I came into the pretzel game late in life. I didn’t have a soft pretzel until I was in high school or college. And let me tell you, I feel cheated. All the years I could have been enjoying these yummy salty treats.
This is the only soft pretzel you are ever going to need. These come together so quickly. Any Great British Bake Off fans out there? I am a huge fan, and Paul Hollywood always says you don’t need to dirty your stand mixer to make pretzels because they come together so fast. I was skeptical but I took his advice. And boy was he right! I am so glad I didn’t have to wash my stand mixer bowl and dough hook for this recipe.
Alright, enough chit chat. Let’s get started. Warm up some water and add some sugar, stir until it dissolves. Then sprinkle some yeast over the top and leave it to bloom. Here is what my bloomed yeast looked like.
Then add flour and salt. Get in there with you hand and mix it together a little bit. Drizzle in melted butter and mix until the dough comes together. PSA: if your butter is hot, be careful with this step. You might need to recruit a wooden spoon to help you out. Knead your dough for 4-5 minutes. The dough will be soft and smooth. And luscious.
Put the dough in an oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Set it in a nice warm place and leave it nap for about an hour. Sing it a lullaby or read it a story to get it cozy and then let it just rest. You deserve a rest too, take this time for yourself.
Wake that dough up slowly. Don’t be too harsh. Coddle it like a baby. Give it a soft punch down (not like a baby) and roll it out into a circle. Using a bench scraper or knife, cut the dough into 16 pieces.
Shaping the Pretzels
- Roll the dough out so it is approximately 12-15 inches long
- Form the dough into the shape of a “U”
- Cross the ends
- Cross the ends again (this gives the classic double twist of a pretzel)
- Bring the ends down to the bottom of the “U”
- Pat yourself on the back. You are a rockstar.
- Repeat with the other 15 pieces of dough.
Next, we are going to give these beauties a quick trip to the spa. Bring some water to a boil and add some baking soda. This is important in the pretzel process. Give them each a turn in the hot tub for about 30 seconds flipping them halfway through the time. Pull them out with a slotted spatula and let them drain before transferring them to a lined baking sheet. After each one is done, brush them with some egg wash and sprinkle them with salt.
Place the filled baking sheets into a 425 degree F preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. They should be shiny and dark golden brown. See how easy that was? Now, go kick your feet up and enjoy some freshly baked soft pretzels.