Basic Soft Pretzels – necessary dippers for your beer cheese soup ♡ Soft, excessively fluffy, basic, and delicious. These are the BEST.
Basic Soft Pretzels
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These were absolutely amazing! They came together with little work – so simple and easy. Never knew that I was capable of making my own soft pretzels before!
Beer cheese soup was made for soft pretzels. I know it, you know it, and these twisty knots of soft fluffy bread with the chunky salt know it.
And that is my job today: to give you the pretzels you need to complete the beer cheese soup set. Soft, excessively fluffy, basic delicious pretzels. You know I take this job very seriously.
Here’s a Soft Pretzel Perks Recap. They are:
- Simple and straightforward.
- Domestic goals.
- Make-able with just a bowl and a wooden spoon.
- Seriously. Just use a wooden spoon.
- Soft, fluffy, pillowy.
- Adaptable to your favorite shapes, flavors, etc.
- Highly dip-able.
- Yummy.
How To Make Our Basic Soft Pretzels:
Here’s a quick rundown of the process.
First: Mix up the dough.
Now knead it up – 10-15 times is good – and put back in the bowl.
Now cover with plastic and let the yeast do its thang.
Roll, shape, and dip in a baking soda solution (that’s what pretzelifies it).
Bake. Dip. Eat. What a happy ending.
I did not bother to do a center pretzel twist, mostly because I was just in such a hurry to get some bread in my oven so that I could make this moment happen:
Because let’s be honest. That’s really why we’re making these soft, fluffy, steaming hot pretzels. To rip, cheese-dip, and devour.
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Basic Soft Pretzels
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 large soft pretzels 1x
Description
Basic Soft Pretzels! Necessary dippers for your beer cheese soup ♡
Ingredients
Scale
Soft Pretzels:
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 package instant yeast
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- more flour for dusting
Extras:
- 1/4 cup baking soda whisked into 3–4 cups warm water
- 1 egg
- coarse salt
Instructions
- Make the Dough: In a mixing bowl, gently whisk the warm milk, yeast, brown sugar, butter, and salt. Stir in the flour until a dough forms. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead 10-15 times.
- Let the Dough Hang Out: Return to the bowl and drizzle with a little oil to prevent sticking. Cover with a cloth or plastic wrap and set aside for an hour to rise.
- Pretzel-ify: When the dough has risen, punch it back down and divide it into 6-8 sections. Roll each section into a loooong skinny rope. Fold it into a pretzel. Dip into the baking soda solution and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake: Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown. YUUUUUM! Dip in cheese sauce, mustard, or my personal favorite – beer cheese soup.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: homemade pretzels, soft pretzels, pretzel recipe
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our collection of easy baking recipes. Check it out!
February 13, 2018
Nice to meet you!
I’m Lindsay and I ♡ FOOD. I used to be a teacher, and now making food and writing about it online is my full-time job. I love talking with people about food, and I'm so glad you're here.
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This looks delicious and, living in South Africa, I have always been curious about the taste of these and am excited to try them. Could you please tell me what the weight of the yeast package is?
Thank you
Shoudl be 1/4 ounce!
I tried this recipe and it worked out perfect for me. Definitely making these more often!
So happy to hear that, Joy!
It has NEVER occurred to me that I could make a soft pretzel. And on zero caffeine right now, I just realized how hard it is to spell pretzel. And yes yes yes to the pretzel with the beer cheese soup. Speaking of which, I’m wondering if you have ever had the beer cheese soup in Disney, Orland (Epcot Center…Cananda. I hope this one is like that one!!!!!
Is there a reason why you stopped adding the nutritional info to your recipes? It was very helpful and I know many readers appreciate it
Nutrition facts are on this one! Just look under the recipe and you should find it there. 🙂
After seeing the Beer Cheese Soup recipe yesterday, I can’t wait to try making these!! I was so excited about the cheese and pretzel idea, I forwarded it to my husband who was at work and said, “We should try making this sometime.” I kid you not, I got a reply in under 60 seconds that said “Yes!”
