Walnut Free Classic Pretzels
Few snacks hit the way a freshly baked pretzel does — that glossy, deep-brown crust giving way to a chewy, pillowy interior is genuinely hard to beat. The ingredient list here is refreshingly short and straightforward: flour, yeast, butter, salt, and a quick dip in a baking soda bath that creates that signature chewy exterior and rich color without any complicated additions. For anyone navigating nut allergies or sensitivities, store-bought pretzels can be a minefield of shared-facility warnings, but this from-scratch version keeps things clean and simple from start to finish. The baking soda bath is the real magic step — it gives each pretzel that classic deep flavor and crackly shell that no oven-only recipe can quite replicate. A generous brush of egg wash before baking locks in that gorgeous mahogany finish, and a shower of coarse salt on top makes every bite taste like it came straight from a street cart. These are fantastic on their own, dunked in mustard, or served alongside a cold drink — and once you've made them at home, it's genuinely hard to go back to the bag.
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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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