Turmeric Free Soft Pretzels with Salt
Few things beat the satisfaction of pulling a tray of golden, chewy pretzels out of your own oven — and this recipe delivers that classic bakery experience with nothing but pantry staples. The ingredient list is refreshingly straightforward: flour, yeast, butter, egg, and salt, with zero spice blends or colorful additives to worry about. That matters a lot when you're avoiding turmeric, since it hides in all kinds of unexpected places — seasoning mixes, store-bought doughs, and even some commercial pretzel coatings. Here, every component is clean and easy to verify. The real magic happens in the baking soda bath, which gives each pretzel that signature chewy crust and deep mahogany color without any shortcuts or mystery ingredients. A generous brush of egg wash and a shower of coarse salt before baking takes them right over the top. Warm from the oven, they're the kind of snack that disappears fast — so you might want to double the batch.
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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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