Pescatarian Whole Wheat Soft Pretzels

Total time1 hr 50 min

Prep time30 min

Cook time20 min

4.9

(16)

Soft, chewy, and deeply satisfying, these whole wheat pretzels have that gorgeous mahogany crust and pillowy interior that makes it nearly impossible to stop at just one. The nutty depth of whole wheat flour gives them a heartier character than anything you'd pull from a bag at the store, and the honey in the dough adds just a whisper of sweetness that balances the salty finish beautifully. The real magic happens in the baking soda bath — that brief boil is what creates the signature chewy bite and that rich, burnished color before they even hit the oven. An egg wash and a generous scatter of coarse sea salt seal the deal, giving you that classic pretzel-shop look right in your own kitchen. Every ingredient here is straightforwardly plant-based or egg-based, so there's nothing to second-guess — just honest, wholesome baking from start to finish. These are fantastic warm from the rack with mustard, but they're equally good torn apart and dunked into a bowl of soup.

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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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