High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Whole Wheat Soft Pretzels
Soft pretzels are one of those snacks that feel almost impossible to replicate at home — until you try this version and realize they're actually very doable. The dough comes together with whole wheat flour, a touch of honey, and olive oil, so every ingredient is straightforward and recognizable with zero mystery syrups in sight. That quick baking soda bath is the real secret weapon here: it gives each pretzel that signature chewy, glossy exterior before the egg wash and coarse salt go on top. The high oven heat then drives everything to a deep, burnished mahogany that looks genuinely impressive on a cooling rack. Whole wheat flour adds a subtle nuttiness that makes these taste more complex than your average mall pretzel, without weighing the dough down. They're the kind of snack you pull apart while they're still warm and immediately wish you'd made a double batch.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
For the dough
- 1 cup warm water (about 110°f / 43°c)
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
For the baking soda bath
- 8 cups water
- ⅓ cup baking soda
For finishing
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tbsp coarse sea salt or flaky salt
Instructions
- 1
Combine the warm water, yeast, and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl). Let stand for 5–8 minutes, until the surface is foamy and the mixture smells yeasty.
- 2
Add the whole wheat flour, fine sea salt, and olive oil to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook (or stir with a wooden spoon) until a shaggy dough forms, then increase to medium speed and knead for 6–8 minutes, until the dough is smooth, slightly tacky, and pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl. If kneading by hand, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
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