This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These Easy Soft Pretzels may look hard to make, but they’re super easy to make! I love how soft and chewy they are. Of course, I also had to make my own homemade tangy mustard sauce for to dip the soft pretzels in. It has Greek yogurt in it for creaminess, honey for sweetness, and hot sauce for just a little spice! Basically, it’s the perfect complement to the pillowy pretzels.
Table of Contents
These easy soft pretzels start by making a yeast dough! If you’ve never worked with yeast before, it’s sensitive to temperature. That’s why I call for warm but not hot (or cold!) water. Hot water kills yeast, which means the homemade pretzels won’t rise. The other keys to pretzel success are shaping them for that proper pretzel shape and boiling them in baking soda water before baking! This baking soda bath gives these big pretzels their distinctive flavor, color, and chewiness.
Recipe At a Glance
Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Oven
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Chewy, soft, tangy, mustardy
Skill Level: Easy
Why This Is So Good
- Satisfying to make: Even though this recipe is easy, rolling, shaping, boiling, and making your own pretzels is so satisfying.
- A kid-friendly project: My kids love helping rolling and shaping the pretzels! Leave boiling and baking the pretzels to the adults, of course.
- Make-ahead: You can make these pretzels a day or two ahead and reheat them. They can also be frozen and then warmed up!
Ingredients to Make Soft Pretzels
- Yeast: This is what will help the pretzels rise, making them soft and fluffy!
- Olive oil: Adds flavor and moisture to the pretzel dough.
- Honey: A little sweetness balances the rest of the flavors in the dough! Sugar also helps activate the yeast. (You’ll also use honey in the dipping sauce.)
- Salt: You’ll use salt in the dough and top the pretzels with coarse sea salt.
- Flour: This gives the pretzels structure!
- Water and baking soda: You’ll need this to boil the pretzels, which gives them their chewy crust.
- Yellow mustard: If you like, you could use another mustard like Dijon or brown mustard.
- Greek yogurt: I love the tanginess this adds, but you could leave it out of the sauce.
- Hot sauce: Just a little spice balances the sauce’s sweetness!
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Make the pretzels gluten-free. You can use a gluten-free flour blend in place of the flour, though I haven’t tried it before!
- Make cinnamon-sugar pretzels. Brush the soft baked pretzels with melted butter, then toss them in a cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Use a different dipping sauce. You could dip the pretzels in a cheese sauce, feta dip, or even spinach artichoke dip!
- Add whole-grain flour. Swap out a portion of the all-purpose flour for whole-wheat or rye flour.
How to Make Soft Pretzels
While they do require some shaping, these pretzels actually take just about an hour to make!
How to Make Pretzel Dough
Shape, Boil, and Bake Soft Preztel Dough
Tips for Making the Best Homemade Pretzels
- Check your yeast’s expiration date. Yeast that’s too old could prevent the pretzels from rising.
- Use a thermometer. I recommend taking the temperature of the water before adding the yeast. As I mentioned above, yeast is very sensitive to temperature! Ensuring the water is at the right temperature will make for successful pretzels.
- Boil the pretzels in the baking soda water for no more than 30 seconds. Any longer and the pretzels will cook too much and be overly chewy.
- Use a parchment-lined baking sheet. This will make sure the pretzels don’t stick to the pan and make them easy to remove after baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kept in an airtight container or zipperlock bag, these soft pretzels will keep at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Yes! You can freeze the baked pretzels in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then transfer them to a zipperlock freezer bag. They will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. To reheat them, bake the pretzels in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
If your yeast is active, the pretzel dough will rise slightly after it’s rested. The pretzels will also puff up when they’re boiled and baked.
I made these recently when my husband had friends over to watch a football game, and everyone was blown away, so I made my own soft pretzels! Their crust is slightly chewy, their insides tender, and they have the perfect amount of salt. Do you have to make the mustard sauce? No, but I think the pretzels are extra delicious with it.
More Homemade Bread Recipes:
- No-Knead Olive Bread
- Cheese Manakeesh
- French Bread Rolls
- Garlic & Herb Skillet Dinner Rolls
- Homemade Dinner Rolls
- Homemade Pita Bread
If you try this feel good Easy Soft Pretzel recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Easy Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups warm water 110°F
- 1 packet instant yeast or 2 ¼ teaspoons
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt optional
Baking Soda Bath
- Water
- ½ cup baking soda
Instructions
- Combine warm water, yeast, oil, honey, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer, whisking until well combined. Attach the dough hook, turn the mixer on medium-low, and gradually add one cup of flour at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The dough should be a thick, cohesive ball and bounce back when touched.
- If the dough feels too sticky, sprinkle in 1 tablespoon flour as needed. Continue kneading the dough in the stand mixer on low for an additional 5 minutes. Alternatively, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand. It should only be slightly tacky. After kneading, shape the dough into a ball, return it to the bowl, and cover with a kitchen towel. Allow it to rise for 10-15 minutes.
- While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 400°F and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. Carefully add baking soda to a large pot of water and bring it to a simmer. The baking soda may foam up, so carefully watch that it doesn’t overflow.
- Transfer the risen dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope by gently stretching and slapping it on the work surface until it reaches the desired length, about 22 inches long.
- Form each rope into a pretzel shape by creating a circle and crossing the two ends over each other, twisting them once, and bringing them back towards you to press into a pretzel shape. Lift from the top of the pretzel and place them onto the parchment-lined baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Boil the pretzels in batches of 4 at a time in the baking soda water for no more than 30 seconds. Use a slotted spatula to carefully transfer them back to the parchment paper. Sprinkle coarse salt over each pretzel.
- Bake the pretzels in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow them to cool slightly before serving and enjoy warm.
Mustard Sauce
- Whisk together mustard, honey, yogurt, and hot sauce. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
