Homemade Pretzels

The nostalgic smell of pretzels baking in the kitchen reminds me of movie theaters and mall restaurants. Pretzels are a classic, dynamic snack food that can be made sweet and savory with just a change of the toppings. Here is my pretzel recipe that you can add on with your favorite toppings.

Starting off are the ingredients. There are the basic yeast mixture, flour, salt, sugar, salt, and butter. This is a yeast-based dough, giving the chewy texture to the pretzel. If you want to learn more about yeast and how to knead, check out my pizza dough recipe, where I detail the science and the importance of yeast, as well as some of the important steps to make it work. Here, we are adding the sugar to the flour mixture and not the yeast mixture. (learn how to measure flour)

Combine all these things in a bowl and mix together with a wooden spoon or spatula. Then turn the dough onto a floured work surface and begin to knead.

Kneading

This pretzel dough doesn't require that much kneading, so 5-10 minutes is good for this recipe. Remember the kneading technique of pulling the outside towards the middle and pushing through with the palm of your hand. Once you are done kneading, form a smooth, round ball and let rest for 10 minutes.

Shaping

With the dough rested, we can start to make the iconic pretzel shape. Cut the ball into four sections and roll out each section into a long log or snake. I like to spread my fingers wide as I roll, starting in the middle of the section and moving outwards to spread the dough out evenly. Put the log into a horseshoe shape, twist the top, and bring it over the circle. Press down the ends of the twist to the base of the circle, and you are done! It's a pretty simple shape to get down as long as you roll out the dough into a long enough log.

Boiling

One of the ways the pretzel gets its crisp exterior is the boiling step. This cooks the exterior slightly, forming a shell to keep the same shape of the pretzel while baking. For this step, boil enough water to cover the pretzel along with some baking soda. Drop the pretzel in and cook for 30 seconds on each side. Take out the pretzels, draining any excess water, and place on a baking sheet. If the pretzels are big or if you don't haven enough space in the pot, boil each pretzel separately to make sure they don't expand and stick to each other.

Baking

Before baking the pretzels, I like to brush the outside with some melted butter or an egg wash, giving it a nice shine after baking. If you skip the boiling step, brushing the pretzels before baking is a good alternative to get a crisp exterior.

Bake the pretzels until they are golden brown and enjoy! These are simple to make and don't take up too much time, so be sure to try them out next time you are craving pretzels. There are also a wide variety of toppings you can try to change the flavor of the pretzel. Jalapeno and cheddar or sea salt can be put before baking. For cinnamon sugar, brush the pretzels with melted butter after baking and roll in cinnamon and sugar, coating the pretzels in cinnamon goodness. For pretzel bites, cut the rolled log into squares and bake. The possibilities are endless with pretzels, so be sure to let me know what you make in the comments below.