These soft pretzels are better than any mall soft pretzel like Wetzels or Auntie Anne’s! They have rye flour in them to give them an extra depth of flavor and slight bitterness. Substitute all-purpose or bread flour for the rye flour if you don’t have it on hand! I also dunk the pretzels in a baking soda solution before baking, to give them their signature dark pretzel crust and flavor!
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword bread, pretzels, yeast
Prep Time 22 minutesminutes
Cook Time 18 minutesminutes
rest time 50 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour30 minutesminutes
Servings 8pretzels
Calories 295kcal
Author Irvin
Equipment
Stand Mixer
Ingredients
Dough
1 1/2cupswarm waterabout 105° to 115°F/40-46°C
1tablespoonmalt syrupsubstitute same amount honey or brown sugar if you want
2 1/4 teaspoonsactive dry yeast7 grams or 1 package
1 1/2cupsrye flour195 g, any type, substitute all-purpose if you want
2 3/4cupsbread flour440 g, substitute all-purpose if you want
1/4cupmelted unsalted butter57 g, 4 tablespoons or half a stick
2teaspoonkosher salt
To boil
10cupswater
2/3cupbaking soda
Finish
1egg yolk
1tablespoonwater
Coarse kosher salt or sea salt
Instructions
Place the warm water and barley malt syrup (honey or brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir the liquid together to dissolve the sweetener. Sprinkle the yeast over the top of the liquid and stir with a fork to dissolve. Let sit for 5 minutes to proof. The top of the liquid should be foamy. If it isn’t discard and start over with fresh yeast.
Once the yeast has proofed, add both flours, butter and salt to the liquid and stir it with the dough hook on slow speed until the liquid has absorbed all the dry ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and pulls away cleanly from the side of the bowl.
Pull the dough off the hook and out of the bowl, and coat the bowl with cooking spray. Stretch the dough into a ball, gathering the rough edges of the dough into one side and then place in the bowl, with the rough edges down. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit to rise until the dough has doubled, about 50 to 60 minutes.
Once the dough has doubled, preheat the oven to 450º. Line two baking sheets with silicon mats or parchment paper. Place the water and baking soda in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, stirring to make sure the baking soda has dissolved.
Once the water has been brought to a boil, divide the dough into 8 even pieces. Cover the pieces with plastic wrap or a damp towel to keep them from drying out.
Roll one piece into a long rope, about 20 inches/50 cm long. Form a “U” shape with the rope, then lay the top of the rope over each other in an “X” formation. Then twist one more time, so the top of the rope is twisted together.
Flip the "leg" ends down to form a pretzel shape. Dip your finger in some water and then dab it under the loose ends so the "legs" stick to the body of the pretzel. Repeat with the remaining pieces. Cover all the formed pretzels with plastic wrap or a damp towel to keep them from drying out.
Once all the pretzels have been formed, boil two or three of them in the baking soda water for 45 seconds. Flip the pretzels upside down and boil for an additional 45 seconds. Remove the pretzels from the water and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pretzels.
Beat the egg yolk and water together and brush the top of each pretzel with the egg wash. Sprinkle the coarse salt on top of the pretzels. The egg wash will help the salt to stick. Bake in the oven for 14 to 16 minutes or until the pretzels are a dark brown. Rotating the pans once during the baking. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire cooling rack.
Notes
If you don't have or want to use rye or bread flour you can still make these pretzels! Just use a total of 4 1/4 cups (595 g) all-purpose flour in place of the other flours.