Satisfy your soft pretzel cravings with a top-rated recipe for Homemade Soft Pretzel Twists with your choice of mustard or beer cheese dip for dunking.
Table of Contents
We’ve all been there. You’re at a movie theatre or ballpark and you agree to split a soft pretzel with your friend. So you take turns tearing away portions of the doughy rope in a dangerous game of tug o’ war, inching your way closer to the moment of truth: The center section, where dough overlaps dough in an intersection of perfection. So who gets that coveted bite?
It’s time to leave those uncomfortable decisions behind! I’ve swapped the classic pretzel shape for braided twists that serve up bite after bite of pillowy, chewy soft pretzel bliss.
It’s no secret that this is my carb of choice. My love of chewy, salted pretzels has taken on so many variations in both savory and sweet form (hello, Pumpkin Spice Pretzel Bites!).
How to Twist a Soft Pretzel
Soft pretzels can take on many shapes and forms, from the classic pretzel shape and pull-apart rolls to bite-sized nuggets and even bagels (my personal favorite!). These twists are fantastic for dipping and dunking, but they also make great rolls for sandwiches or bratwurst.
Creating the twist shape is best broken down into a series of simple steps:
- Roll out the dough into a rope
- Twist the rope around itself, leaving a loop at the top
- Loop the twisted rope around itself, pulling it through the top loop
How to Reheat Soft Pretzels
Soft pretzels can be reheated in a variety of ways, all depending on your preferred textural outcome. If you like a crispier exterior, the air fryer is your friend. If you like a super-soft center, mosey on over to the microwave. And for a little bit of both, the oven is your BFF.
General temp and time guidelines are:
- Air Fryer: 320°F for 2 to 3 minutes until warmed through
- Microwave: 15-second increments until warmed through
- Oven: 325°F for about 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warm (110-115°F) water
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for topping
- 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Vegetable oil
- 10 cups water
- 2/3 cup baking soda
- 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 Tablespoon water
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water, sugar and kosher salt. Sprinkle the yeast on top and allow it to sit for 5 minutes or until it begins to foam.
- Secure the hook attachment to the stand mixer, then add the flour and butter to the bowl and mix on low until the ingredients are combined.
- Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the bowl. Clean the bowl and then grease it with vegetable oil.
- Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. (Watch my video for how to proof bread in the dryer.)
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF and position the oven racks in the middle two positions in your oven.
- Line two sheet trays with lightly oiled parchment paper.
- Stir together the 10 cups of water and the baking soda in an 8-quart pot. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
- While the water comes to a boil, turn the dough onto your work surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. (Do not flour your work surface; See Kelly’s Notes.)
- Applying even pressure, roll out each piece of dough into an 18- to 20-inch rope. Fold each rope in half, twisting the two pieces around one another and pressing the ends together. Twist the bottom end around the top, feeding it through the top hole and pressing to secure. (See photos for shaping instructions.) Return the twists to the cookie sheet.
- One by one, carefully place each twist into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove each twist from the water using a large slotted spoon or spatula(s) and return it to the cookie sheet. Brush the tops of the twists with the egg yolk wash and sprinkle with kosher salt (optional).
- Bake the twists until golden brown in color, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the pans (between racks and turning to rotate pans) halfway through, then remove the twists from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Kelly’s Notes:
- Do not flour your work surface prior to rolling out the pretzels or the dough won’t have enough traction against the surface. Using the palms of your hands, apply even pressure as you roll from the center out to form the dough into ropes.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
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Recipe adapted from Alton Brown.
OMG this is a fab recipe! Pretzels turned out perfect. Make these! Tonight! It’s way easier than you might think.
Thanks so much, Diane!
Followed the recipe exactly and they turned out perfectly!
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, Jay!
I saw this recipe earlier today & decided to try it. Amazing !!! This will be great for family functions & get together’s.
Thank you for sharing
You are so welcome, Catherine! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Hello!
I am attempting to make these for my daughter as she is working and has a college class. She’s the one who usually makes them and I’m a bit nervous because I want to get them right for her. She’s taking them to school tomorrow!
Once I roll them out and have them ready to bake, can she take them and bake them later this evening or even tomorrow?
Hi Stacy! Once they’re ready for baking, they will have already been boiled in the baking soda bath, so they really need to be baked immediately after or they’ll develop an odd texture. They definitely taste great on day 2 though, so you can make them 100% through and give them to her the next day. Hope this helps!
Great pretzel recipe. Very do able twist.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Bonnie!
I made these today for the first time with my kiddos and while ours look absolutely Nothing like the picture. The recipe worked perfectly and they’re so yummy! Something we will definitely be making again.
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Erin!
I’ve made these during baseball playoffs every year for the past 10 years or so. They are perfect!
AMAZING! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, David!
Delicious & so easy to make! I even made pretzel buns from this recipe to use for hamburgers and we all enjoyed them!
Awesome! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Patricia!
Can these be frozen? If so, at what stage?
Hi Phillis! You can freeze them after baking and then reheat them in the microwave!
How do you get them off the parchment paper??
Hi Ciaran – Did you let them cool on the baking sheet? If so, they should pop right off.
These pretzels look delicious and I can’t wait to try them! I just have one question – once the pretzels are shaped, hot long can you let them sit before boiling them? I just ask because I’m making them for a party and thought getting them to the point of being ready to boil ahead of time would be helpful. Thank you so much!
