Chewy and soft sourdough pretzels are like the classic recipe, but with that flavorful sourdough tang. Top them with salt, cinnamon sugar, or some fresh parmesan cheese for a delicious snack.
Is there a more comforting snack than warm homemade soft pretzels topped with coarse salt? Well, yes, these long fermented sourdough pretzels. Talk about taking a classic recipe and bringing it up a notch.
With more than 80 sourdough recipes on the blog, I’m constantly trying to find creative ways to use up my sourdough starter and bring more recipes to your home.
I’m often asked if I ever don’t want to cook or get stuck in a food rut.
Truth be told, making food from scratch has been a passion of mine for a long time, and there is just no contest between store-bought and homemade. I absolutely adore being able to provide my family with these delicious recipes.
I’m thankful I get to bring them into your home as well. Being creative in the kitchen and coming up with these recipes also helps me keep the food spark alive.
Tips:
- You want to use active sourdough starter to make this light and fluffy.
- This is the perfect master recipe that is delicious with just a little salt or you can totally customize with additional delicious toppings.
- Sourdough discard can be used instead of active sourdough starter, but you may have to let the dough ferment longer.
- You don’t need to be confined to just creating the pretzel shape, you can also shape these into buns, knots, twists, and rolls.
- If you are new to sourdough, you can learn how to make a sourdough starter here.
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Sourdough Pretzel FAQ:
Are sourdough pretzels a healthy snack?
Yes, most definitely. They are the perfect salty snack. Since the dough is fermented, the vitamins and minerals are more bio-available for your body to absorb, and there is less gluten making them easier to digest.
What makes pretzel dough different than bread?
The real main difference is that pretzel dough is boiled in water with baking soda before it is baked giving it that yummy crust.
Can sourdough pretzels be frozen?
Yes. Freeze after baking in an air-tight container or Ziploc bag. Pop in a warm oven for a few minutes to reheat.
You can also freeze the pretzel dough after the bulk fermentation and after you have shaped the dough. Place on a cookie sheet and freeze for 2-3 hours or until completely frozen. Then transfer into a Ziploc bag. Allow the dough to thaw completely and then rise for another hour. Boil and bake as directed.
Tools you may need:
Measuring cups and spoons
Large bowl
Pot
Slotted spoon or spider strainer
Ingredients:
Dough
Sourdough starter – Active and bubbly
Water – Preferably filtered
Honey – Could also substitute honey with maple syrup
Salt – Adds so much flavor to the dough, and bread without salt is bland.
Unbleached all-purpose flour – Store-bought or fresh milled
Water Bath
Water
Baking soda – This gives the pretzels a deep golden color, cracked outside, and chewy inside. You will find it is very similar to making sourdough bagels. This is because the baking soda makes the water alkaline and gelatinizes the outside which prevents it from fully rising during the baking process, giving it chewy texture.
Brown sugar
Egg Wash
Egg – Gives it that beautiful deep golden color.
Coarse salt – Is there anything better than a salty pretzel? You want to use coarse sea salt so it stays nice and chunky.
How To Make Sourdough Pretzels:
Add active sourdough starter, water, honey, salt and flour to the bowl of a stand mixer.
Mix the dough on the lowest speed for 5-10 minutes with the dough hook. You could also knead by hand for 10 -15 minutes. The dough should pass the window-pane test.
Cover the bowl and let rest at room temperature for 8-12 hours.
Shaping Pretzels
Divide the dough into 15 equal pieces.
Roll each piece into a 18” rope and then create a U-shape.
Take the two ends of the rope and create a twist with the dough.
Twist it twice and then press the ends of the dough into the bottom of the U-shape.
Cover the dough and allow them to rise for about an hour.
Boiling And Baking Pretzel Dough
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Bring water in a large stockpot to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.
Boil the pretzels for 30 seconds on each side, I like to do 4 pretzels at a time, so that they aren’t overcrowded.
Take out with a slotted spoon or kitchen spider strainer, shaking off excess water and place on a parchment line baking sheet.
Brush each pretzel with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt.
Bake 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Baking Schedule
10 AM-12 PM: Feed your sourdough starter.
8 PM : Mix the dough together. Cover and ferment.
8 AM the next day: Shape dough and allow to rise for a hour covered. Preheat oven and bring water to a boil.
9 AM: Boil and bake pretzels.
Storage:
Place in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. Or freeze up to 3 months.
Reheating Pretzels:
To reheat pretzels, gently moisten the pretzels with a little bit of water, and place in a 325°F for 5 minutes until warm.
You can also reheat in the microwave. Cover with a damp towel and reheat in 30 second intervals until warm. This is definitely not the preferred way as the results will leave something to be desired.
Pretzel Topping Ideas:
Before adding toppings brush the cooked pretzels with melted butter.
