Making your own pretzels at home is easier than you might think! If you’re like me and grew up in Bavaria, you practically develop a love for pretzels from birth 😉. While my first attempts weren’t perfect, I’ve since become a huge fan of homemade soft pretzels. And with my best tips, you’ll get perfect results every time!
Why You Should Try This Recipe
These homemade pretzels are incredibly soft, fluffy, and flavorful—nothing like the dry, tough crust you sometimes find in store-bought versions. This recipe doesn’t require lye, which can be tricky to handle. Instead, you only need simple supermarket ingredients. With a special trick, you can even achieve that classic pretzel flavor at home! Plus, shaping the dough is fun—especially for kids. Sure, you can buy pretzels almost anywhere, but nothing beats the satisfaction of making your own from scratch. So let’s get baking!
Ingredients for Homemade Pretzels
You can find all the ingredients easily in any grocery store. The dough is a simple yeast dough with a neutral flavor. Besides water, salt, and a little sugar (to help activate the yeast), you’ll need:
Flour – The best choice is high-protein bread flour or European Type 550 flour, which makes the dough extra light and elastic. However, all-purpose flour works well too.
Yeast – I usually use fresh yeast (half a cube). Some prefer a whole cube, but that creates a strong yeasty flavor. You can also use dry yeast, which eliminates the need for a starter.
Milk – Used both in the dough (for a richer flavor) and in the baking soda solution. Any fat percentage works.
Butter – Adds softness to the dough. Let it soften to mix in more easily.
Baking soda – This replaces lye and creates the signature pretzel color and taste. Look for regular baking soda in the baking aisle. Buy a larger pack rather than small single-use sachets.
How to Make Soft Pretzels in 3 Steps
Make the Dough: Mix all ingredients into a smooth, elastic dough that isn’t too soft. Warm water, milk, and butter help the yeast rise. Let the dough rest in a warm place for about 1 hour until doubled in size. Cover the bowl with a damp towel to prevent drying.
Shape the Pretzels: Divide the dough into 8-12 equal portions. Roll each into a long rope (about 20-24 inches). The middle should be thicker, and the ends very thin. To shape a pretzel, cross the ends twice and fold them over. Check the recipe card below for step-by-step photos!
Baking Soda Solution & Baking: Heat a small amount of milk and stir in baking soda—it will foam up like a cappuccino! Brush this mixture over each pretzel (try not to let it drip too much) and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 375°F for 10-16 minutes, depending on size. Be careful not to overbake! Tip: Use brown parchment paper instead of white wax paper, which can stick to the dough.
My Secret Trick: Baking Soda Milk Instead of Lye
Traditional pretzels are dipped in a 4% lye solution, which can be dangerous to handle. If you want to make authentic pretzels at home, you need a safe alternative. Over the years, I’ve tested many methods—all using household baking soda instead of lye.
Brushing with Baking Soda Milk: Instead of dipping pretzels into baking soda water (like bagels), my son brought home a tip from kindergarten—brushing them with a baking soda-milk mixture. It’s easier, safer, and gives better flavor! The only difference is that they won’t be as glossy as lye-dipped pretzels.
Baking Soda Water Bath: If you prefer this method, bring 1 quart of water to a boil, remove from heat, and dissolve ¼ cup of baking soda. Carefully dip each pretzel for 20 seconds before baking.
Variations: Mini Pretzels & Vegan Options
Mini Pretzels & Other Shapes: This dough works for pretzel rolls, sticks, or knots. We love making bite-sized mini pretzels!
Vegan Pretzels: Simply swap butter for margarine and use soy milk instead of dairy. In this case, the traditional water bath works best.
Storage & Freezing Tips
Like store-bought ones, homemade pretzels taste best fresh. However, you can store them for a day in a bread box or bag: To soften, warm briefly in the microwave. To crisp up, reheat at 375°F for 3-5 minutes. Because shaping pretzels takes a bit of time, I usually make a large batch and freeze some. You can freeze them fully baked or partially baked for a fresher taste—bake lightly, freeze with parchment between them, and finish baking when needed. Enjoy baking your own pretzels! If you love recreating bakery classics, check out my other savory recipes.
Recipe Card
The Best, Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 21 g fresh yeast, or 7g dry yeast
- 150 ml lukewarm water
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 500 g all-purpose or bread flour
- 150 ml lukewarm milk, approximate amount
- 40 g softened butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Pretzel Coating
- 30 g baking soda, e.g., Arm & Hammer
- 70 ml milk
- Coarse salt for topping
Instructions
- In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water with the sugar. Let it sit for about 10 minutes until bubbles form. In a large mixing bowl, add the flour and create a well in the center. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix slightly with some flour from the edges. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.
- Add 130ml milk, softened butter, and salt to the mixture. Knead the dough with a stand mixer or by hand for 5-8 minutes until smooth. If too dry, add 20-40ml more milk.
- Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour until it has doubled in size.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead it gently. Divide into 8-12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope (about 45-60 cm / 18-24 inches long), making it thicker in the middle and thinner at the ends.
- Cross the two ends once.
- Cross the ends a second time to create the classic pretzel knot
- Press the ends onto the lower part of the loop to form a pretzel shape. Place the shaped pretzels on two baking trays lined with parchment paper, leaving space between them.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F), top and bottom heat. In a small pot, bring 70ml milk to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda (it will foam).
- Brush each pretzel generously with the baking soda-milk mixture and sprinkle with coarse salt. For a more traditional look, lightly score the thick part of each pretzel with a sharp knife.
- Bake the pretzels in the preheated oven on the second rack from the bottom for 10-16 minutes, depending on size. Remove when they turn a deep golden brown and let them cool slightly before enjoying.
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