Hi Erin! The yeast is activated at that point so I’d say you have 24 hours max!
Hi Kelly
Two questions before I try this. First is the results are better, worse, or indifferent using bread flour rather than all purpose?
The second question is whether a read machine could be used on the dough cycle which would mix and rise? I have a KitchenAid mixer but the bread machine seems easier to clean.
Hi Dave! I’ve never tried using different types of flour so I can’t say with certainty how the pretzel rolls would turn out. Also, a bread machine *should* work but I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure!
Just made these. The dough was very easy and came together nicely. It handled beautifully. Best part is they taste amazing! This will be my go to pretzel dough from now on. Thank you so much for this great recipe.
You are so welcome, Donna! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
This recipe is perfect. I tried several but for me this works best. Dough is easy to work into your desired shape, tastes delicious. Thank you so much for sharing!
You are so welcome, Esther! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
The Soft Pretzel Twists came out AMAZING! I did struggle the first time around with the dough, following the 4 1/2 cups of flour left my dough really dry and shaggy, I cut the 1/2 cup in the second dough attempt and they came out perfect!
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Samantha!
I’m trying this today. FYI did you know (for those of us who buy yeast in the bag at Sam’s or Costco). You can get a 2 1/4 tsp. measuring spoon from amazon? That is the same amount of 1 package of yeast.
Thanks for that tip, Dolly!
The ONLY attachment missing from my stand mixer is my dough hook! I don’t know where it could be! Can I mix with my hands? I mean we haven’t always had appliances, right?? I make bagels by hand….
Absolutely you can mix by hand, Drew!
amazing recipe!!!! turned out so so delicious and soft!! 12 minutes on 230C was perfect!! will be saving this recipe to use again :)
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Bianca!
The last time I made pretzels, it was a nightmare. The baking soda water dissolved my dough and it was really gross to clean up. With this recipe, the whole process was a dream! Also, my husband can’t stop eating them, so it’s 5 stars for us!
I love soft pretzels so so much, and these definitely didn’t disappoint me.
I made most of them with salt, but I saved two without salt and I’m going to butter them and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on them :)
I’m so thrilled you and your husband enjoyed the pretzels, Katie!
These came out beautifully! The dough is great to work with. I’ll be using this dough for my stuffed pretzels.
Yay! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Staci!
Would you happen to have a video of the twist process? I see the first part but can not figure out the twist bottom second time twist and up through part
Hi Elisa! Here’s a link to the recipe video on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/justatasteblog/videos/334194105169152 I hope this helps!
Hands down the best homemade pretzel recipe. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to follow all the steps. They turned out a beautiful brown and the texture when pulled apart is fantastic. I made them with and without salt as well as rolled some in cinnamon sugar. I served them with a bacon mustard, queso cheese and a sweet cream cheese butter dip. Everyone raved about them. This is now my go-to pretzel recipe. Thank you, Kelly.
You are so welcome, Brenda! All of the dips you served the pretzels with sound amazing! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe :)
I feel like this recipe calls for way too much flour. I have to add a half stick of butter to get it to mix.
Hi Katelynn – Did you add the water/yeast mixture? The dough won’t be dry at all if you add that in the first step.
These were a big hit! So easy! The dough is so nice to work with since it’s not sticky. My family loved them!
I’m so glad your family enjoyed the recipe, Jennifer!
Is it possible to do all of the steps up until the baking and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to bake? Or any way to start them early so that they can be baked at the last minute?
Hi Kate – I’ve never tried prepping the dough that far in advance, so I’m not sure how it’d work with the proofing and the rise. And I wouldn’t refrigerate the dough because it’ll prevent the resulting pretzels from being nice and fluffy. Hope that helps!
Always my favorite for super bowl Sunday! Used your bread proofing tip as well
Woohoo! So thrilled to read this, Jessica!
Easy recipe however for some reason mine stuck to my lightly oiled parchment
Hi Debi – Did you let them cool on the baking sheet? If so, they should pop right off.
Delish! and so easy to make. Next time I’ll try Trisha’s idea and top some with Everything but the Bagel seasoning! These are a great size to split and stuff with yummy sandwich fillings.
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Paddy!
Egg allergy family here. Would it be ok to not do the egg wash?
Absolutely, Nikki, you just might have slightly less golden brown pretzels.
You could also use some milk for it
How do you store leftover pretzels? Love these. Have made them twice.
Hi Linda – These twists are definitely best when enjoyed on the day they’re baked. However you can store them in sealed plastic bags, but keep an eye on the moisture and open the bags every now and then if they look like they’re getting too soft.
LOVED this recipe! First time making homemade pretzels and this was very easy to understand. Though it was very intimidating rolling the dough and forming the pretzel shape, I had an awesome time! We added ‘Everything Bagel Seasoning’, Salt & Garlic and just Salt on ours. We are considering adding some shredded cheese next time on some. Made some homemade cheese for dipping. Thank you so much!!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Trisha!
Everything was perfect, except the strong baking soda taste. Anyone else have this issue? I followed the recipe exactly. I won’t give up on the recipe; next time I’ll just add less.
