Citrus Free Soft Pretzels with Salt

Total time1 hr 45 min

Prep time30 min

Cook time15 min

4.9

(12)

Few things hit quite like a warm, freshly baked pretzel straight from the oven — that deep mahogany crust, the chewy pull, the satisfying crunch of coarse salt on top. This recipe is built entirely from pantry staples like flour, yeast, butter, and egg, so there's nothing hiding in the ingredient list that could cause a problem for anyone avoiding citrus. The magic behind that signature pretzel chew and dark color is the baking soda bath, which gives each piece a quick poach before it ever hits the oven — no specialty ingredients required. Rolling the dough into long ropes and folding them into classic pretzel shapes is genuinely satisfying, and the whole process is more approachable than it looks. The egg wash brushed over each poached pretzel is what locks in that glossy, bakery-worthy finish before the coarse salt goes on. Serve them warm and you'll have a hard time convincing anyone these didn't come from a street cart.

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the dough

1 ½ cups warm water (110°f / 43°c)
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp fine 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 fine 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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