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many german pretzels sprinkled with coarse salt on a wooden cutting board.
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German Pretzel Recipe (Soft Bavarian Pretzels)

Homemade German pretzels with soft, chewy centers and browned crusts. This recipe uses a simple baking soda bath instead of lye.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Resting and rising time1 hour
Total Time2 hours
Course: Appetizer, Bread
Cuisine: German
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 10 pretzels
Calories: 214kcal
Author: Adina Beck

Equipment

Ingredients

Pretzels:

  • 3¾ cups all-purpose flour + about 3 tablespoons/25 g, a bit more if needed, Note 2
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1¼ teaspoon fine sea salt Note 3
  • 1 packet instant dry yeast Note 4
  • 3½ tablespoons softened butter
  • 1 cup + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water

Baking soda bath and topping:

  • 8½ cups water
  • 5½ tablespoons baking soda
  • about 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt for sprinkling
US - EU

Instructions

  • Mix the dough: Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the softened butter and lukewarm water.
    3¾ cups all-purpose flour + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar + 1¼ teaspoon fine sea salt + 1 packet instant dry yeast; 3½ tablespoons softened butter + 1 cup + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water
  • Knead the dough: Knead with the dough hook on speed 2 for 10 minutes. If the dough is very sticky and does not pull away from the sides of the bowl, add the extra flour and knead until incorporated. The dough should still feel soft, so add only as much flour as needed.
  • Let it rise: Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a clean bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave in a warm place for 40–45 minutes, or until doubled in size (Note 3).
  • Divide and rest: Weigh the dough and divide it into 10 equal pieces (mine weighed about 2¾ oz/ 78 g each). Shape each piece into a ball, place them on cutting boards, cover with a kitchen towel, and let them rest for 15 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Shape the pretzels: Roll one dough ball into a rope about 24 inches (60 cm) long. Keep the middle thicker and roll the ends thinner. Bend the rope into a U shape, with the ends pointing toward you. Cross the thin ends over each other, twist them once more, then fold them up toward the thick middle of the U. Press each end gently onto the dough so it stays in place. Repeat with the remaining dough (See the images in the post).
  • Chill the pretzels: Place the shaped pretzels on cutting boards that fit in your refrigerator. Refrigerate them while you prepare the baking soda bath.
  • Make the baking soda bath: Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, then reduce the heat to medium. Add the baking soda slowly, a little at a time. It will foam up, so wait for the foam to subside before adding more.
    8½ cups water + 5½ tablespoons baking soda
  • Dip the first batch: Keep the baking soda bath at a gentle simmer. Take five pretzels out of the refrigerator. Lower one or two at a time into the bath and leave them in for 30 seconds. Lift them out with a slotted spoon, let the excess water drain off, and place them on a prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake the first batch: Sprinkle the pretzels with coarse salt. Bake for about 15 minutes, until deeply browned.
    about 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
  • Bake the second batch: Dip and salt the remaining pretzels near the end of the first baking time, then put them straight into the oven. Serve the pretzels warm or at room temperature.

Notes

  1. Kneading without a stand mixer: Mix the ingredients in a large bowl until a dough forms, then knead it by hand on a lightly floured surface for about 12–15 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
  2. Measurements: I recommend using a digital kitchen scale to measure the ingredients.
  3. Salt: Use fine sea salt for the dough. If you have a scale, use 8 g; otherwise, measure 1¼ teaspoons. Coarse salt is only for sprinkling on the pretzels before baking. You can also use pretzel salt if you can find it.
  4. Yeast: You can replace the packet of instant dry yeast with ½ cube fresh yeast (21 g / ¾ oz). Crumble it into the lukewarm water and stir to dissolve before adding it to the flour. The dough may rise faster with fresh yeast, so check it after 25–30 minutes. It’s ready when it has doubled in size.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pretzel | Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 2879mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 124IU | Vitamin C: 0.002mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 2mg