- Course Salt
- Cinnamon and sugar. You could also use pumpkin spice
- Parmesean cheese
- Everything but the bagel seasoning
- Top with shredded cheese and place in a 350 degree oven until just melted. Serve with some warm pasta sauce to make pizza pretzels.
Find More Of My Favorite Sourdough Recipes
- Sourdough Brioche
- Sourdough Banana Bread
- Fluffy Sourdough Donuts With Vanilla Glaze
- Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
- Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
If you make this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone with your delicious creation.
Sourdough Pretzels
Ingredients
- ½ cup sourdough starter active and bubbly (113 grams)
- 1 cup water 236 grams
- 2 tablespoons honey 42 grams
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt 11 grams
- 3 cups unbleached all purpose flour 420 grams
Water Bath
- 2 quarts water
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Add active sourdough starter, water, honey, salt and all-purpose flour to the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Mix the dough on the lowest speed for 5-10 minutes with the dough hook. The dough should pass the window-pane test.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and let rest at room temperature for 8-12 hours. Or until doubled.
- Divide the dough into 15 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece into a 18” rope and then create a U-shape.
- Take the two ends of the rope and create a twist with the dough.
- Twist it twice and then press the ends of the dough into the bottom of the U-shape.
- Cover the dough and allow them to rise for about an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Bring water in a large stockpot to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.
- Boil the pretzels for 30 seconds on each side, being careful not to overcrowd.
- Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Brush each pretzel with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Notes
- You want to use active sourdough starter to make this light and fluffy.
- This is the perfect master recipe that is delicious with just a little salt or you can totally customize with additional delicious toppings.
- Sourdough discard can be used instead of active sourdough starter, but you may have to let the dough ferment longer.
- You don’t need to be confined to just creating the pretzel shape, you can also shape these into buns, knots, twists, and rolls.
Paige says
I love and use your recipes frequently, but this one was a bummer. The dough was super sticky. When I went to roll it out and shape to do pretzel bites they just turned to blobs. I baked them anyway, but what I got were definitely not pretzels. It seems a lot of people had this issue. I hope you can take a look at the recipe and revamp it someday. Thanks!
Lisa Bass says
It sounds like your dough may have over fermented!
Liz says
I was a little apprehensive making this because some commenters had a rough time, but mine came out great! I did do some extra stretch and folds after kneading in the kitchenaid and turned it out onto a well-floured surface when I was curing and forming the pretzels. I loved them and would definitely try this recipe again. Have you ever used the same dough to make fewer big pretzels similar to what they sell at the fair and amusement parks? Thanks for the recipe!
Lisa Bass says
So happy you loved them. I have not, but I’m sure it would work.
McKenna Schwartz says
Mine turned out great, but yes definitely sticky. We devoured ours in one night! Can I double or triple this recipe to make a few dozen pretzels at one time?
Lisa Bass says
Absolutely!
Karen Wine says
Can these be made with the potato flake starter?
Lisa Bass says
Yes.
Kindal says
So disappointed in these, followed the recipe to a “T” and didn’t over ferment. They don’t look or taste like pretzels, more like dense little knots of dough.
Lisa Bass says
I’m so sorry you’ve had trouble! It sounds like something went wrong, but without knowing all the details it’s hard to say!
Marcus Wood says
One key word I found that some people might be missing is the after you initially combine the ingredients for the dough is to make sure you have window pane effect. I did mine in the kitchenaid stand mixer and added a little more flour as it was kneading. The reason I added a little more flour is because if you look up window pane effect they are kneading it on a board with flour. It took a little more time to get the window pane effect and the dough was not as sticky once it got there. It also pulled away from the sides of the mixing bowl like a dough should. Hopefully it all comes out great now this is my first attempt and 3rd thing I have done with sourdough.
JoAnna says
Hello! I use the potato flake sourdough starter and I’ve tried making these pretzels as well as the bagels and after each second rise
Chan says
Can I put the dough in the fridge? My timing is not gonna work for the counter rise.
Lisa Bass says
Yes. For up to 5 days. Pull them out and finish your rise.
Sara says
I’m so bummed… I never have the same results with your recipes and my sourdough 🫠 Things are always way too dry or way too wet (too wet in this case and the pretzels stuck to the parchment paper during rising so they were a mess)
Not sure if it’s something I’m doing wrong or just the difference in altitude/ flour…
Any tips on troubleshooting?
Rio says
Hi! I have the same issue and I just started adding a bit more flour when rolling out and cutting each pretzel it’s one square or parchment paper. Then I just drop the whole thing in and peel the paper as it boils. It’s worked great for me. Thought it might help you.
Arch says
If I make buns do I need to do the water bath step? Thanks
Lisa Bass says
No, unless you want to make them like “pretzel buns” and get the browning on the top.