Nightshade Free Soft Pretzels with Salt

Total time1 hr 45 min

Prep time30 min

Cook time15 min

4.9

(12)

Few snacks hit the way a freshly baked soft pretzel does — that chewy, golden exterior giving way to a pillowy, tender inside is genuinely hard to beat. The good news is that this classic street-food staple is naturally free of nightshades, so there's no need to swap out a single ingredient or worry about hidden peppers, paprika, or tomato derivatives sneaking into the mix. The dough comes together with flour, butter, yeast, and a little sugar, and the magic happens in the baking soda bath, which gives each pretzel that signature deep-brown crust and slightly tangy chew you'd expect from a proper pretzel shop. Rolling the ropes and folding them into shape is genuinely satisfying, and the egg wash before baking ensures that coarse salt clings perfectly to every curve. These come out of the oven smelling incredible and looking like something from a bakery window — serve them warm and watch them disappear fast.

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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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