Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels

This homemade soft pretzel recipe is so much fun to make. Check out this fun kid-friendly recipe, then click on my affiliate links to buy what you need. If you shop, I earn a commission that helps keep this site going.

I love creating a homemade soft pretzel. You’ve seen how I dip them in my delicious beer cheese soup. My kids love them with a smear of Nutella. Go ahead and dip them in a fancy stone ground mustard, or whip up a fabulous cheese sauce to enjoy with them.

This has been a favorite recipe for years. I remember when I first created this post. I made homemade pretzels one on Sunday when a friend’s two children came over to play with mine for five hours. We definitely needed a kitchen diversion!

And fortunately, they loved them. I did, too. Ever since, the no soft pretzel from a movie theater or baseball stadium has any appeal. And the homemade soft pretzel recipe is super easy, too!

Oh my word – look at how adorable my daughter is! And my friend’s daughter. How is my child so big now?

Half the fun of making a homemade soft pretzel is that you can create whatever shape you choose. While I make a traditional pretzel shape, kids enjoy getting creative. I remember when they made these pretzels, one child made a cross, another initials, one a doughnut, and more.

We had some very interesting looking pretzels. To do a traditional pretzel shape, make a U with the rope, then cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel.

Regardless, pull out your yeast, and lose your fear of it!

How to Make This Homemade Soft Pretzel Recipe:

Combine hot water and sugar in a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Add half the flour flour and mix until well combined. Drizzle in the melted (but not hot!) butter and salt, and mix again. Add the remaining flour and mix on low. Once it’s all incorporated, change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.

Cover the bowl with a damp towel, and let it rise for about an hour – you want it to double in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and prep two jelly roll pans by lining with silpats.

Use a large heavy pot and fill two-thirds with water. Add the baking soda to the water, and then bring the water to a boil.

While the water heats, divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope and then shape.

Place each pretzel onto your baking sheet as you finish it. Once they’re all done, place the pretzels into the boiling water one at a time for 30 seconds, flipping once. Remove them from the water using a a spider and put them back on the baking sheet.

Beat an egg yolk with 1 T of water, then brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes.

Serve immediately. Store any leftovers in a tightly sealed container for up to two days, but know they taste best that first day.

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