Do you love sourdough soft pretzels? Check out our other magnificent Bread Recipes! And don’t forget, you can make your own sourdough starter from scratch!
Today I’m sharing The Best Sourdough Soft Pretzels Recipe with you and I am thrilled about it. Chewy and tender, these golden brown sourdough soft pretzels have classic crunchy pretzel salt on them, but they also have toasty sesame seeds.
The sesame adds a super subtle nuttiness that plays beautifully with the butter lavished on the fresh-from-the-oven pretzels. Just see if you can resist!
Sourdough pretzels are far less labour intensive than sourdough bread, and require less baby sitting of your sourdough starter. You use unfed sourdough starter directly from your refrigerator or crock.
Because you don’t have to judge when to feed your starter in respect to when you want to bake, this makes sourdough pretzels them an ideal foray into sourdough baking. Besides all that, they’re just plain divine and I honestly prefer them to sourdough bread in many circumstances.
They make the ultimate snack, of course, but don’t stop there. Serve the best sourdough soft pretzels with soups, stews, chilis, salads, and more.
Sourdough Soft Pretzels
As I mentioned above, I use unfed sourdough starter for this soft pretzel recipe. That means you can use discarded starter when you FEED your starter OR the sourdough starter you neglected and shoved to the back of your fridge!
Simply stir it, measure out half a cup for a standard batch or one cup for a double batch of soft pretzels, and proceed with the recipe. You can also feed your starter and then promptly forget about it again.
I’m all about minimizing work. Need a sourdough starter? Ask a friend for their excess when they feed their starter or buy one from King Arthur Flour or amazon.com.
Speaking of unfed starter, I’m sure someone wants to know whether they can use freshly fed starter. The short answer is yes, but it won’t have as pronounced a sourdough flavour and you’ll need to watch it because it will rise faster.
If your dough is dry and crumbly, please keep adding water 1 tablespoon at a time until it is more workable. Because sourdough starters can have different levels of viscosity and liquidity based on a a whole host of variables, it is important to remember to pay attention to the feel of the dough.
I prefer to use whole milk as the milk component in these pretzels. It provides a little richness in an otherwise lean dough. If all you have is skim milk, 1%, or 2%, though, it’ll work!
As you mix and knead the dough, if you find it to have trouble becoming smooth -for instance, if it has a lot of crumbly bits that won’t incorporate easily- knead in a tablespoon or two of water.
Most recipes call for turning the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Hold off on the flour for this until you’ve turned your dough out.
If it is still slightly sticky, you can lightly flour the surface. You may find the dough doesn’t stick, though, in which case extra flour is totally unnecessary!
Despite it being called a “pretzel boil”, you’re really looking for more of a simmer with your water. This is one occasion where more is not better.
I love the look of using black and white sesame seeds on the pretzels. It’s not strictly necessary, it’s just fun. If all you can find is white sesame seeds, go with it!
Regarding salt. You can certainly use kosher salt, but I prefer to use the slower-melting, coarser pretzel salt for the job. That can be found in bulk foods stores, King Arthur Flour’s online catalogue, and amazon.com.
Use these to make the Best Sourdough Soft Pretzels:
The Best Sourdough Soft Pretzels
Rate RecipeIngredients
Ingredients for dough:
- 4 cups bread flour 1 pound 1 ounce by weight
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1/2 ounce or 14 grams by weight
- 2 teaspoons SAF or instant yeast
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup unfed sourdough starter 4 ounces or 113 grams by weight
Ingredients for pretzel boil:
- 2 quarts water
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
Ingredients for toppings:
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
- pretzel salt
Instructions
To Make the Dough by Hand:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Set the whisk aside and switch to a sturdy wooden spoon. Stir in the milk and sourdough starter until a soft dough forms. Turn onto a generously floured surface and knead, for 15 minutes adding small amounts of flour as needed to keep the dough from adhering to the counter. You do not want a firm dough… it should be fairly slack, a little tacky and soft, yet smooth. Place dough in a clean bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and set aside to rise in a warm, draft-free place until nearly doubled in bulk and puffy, about an hour or so.
To Make the Dough by Stand Mixer:
- In the work-bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Mix on low about 30 seconds, or just to combine dry ingredients. With mixer still on low, carefully pour in the milk and sourdough starter. Continue mixing on low until you have a smooth, soft, slightly tacky dough. Remove bowl from the mixer, cover with a damp tea towel and set aside to rise in a warm, draft-free place until nearly doubled in bulk and puffy, about an hour or so.