Hi Ashley! It could be that you boiled the twists too long. If you boil them longer than 30 seconds your pretzels will have a metallic taste.
Made these and they were sooooo good! May use them as a burger roll later in the week! Great recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Beth!
Easy! Even for a Christmas spent by ourselves, my husband was going antsy to do SOMEthing this afternoon and I remembered saving your Homemade Soft Pretzel Twists and asked if he’d like to try making them. He was very enthusiastic! I told him, the deal was that he had to make it by hand… no stand mixer allowed. He really did a nice job with measuring, mixing, and then kneading the dough to a smooth texture and was game to try the rolling/forming once proofed. We both did! ( I love working with dough and don’t seem to plan time for that in recent years ♀️) Ours didn’t come out looking quite like yours, but we’re cutting ourselves a wee bit of slack for our first attempt. Some were topped with pretzel salt and some with everything seasoning. Dipped them in grainy Jewish style mustard and we were in heaven. Champagne for me and a beer to go with for hubby was a close-to-dinnertime filling ‘snack’ watching the football game. Will definitely make these again! Thank you Kelly! And Merry Christmas! ❤️
Love reading this, Diane! I’m so thrilled you and your husband enjoyed the recipe. Merry Christmas!
Oh my gosh! These are amazing and so easy! I had to eat a warm one right away and nearly died and went to heaven. I experimented with a couple of different shapes, too, and had more fun than a kid with Play-Doh. TRY THESE!
Love this! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Vickie!
I made these yesterday (12/19/2020) and they were fantastic! I’ve made pretzels before, but they were not as good as these. I don’t recall dropping the others in boiling water, like I do with bagels. I guess that makes a big difference. That may seem like a fussy step, but it’s not hard, no one should be intimidated by that!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Holly!
can you send a link on how to shape these pretzels please??
Hi Patty! Here’s a video I made and posted on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/100050647202182/videos/10163807663620442 I hope this helps!
I love this recipe! I used Miyoke’s vegan butter to make them vegan and made them into pretzel bites instead. Topped it with some vegan egg wash and Morton’s sea salt, so divine! It was my first time making pretzel-anything, and I was amazed at how delicious and easy these were. Thank you!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Rose!
This is an amazing recipe. Have made numerous times and blessed many people! They freeze well. For anyone thinking pretzels and such are too complicated, they are not! The process is actually quite fun- feel like a big kid working on crafts! Don’t rush making these- enjoy making them :-)
Love this! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!
Hi Micheya, can you tell me about freezing them? I’d like to have them for a Christmas gathering but don’t want to be up to my elbows in flour with guests arriving!
Thanks, Tammy
Hi Tammy! You can freeze them after baking and then reheat in the microwave!
Hello! Excited to try your recipe! If I refrigerate the dough overnight, should I let it rise at room temp for an hour still before boiling and baking?
Thank you
Hi Kate! I’ve never tried prepping the dough that far in advance, so I’m not sure how it’d work with the proofing and the rise. And I wouldn’t refrigerate the dough because it’ll prevent the resulting pretzels from being nice and fluffy. Hope that helps!
This is an EXCELLENT recipe. I love soft pretzels. I’ve tried and failed with the King Arthur Flour recipe and was nervous about trying again. But this was so easy and spot on. Adding this to my regular baking list.
Quick question: What would happen if I just used an egg white wash instead of a yolk wash?
Thank you!!!
That’ll work just fine! And I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Hi. Sunds like a great recipe but we cannot get active yeast here in Thailand. Can we substitute instant yeast and what would the ratio be and would there be any changes in the recipe?
Thank you!
Hi Fred – Yes! You’d just want to use about 25% less than the recipe states, and you just add it to the dry ingredients (no need to mix it at the beginning with the wet).
can I use bicarbonate of soda or baking powder instead of yeast?
Hi Bridget! You’ll definitely want the yeast in this recipe, but I have a ton of other no-yeast baking recipes for breads: https://www.justataste.com/easy-bread-recipes-without-yeast/
These were so good!! So easy to make. I used everything bagel seasoning on them and wow! I am sending them as a care package to nurses at my local hospital how do you store yours so they don’t spoil?
Hi Kristie! These twists are definitely best when enjoyed on the day they’re baked. However you can store them in sealed plastic bags, but keep an eye on the moisture and open the bags every now and then if they look like they’re getting too soft.
what if we dont have a stand mixer or a hook?
Hi Gracie – You could do it by hand! It should work out without any issues (although the texture might be slightly different), you’ll just want to make sure the ingredients are well incorporated.
Excellent recipe! How can you store the extra dough and how long would it be good for?
Hi Mariam – Instead of keeping the extra dough (refrigerating it will prevent the resulting pretzels from being nice and fluffy), I’d recommend using all of it and freezing any extra pretzels you end up with. :) Hope that helps!
So easy and delicious! My 4 kids loved the pretzels and I also made a cheese dipping sauce.
Love dipping these in cheese! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Mae!
I made these for my 3 kiddos and they loved it! They had 2-3 each! Thank you soo much for the recipe! I have tried lots of homemade pretzel recipes and this one was the best! The color and texture of the outside layer was amazing!
Yay! I’m so thrilled you and your family enjoyed the recipe, Caroline!
