For pretzel fans, there's nothing better than making your own pretzels at home. Pretzels are first boiled, then baked in the oven for a classic taste and texture. Learn how to make large soft pretzels, or crunchy pretzel snacks in your own kitchen.
Ingredients
- 250 ml of warm water
- 425 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 125 g baking soda
- 2 L water
- 1 egg yolk
- Pretzel salt
Step
Method 1 of 3: Making the Dough
Step 1. Test yeast activity
Place warm water, sugar and 1 tsp salt in a mixing bowl. Stir the mixture until the sugar and salt have dissolved, then sprinkle the yeast. Stir gently, then let the mixture sit for 10 minutes, or until the yeast begins to foam and release small bubbles.
Step 2. Add flour and butter
Sprinkle flour evenly throughout the mixture, instead of pouring all at once, to make mixing easier.
Step 3. Mix the dough
Using a mixer, fitted with a spiral propeller for dough, on the lowest speed, or a wooden spoon, and your own power, mix the dough until smooth.
Step 4. Knead the dough
If using a stand mixer with spiral blades for dough, turn the speed to medium, and use the mixer until the dough doesn't stick to the bowl. Otherwise, knead the dough by hand for about 10 minutes, until it is not sticky and forms a smooth elastic ball.
If the dough is still wet and sticky in the bowl, add 1 tbsp of flour at a time, and continue to knead until it reaches the right consistency
Step 5. Let the dough rise
Grease a large bowl with oil, and place the dough in it. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for 1 or 2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size.
Method 2 of 3: Grind and Shape Pretzels
Step 1. Roll out the dough
Grease the surface where you formed the dough with oil, and lay out the dough. Grease your hands too. Place the dough on the surface, and roll out by hand to form a thick rope. Roll the dough into a thick rope that is about the length of your forearm (length from tip of middle finger to elbow). Divide the dough into about 8 equal sized portions.
Step 2. Shape the pretzels
To make a classic pretzel shape, make one portion of the dough into a u-shape. Cross the ends and press on both sides of the u. You can also divide the dough into smaller portions and make mini pretzels, spearheads, or other fun shapes.
- Make sure both ends of the pretzel are pressed firmly. Otherwise, the pretzels may decompose when boiled.
- If you want to make firm pretzels, divide the dough into 24 portions, and make smaller shapes, such as sticks or loops.
Method 3 of 3: Boiling and Baking Pretzels
Step 1. Preheat the oven
If making soft pretzels, preheat the oven to 232 degrees Celsius. For hard pretzels, preheat the oven to only 177 degrees Celsius.
Step 2. Prepare the cooking water
Combine 2 L of water and baking soda in a shallow saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, then turn off the stove.
Step 3. Boil the pretzels
While the water is boiling, carefully dip the pretzels one at a time into the boiling water for about 30 seconds (you should count). Then, place it back on the greased baking sheet.
Step 4. Coat the pretzels with egg wash
Mix the egg yolks with 1 tablespoon of water and use a brush to coat the pretzels with the spread.
Step 5. Sprinkle the pretzels one by one with the pretzel salt
Step 6. Bake the pretzels
Soft pretzels should bake in the oven for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Hard pretzels bake at a lower temperature for 50 minutes. Check every 15 minutes to make sure the pretzels don't burn.
Step 7. Remove the pretzels from the oven, and let them cool
Place the pretzels on a cooling rack or clean plate. Let it sit for about 10 minutes, until it's no longer too hot to touch. Serve the pretzels with mustard or cheese dip, or just enjoy them.
Tips
- If you want to freeze the pretzels, bake them and let them cool completely. Place the pretzels in a plastic clip bag, and store in the freezer. Later, just take them out, let the pretzels thaw, and warm them up in the oven or microwave.
- Sprinkle the pretzels with the salt and sesame seed mixture. Or, just sesame seeds, or even parmesan cheese.
- Try other shapes. If you're in a hurry, a simple stick is a good form.