To Make the Dough by Bread Machine:
- Add the milk, sourdough starter, flour, sugar, and yeast to the pan of your bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the “Dough” or “Dough Only” cycle and hit start. Allow the cycle to complete.
To Form the Pretzels:
- Line three half sheet pans with silpats. Set next to your work area.
- Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface.
For Traditional Pretzel Shaped Pretzels:
- Use a bench knife to cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece like play-dough until you have a snake of dough about the circumference of a Kindergarten pencil (or your index finger.) Lay the snake of dough in a u-shape. Twist the two ends together twice, keeping the base of the “u” open, then fold the twisted ends down onto the base of the “u” and gently press in place. Transfer the pretzels onto the lined baking sheets, being sure to leave generous amounts of room between them. They will expand both as they rise and again as they boil and bake. When you have dealt with all the dough, cover the pans with tea towels and let them rise in a warm, draft-free place until puffy looking, about 20 minutes.
To Form Easier Pretzel Rods:
- Use a bench knife to cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece like play-dough until you have a snake of dough about the circumference of a Kindergarten pencil (or your index finger.) Transfer the pretzels onto the lined baking sheets, being sure to leave generous amounts of room between them. They will expand both as they rise and again as they boil and bake. When you have dealt with all the dough, cover the pans with tea towels and let them rise in a warm, draft-free place until puffy looking, about 20 minutes.
To Cook the Pretzels:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a stainless steel or other non-reactive pan (enameled cast-iron, tempered glass, etc…) When water simmers, add the baking soda. Gently lift the pretzels or pretzel rods one at a time into the boiling water. (You can boil more than one at a time, but be sure not to crowd the the pan as they will expand as they boil. Let simmer for about 45 seconds, flip the pieces and simmer for another 45 seconds-1 minute. Use a slotted spatula or spoon to drain and return each piece to its place on the pan. Continue until all pieces have been boiled and returned to the pan.
- Sprinkle each pretzel with about a teaspoon of sesame seeds and pretzel salt to taste. Place pans in oven and bake the pretzels at least until golden brown (at least 18 minutes), but you can bake until they are deep brown which is my preference (closer to 22-24 minutes in my oven.)
- Let stand for at least 5 minutes before eating. These are best enjoyed warm, but can be stored in non-airtight container such as a bowl covered with a clean tea towel or a paper bag that is cinched or clipped shut at room temperature for a couple of days. They can be quickly reheated prior to serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
did you make this recipe?
Make sure to tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and #hashtag it #foodiewithfamily so I can check it out!
Are you a big fan of sourdough soft pretzels? Try these sourdough and pretzel recipes:
- Roasted Garlic Rustic Sourdough Boule
- Everything Soft Pretzels
- Pretzel Bagels
- Giant Garlic Butter Soft Pretzel Rods
- Making a Sourdough Starter from Scratch
- Whole Wheat Sourdough Blender Pancakes
- Baked Brie in a Sourdough Bread Bowl
Reader's Thoughts...
Lisa says
My dough was really dry and crumbly also. I added an additional 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 Tbsp sugar and 1 tsp yeast and it came together nicely. (My starter is really thick) I also cut some of my “snakes” into small pieces and made pretzel bites…they turned out so good!
Izzy says
I made these today and they turned out great. After reading the other comments, I decided to start with 3 cups of flour. I added less than 1/4 cup of flour during the kneading processes. My starter was pretty thick. Next time, I’m going to try using water instead of milk and added a few tablespoons of butter to add flavor. I also think I will use more starter (maybe 1 cup) and adjust the flour added to make sure it’s the right consistency
Claire says
I do wish the recipe came with weight measurements. I only use gram measurement for sourdough and bread baking in general. So much more accurate and consistent results. Thanks
Harriet says
Yes! Please provide this recipe in gram measurements. I used it last weekend to make pretzels and the dough came out very dry and crumbly. I poured about 3 tbsp milk on my countertop and kneaded it into the dough, but it could have used another couple tbsps. I also left out the dry yeast, since I didn’t have any. The pretzels were tricky to roll out, because the dough was too dry, but the flavor was great and my husband and I ate them all! I did put an egg wash on them and they were a beautiful mahogany color.
Chris says
Agree would be extremely helpful to have gram measurements for the ingredients. Especially in light of the number of people having issues with dry dough.
Rebecca says
Ask and ye shall receive. 🙂 I’ve added the weights for the starter and the sugar (the flour was already there…) I am starting to wonder whether the confusion arises over whether people keep a stiff or slack starter. That might be part of the issue!
jo says
what us the weight of the sourdough starter?
Ava says
Can I form the pretzels then put them in the frig to bake the next day?