I’ve made this recipe too many times to count and they always come out delicious. Thought I would finally stop by and say thank you! We love to make these pretzels and have them with a big fruit/veggie cheese plater. My kids always get so excited when I make them. We even made them rainbow one time for kicks!
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, Serenity! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!
Kelly can I cut back on the baking soda .I made a batch today they were perfect but had an after taste
Hi Marlene! It could be that you boiled the twists too long. If you boil them longer than 30 seconds your pretzels will have a metallic taste.
Very good recipe, if you follow it you get super rolls or twists
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Marta!
Easy to follow recipe, fantastic pretzels!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Rachel!
Hi Kelly. Can I still make them is I don’t have kosher salt? Or what can I used instead? Thank you in advise!
Hi Cristina! You can leave out the salt as it won’t drastically change the outcome, just the flavor a bit :)
One word. AMAZING. Really a fool proof recipe. I made w beer cheese dip they were a huge hit.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Love this recipe and the new shape. I’ve doubled the recipe and they turn out great. We like to dip them in powdered sugar mixed with milk. Yum!
Awesome! I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Toni!
i love the recipe, and they turn out great! but, i have to put in a 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup more flour to the dough when kneading, or else it is too sticky and will not come out of the bowl. but, when i do that they still turn out great!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Sophie!
Have you ever made pretzel bites with this recipe? I’m thinking you would just shorten the baking time…. I’ve made these a bunch in the twist style and LOVE them but my kiddos wanted bite size ones for dipping so I was just curious
That should work well, Tawnya! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe :)
will this work with dough attachment and with salted butter.
Sure! But I’d recommend leaving out the salt as the pretzels will likely be too salty.
No fail recipe. Easy to make and super yummy! Huge hit with the family. Will definitely add to my recipe collection. Thanks!
So thrilled to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Julie Ann!
I have made Pretzel buns before, but this dough is by far the best. They turned out very amazing. This recipe is a definitive keeper
Woohoo! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Anne!
I made these today and they turned out perfect.
I was wondering if you could make the Pretzels dough ahead of time and bake them the next day?
Hi Shelli! I’ve never tried prepping the dough that far in advance, so I’m not sure how it’d work with the proofing and the rise. And I wouldn’t refrigerate the dough because it’ll prevent the resulting pretzels from being nice and fluffy. Hope that helps!
I don’t have a stand mixer. Could I use a hand mixer and still have them come out ok?
Hi Karen! I’ve never tried making this recipe without a stand mixer, but I think you could do it by hand. It should work out without any issues (although the texture might be slightly different), you’ll just want to make sure the ingredients are well incorporated.
I’ve made these once and they were perfect! I want to make them again for a party coming up. Are they easy to double you think or should I make two separate batches?
Hi Erika! I’d recommend making two separate batches. I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Could you freeze them and reheat at a later date?
Hi Candy – I’ve never tried freezing them so I’m not sure what the result would be. Let me know if you give it a shot!
I have frozen them. I reheat them in the oven. They still taste great.
Thanks for your note, Kate!
Hi Kelly,
Hope you and your sweet family are well.
I wondered if I could add grated cheese or herbs to this recipe?
I have made it before and big success at my house!
Also I have fresh grated cardamom in the cupboard, do you think that is a good mix or wrong combo.
Keep up the good work.
Hugs, judith
Any of those additions would be delicious! So glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Judith!
Love this recipe! Wondering how you store them? I put them in a ziploc bag after they had cooled completely. But they seemed moist when I opened the bag today.
Hi Tracy! These twists are definitely best when enjoyed on the day they’re baked. However, just like you did, store them in sealed plastic bags, but keep an eye on the moisture and open the bags every now and then if they look like they’re getting too soft.
Would you recommend using a bread flour instead of AP flour?
Hi Joyca! I’ve never tried using different types of flour so I can’t say with certainty how the pretzel rolls would turn out. Let me know if you give it a shot!
This was definitely the most easiest and successful recipe I’ve ever tried! Thank you for posting this!
Thank you for rating the recipe, Yariana! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it!
I’m so glad you post recipes with stuff we all have in our kitchen that you
I’m not one to typically comment, but these are just too heavenly not to! My third batch is currently rising. They’re so easy to make and taste so wonderful. Thanks for such a yummy recipe!!!
Thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Lily! And thank you so much for taking the time to comment!
These are absolutely delicious! I make them a few times a year, and they are always a big hit. I have been trying to play around with flavors… cinnamon sugar, rosemary & olive oil, etc. but haven’t had too much luck. Seems like the sprinkle of salt on top is the best option!
So glad you’ve been enjoying the recipe! And all of your variations sound delicious!
where does the tablespoon of water come into play? i don’t see to much description about the ingredients on the directions.
It’s with the egg for the eggwash :) Updating the recipe now!
Kelly, I thank you immensely for this recipe, especially the shape! I preferred using 3 T. brown sugar, not that we need it, but oh the taste!
I first used it for my homeschool co-op home economics class students in our yeast bread study. Then we began selling them to raise money for our summer missions trips! They sell like hotcakes! Thank you so very much.
You are so welcome, Sheri! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe :)
I’ve made these a couple times now. Tried lightly oiling, heavily oiling, medium oiling but regardless they always stick to the parchment. Any suggestions?They’re good regardless
Hi Karen – I’ve never experienced these sticking to the paper so I’m not sure what could be the cause. Have you ever tried using a Silpat instead?
