Shellfish Free Classic Pretzels
Few snacks hit quite like a freshly baked pretzel — that crackly, salted crust giving way to a chewy, pillowy interior is genuinely hard to beat. The magic here comes from the baking soda bath, which gives each pretzel its signature deep mahogany color and that distinctive slightly alkaline flavor you just can't fake. Every ingredient in this recipe is straightforward pantry staple territory: flour, yeast, butter, egg, and salt, so there's zero guesswork about what's actually in your food. For anyone navigating shellfish concerns, these are completely worry-free — no seafood-derived additives, no shared seasoning blends with mystery ingredients, just clean, simple baking from scratch. Rolling the dough into long ropes and twisting them into shape is genuinely satisfying, and the bake time is short enough that the whole kitchen smells incredible before you know it. Serve them warm with mustard, a cheese dip, or honestly just on their own — they disappear fast either way.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
For the dough
- 1 ½ cups warm water (110°f / 43°c)
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
For the baking soda bath
- 10 cups water
- ⅔ cup baking soda
For finishing
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp coarse pretzel salt or flaky sea salt
Instructions
- 1
Combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and let stand for 5 minutes, until foamy and fragrant.
- 2
Add the kosher salt, melted butter, and flour to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until the flour is incorporated, then increase to medium speed and knead for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth, pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl, and springs back when poked.
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