Rebecca says
Hi Ava- I have not tried that yet, but theoretically it is possible. I might be more comfortable suggesting you let the dough rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight and then form the pretzels the next day.
CayRay says
My husband and I are new to starter, we just made these and they were so good, my husband called them amazing and I agree. Great recipe.
Thanks for this
Rebecca says
Thank you so much, CayRay! I’m glad you loved it!
Amanda Zimmer says
I made these today and they were so good! I did however mix the wet ingredients all together first with the yeast and let sit about 5 min then added about 3 and 1/2 cups flour till it was firm and a bit tacky! They came out beautifully!
Anna says
These pretzels are delicious but I found the 4 measured cups to be too much, had to add lots more liquid to obtain a workable dough texture as you describe. The recipe didn’t specify to weigh flour. I will make these again but begin with 31/4 cups of flour or will weigh the bread flour. My starter was of medium moisture consistency. Not sure if that would have made a difference, I think it’s just too much bread flour which to me seems to be a heavier flour.
Suaan says
I followed the recipe exactly and it came out shaggie and really dry. I bake breads all the time so it’s weird for it to be so off. So I added water till I could work with it?
Terri says
Nothing about this dough is slack, tacky or soft. I wish I would have read the reviews before I attempted this recipe. My dough was way too dry and crumbly so I adjusted the recipe and I’m hoping it’s not a waste of ingredients. I’m waiting on the dough to rise now so we will see! I think I’ll continue my search for “The Best” pretzel recipe!
Kerri says
Agree!! What a disappointment. I am trying to save my dough but there is definitely something wrong with the proportions in this recipe. I use my sourdough starter on different recipes from buns to bread to waffles and pizza dough with no issues. Something is WRONG with the profitons in this recipe. I was very suspect of only 1/2 cup of starter for that amount of flour. I’ve doubled it and the dough is still to dry. So annoying!
Rebecca says
Hi Kerri- I am sorry you’re experiencing trouble with the recipe. If you scroll through the comments you’ll find that several people have mentioned they thought the dough was incredibly dry until they kneaded it. It does become supple. Milk (which is in the recipe) has an odd habit of making flour hydrate more slowly, so it takes a decent amount of kneading to get to that smooth and elastic stage. But the post also states that the dough is a very stiff dough. It WILL get smooth if kneaded long enough.
The other thing that can be worth noting is that sourdough starters are sometimes hydrated to different levels. Can I ask how you usually feed your starter? Do you use a scale or do you use volume measurements? When you have fed your starter, is it somewhat slack or is it stiff?
Laila says
I have never left a comment on a recipe blog before but this dough was so dry, crumbly and tough. I couldn’t help but comment. I started with only HALF the amount of recommended flour and that was still too much. How disappointing I was looking forward to these.
Rebecca says
Hi Laila- I cannot figure out what is going on. Half of the folks who make these think they’re the best things ever and half think they’re dry and crumbly. The only issue I can think of is that maybe people’s sourdough starters are at vastly different levels of hydration. Can I ask how wet your sourdough starter was?
The other question I have is about how you measured your flour. Did you measure by weight or did you scoop the flour?
Carrie says
I like this method of boiling pretzels with baking soda/sodium bicarb instead of lye/sodium hydroxide largely d/t accessibility. It’s makes a good approximation of the effect with lye and I have it sitting at home pretty much always. There is definitely some
The recipe as written makes a very stiff dough (52% hydration IF you are using a starter at 100% hydration). I think that is fairly typical for pretzels and bagels, but was far stiffer than I am used to. Plus the recipe recommends bread flour, which tends to require more liquid.
Ultimately, I added an extra 3 oz or so of water to get the dough to a point where I liked the look/feel of it. I have worked most with truly slack doughs like pizza, focaccia, ciabatta, and sourdoughs. This is definitely not a “slack” dough, but I don’t think it’s supposed to be. The final dough was stiffer than I typically make, but no longer too stiff after the additional water. Also, I used AP flour and increased the amount of discard.
The final result is delicious and a great use of sourdough discard!
Rebecca says
Yes, it is a wicked stiff dough! I do mention that in the recipe, but I’m glad you enjoyed the ones made with your alterations!
Tyrone says
I just finished preparing these amazing pretzels. I coated them in cinnamon sugar because I do not like pretzel salt. Nonetheless, this dough recipe turned out so, so amazing! I have always heard how hard it is to make pretzels from scratch, and now I can say otherwise. Thanks for sharing! I shall never ever again buy a pretzel from a shop in the mall.
