Paraben Free Soft Pretzels with Salt
Few things beat the pull of a warm, chewy pretzel straight from the oven, and this from-scratch version delivers that classic street-food experience right in your own kitchen. The dough comes together with straightforward pantry staples — flour, yeast, butter, and salt — so you know exactly what's going into every bite without having to decode a store-bought ingredient label. That quick dip in a baking soda bath is the real magic here, giving each pretzel its signature deep-brown crust and that unmistakable slightly alkaline chew that sets a proper pretzel apart from plain bread. A generous brush of egg wash before baking locks in a glossy, crackly exterior, and a shower of coarse salt on top makes the whole thing irresistible. Many packaged snacks and condiments contain preservative compounds that can be tricky to avoid, so making these at home with clean, recognizable ingredients takes all the guesswork out of snack time. Serve them warm with your favorite dipping sauce and watch them disappear fast.
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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 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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