Sesame Free Soft Pretzels with Salt
Few things beat the satisfaction of pulling a tray of golden, deeply bronzed pretzels out of your own oven. That signature chewy crust and pillowy interior come from a classic baking soda bath — no specialty equipment or hard-to-find ingredients required, just a big pot and a slotted spoon. The dough itself is beautifully straightforward: flour, butter, yeast, and a little sugar, kneaded until smooth and left to rise until puffy and ready to work with. Store-bought pretzels and pretzel snacks are a minefield for anyone avoiding sesame, since seeds and oils have a way of sneaking into ingredient lists or sharing production lines. Making them from scratch here means every single component is visible and accounted for, from the coarse finishing salt right down to the egg wash. The baking soda poach is the real magic step — it gives each pretzel that distinctive chew and deep mahogany color that looks genuinely impressive on the table. Serve them warm straight from the sheet pan 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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