Soft Pretzels are everything you want from a mall-style pretzel but fresh from your own oven. They’re tender and chewy inside, deeply golden on the outside, and you can have them on the table in about an hour from start to finish.
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The Soft Pretzels I Want On Every Snack Board
These are the soft pretzels I always want around. They feel cozy and familiar, yet they’re easier to make than most people expect. The dough comes together quickly with no long rise, so you can go from craving to eating in the same afternoon.
Here is how it all comes together:
- Mix warm water, melted butter, sugar, and yeast in a bowl
- Add flour and salt, then knead until the dough is sticky, stretchy, and bounces back when pressed
- Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes so it relaxes and becomes easier to shape
- Divide into portions, roll into long ropes, and twist into classic pretzel shapes
- Simmer each pretzel briefly in a hot baking soda bath
- Sprinkle with coarse salt and bake until deeply golden and shiny
Once they hit the oven, the kitchen fills with that irresistible, toasty smell. The baking soda bath gives the crust its characteristic chew and deep color, while the interior stays tender and pull-apart soft. Serve them warm, or reheat in the oven later to refresh the texture.
Keep them classic with coarse salt, brush with melted butter after baking, or toss with cinnamon sugar for a sweet version. They make a perfect companion to soup or chili, a hit on a game-day spread, or a dippable snack alongside queso or French onion dip.
Watch How To Make Soft Pretzels
Easy Soft Pretzels
Danielle Cochran
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Equipment
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Large mixing bowl or stand mixer with dough hook
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Measuring cups and spoons
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Two baking sheets
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Parchment paper
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Large pot (for soda bath)
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Slotted spoon or spider
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Clean kitchen towel
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Plastic wrap
Ingredients
Pretzel Dough
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cups warm water about 110°F
- 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar or granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
Topping
- Coarse salt about 1 tablespoon total
Soda Bath
- 9 cups water
- ½ cup baking soda
Instructions
Prepare the pans
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Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Have coarse salt ready for topping.
Make the dough
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In a mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook, add the warm water, melted butter, sugar, and yeast. Mix briefly to combine. Add the flour and salt and mix on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until a sticky dough forms. If kneading by hand, work about 5 minutes and use up to ⅓ cup extra flour on the work surface if needed; the dough should be sticky but stretchy and bounce back when pressed.
Rest the dough
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Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes to relax and make shaping easier.
Prepare the soda bath
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Add the water and baking soda to a large pot and place over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil.
Shape the pretzels
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Divide the dough into about 12 equal portions (roughly ½ cup each). Roll each piece into a rope about 20 inches long. Form a pretzel by making a circle and crossing the ends over each other.
Boil the pretzels
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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Working in batches, gently lower the pretzels into the boiling soda bath for about 30 seconds, then remove with a slotted spoon and place on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with coarse salt.
Bake
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Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until deep golden brown.
Serve
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Remove from the oven and enjoy warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can mix the dough and refrigerate it for several hours or overnight. Bring it back to room temperature before shaping so it’s easy to roll into ropes.
The baking soda bath helps develop the pretzel’s deep color and chewy crust. If you skip it you’ll get a softer, lighter-colored bread instead of the classic pretzel finish.
Yes. Roll the dough into ropes and cut into bite-size pieces. Boil them in the soda bath, place on the baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and bake; they will cook faster, so check early.
Coarse salt, like pretzel salt or coarse kosher salt, works best because it holds up during baking and gives that satisfying salty crunch.
Store cooled pretzels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To revive them, warm in a 350°F oven for a few minutes until the exterior crisps and the interior is soft.
Yes. Freeze baked pretzels once cooled in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat from frozen in a hot oven until warmed through and lightly crisp.