Hi K Olson,
I’ve made these pretzels around a million times now (give or take) and the few times I had them stick it was because I accidentally used waxed paper instead of parchment paper! You may not have done the same thing as me, but since I made this silly mistake I thought I’d mention it. I did it twice on accident and both times the pretzels stuck like crazy.
I also let my pretzel sit for a few seconds on a cooling rack after taking them out of the baking soda bath, not sure if that helps or not, but in my head it does so I keep doing it ;-)
Hello, I know this is a late reply but, mine always stick unless I use Pam spray first. Hope that helps!
I love this recipe! I recently bought a Kitchenaid and wanted to surprise my boyfriend with soft pretzels (he always has to buy them when we go to Germany to shop). Now I’m making them at least one day per weekend, often both weekend days. :P My only substitutions are as follows: I have better luck with half the butter (32g instead of 65g, which I think I correctly converted), and since it’s really hard to buy baking soda here, I boil them in a smaller pot with half the water and using half the baking soda, to conserve it. :) Why not, right? You’re still only boiling one at a time, so it’s not like there is a space problem… But thanks so much for sharing this recipe, it’s amazing!
This is what I love to hear! Thrilled you’re enjoying the recipe, Stacy :)
Can I make this dough the day before? If yes, where should I keep it (fridge)? I would love to do this and have the kids do their own.
Hi Betty! I’ve never tried prepping the dough that far in advance, so I’m not sure how it’d work with the proofing and the rise. I definitely wouldn’t refrigerate it because it’ll prevent the resulting pretzels from being nice and fluffy. Hope that helps!
I did a comment on Pinterest . Followed through on your web site. Loved the recipie . Next time I will send a pic. The dryer is a great idea. Always used the oven before , but you almost are doing laundry as much. A guy that cooks wouldn’t think about the dryer. I do laundry though.
Thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Scott!
Great recipie. In your notes remind those there is a big difference between wax paper and parchment. Saw one comment about that. Never thought about the dryer before.
I wish I had this recipe years ago! It’s so fool proof, I’m amazed at how easy it is to make homemade pretzels that taste just as good as a bakery. Thanks thanks thanks! These will definitely become a weekly tradition and they’re perfect to freeze and reheat
Woohoo! This is what I love to hear, Aisha! So glad you enjoyed the recipe :)
If I shouldn’t use flour on my working surface, what can I use instead to prevent sticking?
Hi Janice – You want the dough to have traction against the work surface but if you need to you can lightly oil the surface.
Can I leave the Salt out?
Hi Kelly – You can leave out the salt as it won’t drastically change the outcome, just the flavor a bit :)
This was my first attempt at making pretzels from scratch! Recipe is fool proof thanks for sharing
Thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Aisha!
i dont want to make all at once. can you store dough for later use or can i make pretzels and freeze for later?
Hi there – I’ve never tried freezing them so I’m not sure what the result would be. Let me know if you give it a shot!
So many yummy recipes! Great job!!
Thank you so much, Amy!
I just made them, followed the recipe to the T.
My question is, do the pretzels stick to the oiled parchment until they cool? We can’t remove them when they are just out of the oven. Thanks
They shouldn’t!
Fantastic recipe, easy to follow and delicious pretzels!!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Just curious can you use self rising flour instead of using sugar yeast and baking powder?
Hi Rachel – I’ve never tried making this recipe with self-rising flour so I can’t say with certainty if that would work. Let me know if you give it a shot!
Loved this recipe!!!!! I did take earlier advice and turned the oven to 425. Thank you!!
So glad you enjoyed it, Tina!
These are so good. My family was eating them faster than I could bake them. I made a double batch and even stuffed some with cheese. The oven temperature seemed to brown the bottom to much so lowered it by 25 degrees. I will be making these again very soon.
Love hearing this, Brandy! So glad you and your family enjoyed the recipe!
Just made these with my daughter and they were amazing. We made some twists, some in the traditional pretzel shape and some in the “nip” shape which we actually liked the best. We will definitely make these again soon!’
Awesome! So glad you and your daughter enjoyed the recipe, Lisa!
Just made these. I’m in the Salt Lake City area and had to add additional flour due to high altitude cooking conditions. Totally didn’t think about that at the start and a few unfortunate words may have escaped my mouth when I went to roll these out the first time (gooey sticky mess). I incorporated more flour and then was able to roll/twist/boil/bake. These are really yummy :)
So thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, Mary! :)
I don’t have a mixer with a hook attachment. Should I mix with my hands? Also, can they be frozen?
Hi Amy! I think you could do it by hand, but the texture might be slightly different. And I’ve never tried freezing them so I’m not sure what the result would be. Let me know if you give either a shot! :)
I make and freeze soft pretzels all the time. Freeze them without the salt. When you microwave the frozen pretzel, sprinkle with water and salt. Works great.
Hi! Does 11/2 cups of water mean 5 1/2 cups of water? Seems like that would be too much water for only 4 1/4 c. Of flour.
Hi Daria! The recipe is correct as written with 1.5 cups of water. Hope that helps!
I am thinking of making these for Thanksgiving. How far in advance can I make these? Night before?
