends. Here’s a link with good info that explains: http://redstaryeast.com/yeast-baking-lessons/postpone-baking/
Hi There
I’m going to make these tomorrow and I am a bit excited. I just have a question though, will it be OK if I leave the dough to rise for more then an hour? Hoping to make the dough in the morning before work and then make the pretzels when I get home – so it will be sitting for almost 8 hours. Just want them to turn out perfect and not sure if this will make any difference?
Look forward to hearing from you soon 🙂
Hi Danielle, Here’s a link with instructions on how to postpone baking with a yeast dough. Good luck and please come back and let me know how they turn out 🙂
http://redstaryeast.com/yeast-baking-lessons/postpone-baking/
I made these yesterday, and they were absolutely amazing Jen’s recipe is flawless, and the pretzels not only came out incredibly delicious, but they were beautiful as well. I made 3 with salt, and 3 with sugar and cinnamon. Looking forward to making this wonderful recipe again!
Wow! This is a great recipe! I love how the dough consistency is. I actually used it to make Stromboli, and filled it with peppers, onions, cheese, meat, etc- delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely the most wonderful pretzels I’ve ever made! They should be illegal they’re so tasty. Thank you for this recipe.
What’s a good substitute for milk? My son has nut and dairy allergies. Would coconut milk work? Water? Thank you!
Hi Harriet, Yes, either will be fine.
I made these with quick rise yeast with no problem at all. No other changes to the recipe and they came out fantastic!
Delish! Just tried these today and they turned out great! Mine only took about 8 minutes and they were perfect. I tried to put the cinnamon sugar in a ziplock bag and it melted with the hot pretzels! Haha After that problem was solved they were great! My almost 4 year old had so much fun making her own shapes with the dough! Thanks so much for the recipe! It was easy and will be our go to snack for a long time to come.
Thanks for your comment on the quick rise yeast. I buy yeast from Costco and it is quick rise so I was hoping not to have to purchase additional yeast!
I tried the soft pretzels and they came out beautifully! It wasn’t hard at all and didn’t take as much time as I thought it would. I will be making these again and again-Thank you!!