Honey Free Classic Pretzel Rolls

Total time2 hr 5 min

Prep time30 min

Cook time20 min

4.6

(29)

Chewy on the inside, deeply bronzed on the outside, and finished with a satisfying crunch of coarse salt — these pretzel rolls deliver everything you want from a classic bakery staple. The secret to that signature pretzel flavor and color is a quick dip in a baking soda bath before baking, a technique that requires nothing more than pantry staples and a large pot. Many commercial pretzel products sneak in sweeteners like honey or malt syrup, but this recipe keeps things clean with just granulated sugar, flour, butter, and salt — no hidden ingredients to second-guess. Baking the baking soda ahead of time is a small extra step that pays off enormously, producing a richer, darker crust that tastes like it came straight from a pretzel shop. The dough itself is straightforward to work with — smooth, slightly tacky, and easy to shape into tight rounds that hold their form beautifully through the boil and bake. Serve them warm alongside soup, pile on sandwich fillings, or just tear one open and eat it plain with a little butter while it's still steaming.

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the dough

1 cup warm water (105–110°f / 40–43°c)
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
1 tsp granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tsp fine salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

For the boiling bath

¼ cup baking soda
8 cups water
1 tbsp granulated sugar

For finishing

1 large egg
1 tbsp water
1–2 tbsp coarse pretzel salt or flaky sea salt

Instructions

1
Combine the warm water, yeast, and 1 tsp sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and let stand until the surface is foamy and the mixture smells yeasty, about 5–8 minutes. If the yeast does not foam, it is not active — start over with fresh yeast.
2
Add the flour, fine salt, and softened butter to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until the flour is incorporated, then increase to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth, slightly tacky, and pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl, about 6–8 minutes. The dough should spring back slowly when poked.

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