Hi Kellie! These twists are definitely best when enjoyed on the day they’re baked. If you really need to make them in advance, I’d make them one day before you want to serve them and store them in sealed plastic bags, but keep an eye on the moisture and open the bags every now and then if they look like they’re getting too soft. Hope that helps! Enjoy!
hey I really like it so much this recipe and I can’t wait to make it for my family soon but I just can’t understand about the ingredients in below can you please explain more for me thank you
Hi Noora – I’m not sure I understand your question.
I never comment on blogs, but I just had to on this one – about these soft pretzels! Made them yesterday, and o.m.g. ….sooo good!! Not anywhere near as difficult as I thought they’d be; I didn’t even knead the dough but a minute or so (time restraint) and they just turned out so perfect. I will definitely be making these over and over! Thanks for sharing with us!
Excellent! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Sharon! And thank you for taking the time to comment on how much you enjoyed it :)
I’m sorry. I feel the need to clarify because I so want them to be as wonderful as yours look. Only 1 rise, before you shape? Thank you!
I have made these several times and they are always a hit! Just wondering if I can use the same recipe to make pretzel buns?
Absolutely, Jackie!
I should mention, the only thing I did differently was I used Red Devil 100% Lye instead of baking soda.
The dough didn’t need quite as much kneading as the directions said, either. All in all, fantastic pretzels!
Came across this recipe tonight and decided to try it out. Never attempted to make pretzels before so I was worried I’d fail.
These were AMAZING!
Thank you so much for your recipe. I’ll be using it again and again,
After you boil the pretzel could you freeze them and bake them as you need them? The reason I’m asking is I’d like to serve them for a party and it would help if I could make them ahead of time.
Hi Susan! I’ve never tried freezing them so I’m not sure what the result would be.
Hi Susan just curious as to how the frozen dough worked out for you
Made these today. I brushed them with melted butter as they came out of the oven. I did not have egg to brush them…so I omitted.
Hi. I made the dough and I had a pretty good dough with just 3 cups of flour wonder if I still should add the other 1 1/2 cup. I think if I will the dough will be to hard. What do you think?
Hi Angelika – It’s hard to say without seeing/feeling the texture of the dough.
Could I replace with half whole white wheat.?
Hi Debbie! I’ve never tried using different types of flour so I’m not sure what the substitute amount would be that would yield the best results.
My only concern about this recipe is that salt inhibits yeast bloom. I personally would add the salt to flour and stir it in before adding the butter instead of mixing it with the sugar and water to proof the yeast, but that’s just the method I learned, not saying it’s wrong. Clearly Kelly has had excellent results with her method.
I still cannot seem to figure out the shaping process from the pictures. You have lost me after the long twisted rope. How do I move on to step 3 (making the twist smaller)?
Hi Sara – You wrap the twisted rope around itself to form a number “8.”
The water should be warm enough to bathe in but not hurt you, 105 degrees is perfect water for yeast to bloom. Sugars feed yeast so it’s ok to mix a tablespoon of sugar or even flour into the yeast when blooming- however- salt kills it. This is why salt is added to the dry ingredients in bread recipes. If it is mixed well into the flour it will not kill your hard work. It only takes 5 minutes to bloom. It will look “thick” in the water/ as it foams and produces gas. If it doesn’t your water may be too hot, too cool, or dead. If it isn’t expired or dead, cool water is ok but the rising takes longer. Using cool water allows you to retard the raising process so you can refrigerate and bake the next morning (cinnamon rolls are a perfect example) and they’ll rise slowly in your reefer. The hot water is for a rise to double and bake within a few hours. Also- the longer yeast is “fed” and allowed to ferment, the better tasting a dough will be (pizza dough and sour doughs are prime examples). That’s called a starter. Instant yeast can be added to the flour/dry ingredients and doesn’t require blooming in hot water. Active dry is quicker than regular yeast but I’ve used all of them in a water bloom and they all worked well after 5 minutes. 10 at max if your water temp falls to 90 degrees. :) hope that helps
Thank you use this recipe a lot………..Happy New Year!
So glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Jeanette! Happy New Year!
what should i do if my dough doesn’t rise
Hi Belle – What does the dough look like? Did you leave it in a warm place?
This recipe should win an award. So easy to make other than that they take a bit of time. Mine came out beautifully and tasted absolutely delicious. Just perfect! Thanks so much for sharing!
I am trying these with gluten free flour now. And I don’t know if I accidentally put too much flour in but I had to add water to the dough. I can’t wait to try them!
Hi Amanda – I have never made this recipe with gluten-free flour, but depending on the type you’re using, it likely won’t be a 1:1 swap with all-purpose flour.
Just made a batch of pretzels and they were amazing! Thank you for the recipe. This is a keeper!
Can you make this dough in a bread machine?
Sure!
I want to freeze some of these for after school snacks. So you completed the entire process then froze them and just reheated at 250?
I made these last weekend and they were delicious. I cut the recipe in half since there are just 2 of us. I also added a diced up habanero pepper and half a block of grated cheddar cheese while mixing the wet and dry ingredients. I used a kitchen aid the the dough hook. I also omitted the egg wash. They were delicious, I wish I could post a picture! Today I may try to bake a quarter batch since we are trying to be good :) The 6 I made last week didn’t make it past Monday! This is the best pretzel recipe I have tried.
