Everyone loves a soft, hot pretzel. They’re always a crowd-pleaser and that’s why this simple recipe has taken on a regular place in our dinner rotation. Soft pretzels are kid-friendly and versatile — good as an accompaniment to soup, salads, or smoothies.
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Not long after we started regularly making these, we made them for our son’s birthday party — a big hit among guests big and little. Not only are they delicious, but they’re vegan and very budget friendly. We paired the pretzels with a couple crocks of soup and a veggie tray. We fed a sizeable group for what was probably less than $20.
Prep
Pretzel prep can seem daunting… yeast, kneading, par-boiling. I know I’ve always been apprehensive about trying to make anything that you need to — GASP — boil! While it makes a fair number of dishes, I promise you that it’s not daunting. Honestly, making pretzels has quickly gotten me over this apprehension.
If you’re short on time, this recipe is perfect. The dough only requires a 10 minute rest period before shaping and boiling. So right after you’re done kneading everything together, start up your pot of water.
Of course, if you have to run an errand or two, the dough can easily rest for longer. I frequently prep it before picking up my daughter from school. When we all return, we re-knead and roll out our favorite shapes together.
Shapes
There’s nothing like a big, fluffy pretzel to put a smile on your face. This recipe makes about eight of them. You can always swirl these into standard pretzel shapes (watch me do it below), but pretzel balls or pretzel sticks are a great option for small appetites. You can also twist them into themselves, braid them, or make them into pretzel buns.
Dipping sauces
Who doesn’t love a good dipping sauce? Our family favorite is warm cream cheese, but mustard, ranch, melted butter, oil, or a bowl of piping hot soup can be equally delicious. One of my favorites is a healthy take on beer cheese.
Breakfast pretzels
Toppings can change the flavor of a pretzel, but a slight modification to the ingredients can take them to another time of day! By adding 1 ½ t. cinnamon, ¾ c. raisins, and an extra two tablespoons of brown sugar, this recipe makes a delicious breakfast pretzel. Eat them as is or brush them with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar after they come out of the oven! They’ll certainly be a breakfast favorite!
Prepping ahead of time
Making pretzels may be easy, but it’s certainly not a tidy process. Fortunately, if you’d like to prep them ahead of time to bring them to a gathering, or have them ready for a group breakfast, they’re simple to make as take ‘n’ bake.
Making take ‘n’ bake pretzels is an easy way to impress your guests with homemade goodness sans mess. Simply make the pretzels as directed and bake them until they’re just set — 10-12 minutes. Let them cool and store in an airtight container until it’s time to serve. Bake for another 10 minutes or until they’re golden brown.
Freezing pretzels
If you’d like to make an extra large batch to pull out of the freezer when you want them, prep as you would for take ‘n’ bake, but store them in the freezer. Defrost in the container so they don’t dry out or bake them straight from the freezer until golden.
Sesame Pretzels
- 3 ¾ c. flour + extra for work surface
- 1 T. brown sugar
- 4 t. baking powder
- 1 ⅛ t. salt
- 2 ¼ t. yeast
- 1 T. toasted sesame oil
- 1 ½ c. warm water
- Sesame seeds (optional, for sprinkling)
You will additionally need approximately 1 T. of baking soda to add to the water for parboiling the pretzels
- Mix together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, yeast, salt.
- Stir in the olive oil and water. Knead the dough well on a floured work surface, until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Add more flour, if needed; the dough should not be wet.
- Place the dough back in the bowl and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400*F and start a large pot of water with a hearty pour of baking soda.
- Cut and shape the dough into pretzels, balls, twists, or buns.
- Gently place the shaped dough into boiling water for approximately 30 seconds; a little longer for buns.
- Carefully remove the pretzels from the boiling water with tongs or slotted spoon and place on a greased baking sheet, silicone baking mat, or parchment paper. Sprinkle pretzels with sesame seeds or kosher salt and bake for 13-17 minutes, until golden brown.
- If desired, brush with melted butter prior to serving.
What’s your favorite pretzel dipping sauce? Tell me in the comments below!
Melissa, Funky Crunchy Mama
