Homemade Soft Pretzels

I was in the mood to bake the other day but didn’t want something sweet. What to do? I turned to my favorite cookbook, (affiliate link) Secrets of a Jewish Baker and adapted a recipe for soft pretzels and they were just the thing. This week they have been the starting point for my lunch; I have cut them in half and used them to make melted cheese “sandwiches.” Quite tasty if I do say so myself.

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Homemade Soft Pretzels

1 1/4 cups warm water
1 package active dry yeast
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup bread flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp honey
5 TBS canola oil
2 tsp salt
1/8 cup baking soda
6 quarts water
pretzel salt or other coarse salt for sprinkling

In the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast over the water and allow it to soften
Add the flours, brown sugar, honey, 1 TBS of the oil, and salt. Mix until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl.
Knead just until the dough becomes smooth, about 4 minutes. This should be much softer than regular bread dough.
Place the dough into a clean, oiled bowl and let rise until doubled in size. From 30 to 60 minutes depending on conditions. It took my dough an hour as it was a little chilly in my house. Alternatively allow dough to rise overnight in the refrigerator.
You do not need to actively punch down the dough, just cut it into three equal pieces. I do this by weighing the dough and then cutting and measuring to make each piece equal.
Cut each third into as many equal pieces as you would like pretzels. I made mini pretzels and cut 12 from each third.
To shape: roll dough into a log, then make a horseshoe shape, overlap the ends and flip once, then bring them down to form the traditional pretzel shape. (I am sorry I do not have video of this but the husband was away when I made these and I could not do both by myself.)

Place the formed pretzels on a parchment lined baking sheet to rise – about 2″ apart
Let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450
Bring a 6 quart pot of water just to a boil but not boiling and add the baking soda.
Carefully drop in the pretzels, turn them and return them to the baking sheets.
When you have a filled two baking sheets with boiled pretzels put them in the preheated oven and bake for 3 to 4 minutes and then rotate the pans and bake for another 3 to 4 minutes.
The pretzels should be a nice golden brown. If not bake for another minute or two.

Allow to cool on the baking sheet and then remove to a cooling rack.

How Were the Soft Pretzels?

I can’t say these soft pretzels tasted like the ones you get off of the truck or at the fair but they are pretty tasty. In the absence of easy access to one, these will do. I have been cutting them in half like a roll and making my toasted cheese sandwich for lunch with them. A delicious way to enjoy a rather boring meal.

They also make a nice snack with a bit of yellow mustard.

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