Ha! Hope you both enjoy them! 🙂
As I almost never have instant yeast on hand, but always have a jar of Active Dry in my fridge, do you know how the recipe might change using the Active Dry instead of the instant? Thanks in advance. These look so delicious!
Should work just fine, but I think you need to dissolve active dry in water before using it. This might be helpful: https://www.thekitchn.com/active-dry-instant-yeast-best-tips-for-working-with-yeast-180312
never bothered making pretzels since I always thought there were strange special ingredients (lye?…) so thank you for a very straight-forward pretzel recipe AND walk-thru, much appreciated, love pretzels, eat them very rarely through, but now that I can control the ingredients with this recipe, more often
Hi Lindsay!
I’m intrigued with your recipe b/c you don’t boil the pretzels in the soda water but just dip them in it. All others have the boil step; I’d much rather do it your way. Any reason why you just dip? Also, why the “3-4 cups water” ingredient? Isn’t the ratio of soda to water pretty important?
These pretzels with a cup of coffee in the morning would be perfect. Thanks for sharing Lindsay!!
Have you tried Saleh Stevens MMA?
I’d eat myself silly!!!
OMG yum! Such an easy recipe too!
I was hoping you were going to share the yummy looking pretzels from your soup post the other day 🙂 What a perfect combo together! Thanks for sharing!
Oh lawd, that last photo is just perfection
Hi,
I clicked on a link the other day (I believe on the soup recipe) and it lead me to another website with the pretzel recipe including a quicker version using refrigerated biscuit dough. So I tried that recipe out and it was absolutely the worst tasting thing I’ve ever put in my mouth – as in run to the garbage can and spit it out / food should not taste like this bad. It called for the same 4c water to 1/4 c baking soda combo. The only thing I can figure is my baking soda was bad / too old? It’s probably 6 months old but kept in an airtight container and I just used it the other week to make cookies which were fine (granted on 1 tsp went into the cookies). I’m mystified….might try the homemade recipe using a box of freshly purchased though….
Hi, made these lots, love them! Can i make dough night before? Leave to rise in fridge??? Mel x
I tried to make this and my yeast did
not rise.
Does the melted butter need to cool before you add it? Any suggestions for working with yeast. Is the warm milk the only thing needed to active it? Thanks
I used active yeast not instant 🙁
Just read this
https://www.thekitchn.com/active-dry-instant-yeast-best-tips-for-working-with-yeast-180312
This looks so yumm!
http://beautifullyme.in/
Baking soft pretzels can be a million dollar business for someone.
Hey Lindsay…! Your basic soft ptetzels looks soooo good & more delicious, sounds soooo yummy. I really enjoyed your recipe and i will try to making this in some few days after. Thanks for sharing ….keep shared your new idea with beautiful recipes……..!
Thanks, Samantha! Enjoy!
Lip Smacking Recipe of Basic Soft Pretzels.
Waiting to see more such recipes.
Keep up the good work.
If I’m using my KitchenAid mixer, how long would you recommend “kneading” the dough?
It could be less time, but we’re not 100% sure. This thread from The Kitchn might be helpful: https://www.thekitchn.com/is-the-time-for-kneading-bread-dough-the-same-by-hand-as-with-a-stand-mixer-good-questions-219884
I’m obsessed with these golden pretzels… they look soooo good!
I only have one question: I’ve made pretzels before, but they’ve always ended up having a very unpleasant baking soda taste when they are done baking and ready to eat. Is there anyone out there who would help me troubleshoot?
Thanks!
This is the first recipe I’ve seen that uses brown sugar — I liked the slightly different flavor. And, dipping it into a bowl of baking soda water is a lot easier than fishing them out of a pot of boiling baking soda water that my mom’s recipe called for. Definitely, this is the new recipe for pretzels at our house!
Glad to hear that, Greg!
After seeing the basic soft pretzels recipe today, I can’t wait to try making these!!
I have a current obsession with pretzels (and cheese sauce) so this was a no brainer for me! It was my first time making pretzels, I think I did well. Although when I got to the step were I needed to roll them in long loose pieces my dough started to separate. I made it work, but any tips or suggestions?