Nikki says
i measured my flour by weight and my dough came out completely dry and tough. i added about a cup of water and it was still really dry. i was afraid to add more because it was so tough and i didn’t want to knead it any more. It’s in the proofed now. i turned the humidity way up, so hoping that helps a little
Rebecca says
I wonder if your sourdough starter and mine are hydrated at different levels? Mine is usually quite liquid by the time I use it in recipes.
Holly Lau says
Is there a substitution suggestion for the yeast?
I have the biggest container of dry active yeast!! Lol.
Rebecca says
Hi Holly- You can use active dry yeast! No worries. 🙂
Jana says
I made these today for the first time. My dough was a little crumbly so I had to use some extra water. The pretzels came out beautifully. I can’t wait to make them again!
Jeanne says
These came out great! We are making a double batch today, hopefully they last longer. My little boys loved making them and eating them. Thank you!
Rebecca says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much! Now they’re in my head. I need to whip up some soft pretzels!
Jenny says
The recipe was very dry… almost crumbly and not slack at all. I’m not sure what went wrong.
Rebecca says
Hi Jenny- Can I ask how you measured your flour? Did you measure by weight, or did you scoop flour and scatter into your measuring cup, then level it without shaking? Or did you dip your measuring cup into the flour? This could actually make quite a difference in your dough.
If you measured your flour by weight, it sounds like your sourdough starter may have been very thick.
Carrie says
I also ended up with a very dry crumbly dough. I measured the flour by weight and my starter is 100% hydration, about pancake batter thick. I ended up adding at least a half cup of water to get it into a dough, but it’s still definitely not “slack,” it’s pretty stiff.
Rebecca says
Hmmmm. Okay. I’m glad you added water into it and trusted your instincts. I can’t think that ambient humidity would make THAT huge a difference between my kitchen and yours, but maybe?
Janet says
Measured flour by weight, and also my starter is about like pancake batter as well. Needed about 1/3 cup more liquid, which I worked in by the fold and turn method, since I would be kneading anyhow. Dough is rising now, and is fairly stiff, but smooth. May just need longer proofing for it to loosen up, or they will be crispy stick pretzels at the end!
Rebecca says
Hi there! No need to do the fold and turn method since this is a yeast-boosted rise. You can just mix together and knead the whole works in a stand mixer with the dough hook, in a bread machine, or by hand!
Janet says
Made these again today, since I liked the results of the first batch., dough just needed some tweaking. Used 6 oz discard starter, which is pour-able, not really thick, and while I used 16 oz flour, still added about 2 oz water. Dough was softer this time, because I knew what to expect this time. I used the fold and stretch process last time to add water to the very stiff dough…I caught it ahead of that this time.
The first batch did come out well, good flavor, nice chewy texture. Used an egg wash to get the dark shiny color. And Montreal Steak seasoning made a great topping!
Rebecca says
Hi Janet! I’m glad you revisited it, but this isn’t a full sourdough recipe, so the fold-and-stretch method is not appropriate for this. I think if you just beat the tar out of it in a stand mixer or bread machine, you’ll find it’s much easier to manage! The yeast does the leavening, so it doesn’t need the fold-and-stretch!
Nicole says
I measured with a measuring cup, but with only 2.5 cups of flour the dough would not even come together. My starter is also at 100% hydration! I had to an another Tbls or two of milk to get the dough to come together. Hope they still turn out!
Deb says
Mine was like that too, I added a significant amount of additional water to make the dough pliable. Turned out great with Trader Joe’s, Everything but the Bagel seasoning!
Brooke says
Do these freeze well??
Rebecca says
They freeze well untopped! I would bake them “naked”, then cool and freeze. Spritz with water, hit with the seeds and salt, and reheat in the oven.
bruce says
what does SAF mean? its in your ingrediant list but i could not find a definition. please and thank you. bruce m
Rebecca says
SAF Red Star is a brand of yeast, Bruce. 🙂 No worries!
NANCY says
Thanks for asking the question Bruce, i was wondering it myself.. after searching for a good recipe (i found one that called for lye…?) I wasn’t sure what to expect and was ready to pass this one up!
I do have a question… why sourdough starter AND yeast?
BroMarduk says
‘Real’ pretzels do use a lye dip. Lye is just a more caustic baking soda (NaOH vs NaHCO3), but makes a huge difference in a pretzel taste (look up Maillard reaction) due to the increased pH and makes a more brown pretzel. It DOES require more care than baking soda, but the results are worth it. Regardless which method you use, these look tasty.
Jeanna Liess says
SAF is a brand of yeast.
Rebecca says
That’s correct! 🙂
Joe says
Have you had any success freezing the cooked pretzels for later use?