Seeds Free Whole Wheat Soft Pretzels

Total time1 hr 50 min

Prep time30 min

Cook time20 min

4.9

(16)

Soft pretzels have a way of making any moment feel like a treat, and this whole wheat version delivers that chewy, golden-brown magic right from your own oven. The dough comes together with just a handful of wholesome pantry staples — whole wheat flour, olive oil, honey, and yeast — so there's nothing hidden or questionable in the mix. For anyone navigating a seeds-free lifestyle, classic pretzel recipes can be a minefield of sesame toppings and seed-studded crusts, but this one keeps the finish clean and simple with just coarse sea salt. The real secret to that signature pretzel chew and deep color is the baking soda bath, which gives each rope a quick boil before it ever hits the oven. An egg wash brushed on just before baking locks in that gorgeous mahogany crust that looks like it came straight from a bakery case. These are incredible warm, pulled apart at the table, and dunked into your favorite mustard or cheese sauce.

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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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