Mustard Free Soft Pretzels with Salt

Total time1 hr 45 min

Prep time30 min

Cook time15 min

4.9

(12)

Few snacks hit quite like a freshly baked soft pretzel — that deep mahogany crust, the chewy pull, the satisfying crunch of coarse salt on top. The good news is that this from-scratch version is built entirely from pantry staples, with zero hidden condiments or spice blends to worry about. Store-bought pretzels and pretzel dips are notorious for sneaking in mustard or mustard flour, so making your own is genuinely the safest and most delicious route. The magic here comes from a baking soda bath, which gives each pretzel that signature glossy, slightly alkaline crust before it ever hits the oven. An egg wash locks in the color and helps the flaky sea salt cling perfectly. The dough itself is straightforward — yeast, flour, butter, and a little sugar — and the stand mixer does most of the heavy lifting. Serve them warm straight from the oven and they will disappear faster than you can twist the next batch.

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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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