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
2 1/4 teaspoons
Happened upon your blog through some blog hopping… What an amazing collection recipes you have… Tried out this pretzel recipe today… They came out so yuummy… Thank you for posting a wonderful recipe..
Welcome to Just a Taste! Thanks so much for stopping by :)
My pretzel rolls got stuck to the baking sheet :(
Hi Morgan – Did you place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet? They shouldn’t stick if you line the baking sheet.
I made them with bread flour and they were yummy! Tasted a little different but were still good.
Esta bien esa cantidad de bicarbonato, 2/3 taza o son cucharadas. ?????
gracias y disculpas
Hola Oskar – La receta es correcto. Es 2/3 taza de bicarbonato. Disfruta!
I just made these for my husband’s birthday. They’re SO good!! Thank you for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed them!
I’ve only used instant active dry yeast or quick rise and do not change anything and they are always as pictured above and delicious
I made homemade salted caramel sauce as a dip. Amazing.
Just made these… They came out amazing!
My goodness, these look wonderful, maybe I’ll make them.for a church outing, then I won’t eat the whole batch myself! I like the idea of using a bread machine if you don’t have a mixer and dough hook. What is the purpose of boiling the twists before baking? Thanks.
Hi there! Tried this recipe and LOVED it.. the family was very impressed.
Just wondering if this would work just the same for a regularly-shaped soft pretzel.
Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful! Made these today…one with coarse sea salt, the other with cinnamon sugar…I love that the dough doesn’t smell/taste “yeasty” as can be the case when using packaged yeast…I’m not sure if the fact that my yeast didn’t take more than 5 minutes to bloom had anything to do with it but either way, they turned out like perfection.
Never tried to make pretzels before, thought it would be hard. Followed this recipe, and OMG, they’re good! Hubby and I made them together in a sort of assembly line, and it was easy. Chewy outside and oh-so-soft inside. Can’t wait to make more.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Bonnie!
I made these this morning. Followed the exact recipe and they turned out great! Pretty easy to make too. Thanks, Kelly.
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
They came out beautiful thanks to your awesome instructions. I did add an egg to the dough for added protein and a bit of softness. I’ll freeze for later.
Perfect, Debbie! Love your addition :)
Honey is sweater and wetter, so you use about 3/4 of it to 1 of sugar ratio. But, equal portions ought to work as well. It’s so little.
Nice looking soft pretzels. You lost me on the instructions on how to shape it. Did you fold the long twisted dough to make it shorter? Can you explain it further please. I’d like to make this soon. Thanks.
Hi Ela – If you reference the third photo above, you can see the exact shaping process. If goes from a long rope, to a twisted rope and then into the twist. Hope the photo helps!
I am wondering if I could use something else to substitute the egg or if they would turn out good w/out the egg added… my son is allergic but these look so good & I would love to make them!
Hi Nichole! I’ve never tried making this recipe with an egg substitute so I can’t say with certainty how the pretzel rolls would turn out.
I made these yesterday! I don’t have a mixer, just kneaded by hand and they are absolute perfection! Thanks for the great recipe
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I always make up two batches and puT in freezer. When we are ready to use them I put on tray in oven for 10 mins about @ 250. They very soft and just the same as when they came out of oven the first time. They are also delicious with chocolate dip,cheese dip, and just spicy mustard. Of course they are delicious plain.
I made these tonight and they were delicious! a new favorite recipe for me!
Woohoo! That’s what I like to hear, Julie :)
These were fantastic! Thank you so much for the recipe. I made two batches for the 4th and they were demolished as soon as they came out of the oven. Such a simple recipe for such a fantastic thing!
Just made these today, literally last batch is in the oven, and we tried one, so so good!! Mine don’t look as nearly as pretty as yours but they are SO good! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome! So glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Jessica!
I just wanted to say my family LOVES this recipe! In fact, they love it so much I have made it probably every week since I found it! They turn out perfect every single time.
I made these with my preschool class, and they were amazing!!
OMG just finished and they are soooooo yummy! My husband said he would try one, he had 2!!!!!!
I can’t even get my yeast to activate! Saw this on pinterest this morning and decided to make it… I’ve never worked with yeast before so I’m not certain of the process.
IT is so beautiful, that i wanna cry <:)
Haha! Thanks, Rebecca :)
Make these this weekend and my little ladies were thrilled! Thank you for the awesome recipe! I will definitely make it again!
Amazing! So glad you all enjoyed them, Isabelle!
Saw these on Pinterest this morning and decided to go ahead and make them….YUM! They turned out perfectly. Great recipe!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Rachel!
Just curious how far in advance of an event I could make these and still have them be yummy. And if that’s possible, what is the best way to store them.
Hi Ana! These twists are definitely best when enjoyed on the day they’re baked, because when you put them in an airtight container to keep them fresh, they tend to become too moist. If you really need to make them in advance, I’d make them one day before you want to serve them and store them in sealed plastic bags, but keep an eye on the moisture and open the bags every now and then if they look like they’re getting too soft. Hope that helps! Enjoy!
I was just thinking the other day that I haven’t had a soft pretzel in ages – and then I saw this. Must be fate? These look so good, Kelly!
I made these today and they turned out perfect! They are easy and delicious. I used my bread maker to mix and knead the dough, since I don’t have a mixer with a paddle. It worked just as good. Thank you for the recipe!
Amazing! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Robin :)
Should you drain the twists on paper towels after boiling them?
Hi Brenna! No need to drain them, and definitely don’t put them on paper towels or they’ll stick. Just shake off as much excess water as possible.
I can’t wait to try these, Kelly! I’m grinding my own flour now and I bet they would be amazing with some wheat flour.
OMG I am almost 6 month pregnant and these got me drooling! They look amazing and I will defintley be making them! What is the equivalent of the active dry yeast in teaspoons? I only have the stuff in the jar not individual packages. Thanks!
I made a similar pretzel dough a couple of years ago for a family gathering, for the kids. Instead of twists, I made them sticks, for easier grabbing; after baking, I had the kids dip them in melted butter & cinnamon sugar. For the adults I kneaded in finely shredded cheddar & cracked black pepper, but had considered pepper jack & (a little!) finely minced jalapenos. The last batch was pre-packaged shredded parmesan, which I sprinkled on after the egg wash. They went pretty fast! The best part was, I made the dough at home & brought it with me, so the kids could form the dough themselves. It kept them busy & they felt rewarded for their work.
Looks so delicious and mouth watering. I will try this for my breakfast…
Made these today! They came out great! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Kelly!
Made this today. Mine did not come out nearly as beautiful, but they were delish! Thanks for the recipe. :-)
So glad you liked them, Angie :)
I don’t have parchment paper…..can I use a silicon baking mat? They seem to be a little oily. Thanks!
Hi Jenny – Yes, a Silpat will work well. Enjoy!
Awesome recipe, can’t wait to try it. Can I use bread flour instead of all purpose? Thanks :)
Hi Gabriela – I’ve never tried this recipe with bread flour, so I can’t guarantee if they pretzels will turn out.
These look so perfect! Just hand me some melted cheddar! :)
Just a note – a package of yeast is actually 1/4 ounce. However, I used 3/4 ounces of yeast without a negative effect–the pretzels still came out great!
Thanks so much, Sandy! I’ve updated the recipe. Glad you enjoyed it!
My daughter and I made these today and they were awesome. We make a
lot of breads without a mixer. Although we need to twist forming school
they came out fabulously. We have made other pretzels that were good, these actually are now our favorite. Now to work on those darn twisty shapes. Lol
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Vilma!
I love your recipes. I tried this but I totally screwed something up with my dough. I think I needed to add just a little more flour. My pretzels turned out looking like monsters! I will be trying again. This recipe is too simple to just walk away!
Sounds good, Emily! Let me know how they turn out.
I thought I’d tried pretzels in every possible way, but I’ll have to try twisting them now! Beautiful pics Kelly!
These twists look just perfect!
I think I could eat this whole batch in 1 sitting. All of my pregnant friends (all 3 of them, due in the same month!) are craving pretzels. This would make their day! Off to bake :)
Oh my gosh, these pretzel twists are incredible. I just can’t stop looking at them!
Hi, can I substitute honey for sugar? (Idon’t have any in the house) if so, how much do I use? Thanks so Much! Love all your posts!!
Hi Tanja – I’m sure it’d work to substitute honey for sugar but unfortunately I’ve never tried making the recipe with honey so I can’t say for certainty exactly how much you should use.
These look amazing! I’d like two to go, please!
Thanks for sharing, these pretzels look crazy good. I’m making them tomorrow:)
Awesome! Enjoy!
I don’t think I could stop eating these. They are so gorgeous and look absolutely perfect. Very impressive!
You are a professional braider, lady!! Whoa! Those knots and twists are just amazing! I need your skills! Pinned :)
give me beer cheese + these pretzels and I will seriously not leave the house for days. DAYS. I swear.
These look amazing!
I’m so encouraged to try these because of your great instructions but somehow I know mine won’t turn out as pretty as yours :) They look amazing!
These look heavenly! Just wondering if you ever use instant yeast. That’s all I have, but I know the equivalents aren’t the same as active dry yeast.
Thanks Tracey! I’ve tried making other pretzel and bread recipes with instant yeast but the reaction is different and I’ve never really been able to nail down the ratios for substituting one for the other. So I’d recommend sticking with active dry yeast for this recipe, just because that’s what I tested the recipe with and that’s what I know works for certain :)
What if I don’t have a stand mixer?
Is it possible to knead by hand?
Hi Laura – I’ve never tried making this recipe without a stand mixer, so I can’t say for certainty how the dough would come together using only your hands. It should work out without any issues, but you’ll just want to make sure the ingredients are well incorporated.
These look SO good. I have still yet to make pretzels at home, but this makes me want to give them a go!
Oh man these pretzels are going to be made soon. I’m a sucker for them.
These look AMAZING! I have done pretzel rolls and bites, but these are definitely next!
These are so pretty, Kelly!!
Thanks so much, Ali!
I love soft pretzels. They are always so good! These looks amazing!
Thank you, Tieghan :)
Soft pretzels are my weakness. I love these twists, Kelly!
You are a girl after my own heart – pretzel anything is my FAV!
Hello pretty pretzels!
I have never made them from scratch, but it looks a lot easier than I thought!
Pinned for future reference!