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...
lilly says
Excited to try this! Are you able to make the dough early in the day, put it in the fridge, then take out a couple hours later to divide and shape and bake for dinner?
Rebecca says
Yes, theoretically, this should work quite well! You’ll just want to allow time for it to warm back up and get active before planning to boil/bake.
Cait says
We LOVE these pretzels! I followed the recipe exactly as written, measured flour using a scale , and mixed the dough using kitchen aid with dough hook. They came out PERFECTLY! I didn’t have bread flour (shortage – can’t find it anywhere near me) so used regular all purpose. Only thing I added/changed was an egg wash (1 yolk and 1 tbs. water) after the boil, before adding seasoning and baking. I will definitely make these again! Thank you for the great recipe!
Rebecca says
Thank you for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you loved it, Cait!! These are some of my favourite things to make and eat for sure! xoxoxo
Erika says
I’ve made these twice now and they’re great! I’m at high altitude so add a bit more mix and starter to give enough moisture and then go based on how it feels. My dough always talks to me! Thanks so much for the delightful recipe!
Rebecca says
I’m so glad you listen to the dough, Erika! It’s so gratifying to make dough and have the confidence to adjust as necessary! I appreciate you taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you like it!
Steph says
I just made these and my family loved. My toppings were: cinnamon/sugar, everything bagel seasoning, smoky Black Sea salt, Italian sea salt. All were delicious!! Thank you!!
Rebecca says
What a delicious sounding bunch of pretzels!!! I’m so glad you loved them!
Lynne says
I am doing your sourdough starter so was glad to start using some of the discard. I read the other comments so knew to be careful with the flour. I took another readers advice and mixed the liquids together first then added the sugar, salt and yeast. Then I added the flour slowly and let the mixer do its job. They turned out great and it was fun and easy. I noticed on the King Arthur Flour site they have quite a few sourdough discard recipes so I also made some cinnamon raisin bread today. Sooooo glad I am not gluten intolerant because I love it all!
Rebecca says
I’m so glad you loved these, Lynne! Sourdough makes me happy, too!
Julie says
A new family staple! My starter was thick, but I just added one tablespoon of water at a time until the dough was smooth. Really awesome topped with everything bagel seasoning. Happy to have. Great use for my starter discard – thanks!
Rebecca says
I’m so glad you love it, Julie! Thanks for taking the time to let me know and rate the recipe!
Atlas says
I had to add a bit of water to my dough, less than 1/2 cup, and it turned out wonderfully after a bit of kneading and care. I would say this isn’t necessarily a “beginner” recipe since you have to know your dough. He is smooth, soft, and a bit tacky and resting right now! I’m excited to see how these turn out.
Jessica says
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! It is a great use for my discard starter, & everyone loves them. Thank you for you inspiration!
Rebecca says
I’m so glad you love it, Jessica. Thank you so much for letting me know and taking the time to rate the recipe!
Katie Rose says
Hi! I started making these pretzels without realizing I needed yeast. So the dough is not rising as quickly and I’m wondering if I just let it be it will eventually double in size and be ready to form into pretzels
Rebecca says
Hi Katie- You need to do a couple of things differently to give it a fighting chance… you’ll want to stash the dough in a lightly oiled bowl in a warmish place, then (every half hour or hour) pull up the sides of the dough and fold toward the center, then flip the dough over. My concern is not knowing the activity level of the starter discard you used. I say give it a go, honestly, and report back! 🙂
Katie Rose says
Hi! It worked out beautifully. Just needed a longer proof. Hopefully I can recreate it tonight again without yeast!
Rebecca says
Fantastic, Katie!! Thanks so much for letting me know it worked well for you!
Lindsey H says
I’m not a great bread baker. I can do cookies, cakes, pies, but bread never turns out! First batch was perfect! Starting second batch!!! Can you double this recipe? Thanks for sharing! This is a new family favorite!
Rebecca says
Hi Lindsey- You can MOST definitely double or even triple or quadruple it! I did so recently. I ended up kneading by hand because my stand mixer could only take so much, but it worked beautifully and was delicious!
Kelly says
My dough was very dry and crumbly. I added just enough milk to make the dough stick together, which was still tacky looking and definitely not soft. I proofed in the oven for an hour and when I rolled out for the pretzel shape it all came together nice and soft. Glad I didn’t throw it out.
Rebecca says
I’m glad you stayed with it, Kelly! It is a dough that behaves a little oddly but creates delicious pretzels!
Lisa says
I have never made a pretzel of any kind before. These are easy to make and SO GOOD! I measured my flour by weight and did have to add a bit more liquid, maybe a 1/4ish total. My daughter is vegan, so we swapped whole milk with almond milk and it still worked out nicely.
Rebecca says
That’s fantastic, Lisa! I’m so glad you love it so much!! And it’s good to know almond milk works well in these. Thank you for taking the time to let me know you love the recipe, note what you changed, and rate the recipe. I truly appreciate it!
JoJo says
Had better recipe 4 cups of flour. dough dry and crumbly. Dont you proof yeast first. so far looks like bomb….
Rebecca says
No need to proof yeast first. That went the way of the dodo because yeast is produced in such a way now that it’s unnecessary. That is a direct recommendation from many yeast manufacturers in addition to King Arthur Flour’s Baking Community.
Rebecca says
One other note… I posted a video of myself working with the dough (which was prepared according to this recipe) on my instagram account. You can still see it in the highlights if you’d like to see what the finished dough looks like.
Maria says
These were so so so good! So soft! Will make these again & often!
Rebecca says
I’m so glad you loved them, Maria! Thank you for taking the time to let me know and for rating the recipe!!
Sabria Preece says
Awesome recipe, they came out delicious and I used half the recipe.
Rebecca says
Thanks, Sabria!! xoxo
Debbie says
Debbie – So, just made my second batch of pretzels this month. I have no trouble with the recipe, in fact I didn’t have bread flour this time and was a little worried. I don’t get fussy about measuring the flour, I didn’t weigh it this time or last, just loosely measured with a measuring cup!
The dough works up fabulous and I am just dipping my cinnamon sugar twist into some warm chocolate !!! Saving the sesame salted pretzel to have with my glass of wine later! Gotta run – taking my dogs for a 2 mile hike so I can eat more- this isolation period is really going to pack on the pounds!!!! prayers for all those that aren’t so lucky
Rebecca says
I’m so glad it worked well for you, Debbie!! Thanks so much for stopping by to let me know it worked well for you twice!!
Tina says
I measured with a scale the flour and my dough was also very dry. I added more milk🤔
Debbie says
These are delicious! We used buttermilk instead of regular milk and brushed them with butter and fresh garlic. I should have let the milk get to room temp because the rising time was slowed down from using cold milk. Everything but the bagel seasoning from trader Joe’s was a great topping too!
BananaSoup says
This was awesome! After reading reviews, I knew I had a stiff starter so I added an extra 1/4 cup of milk and dissolved the starter into the milk before adding. I also used 1c of whole wheat (soft red), which takes up more water. So I ended up with 1 1/4 c milk, a big 1/2 cup starter, and 2 1/4 cups of flour (maybe more…i forget). But anyways i added flour just as needed to get that soft doughy texture. For those who found this really dry, that might help. Another thing I think helped was that I didn’t knead too hard (so that the outside of the ball of dough would tear) and I let the dough rest a few times in between kneading for like 5 min. This helps the dough relax and avoid becoming too firm.
I didn’t have kosher salt, so I used fine sea salt. Definitely comes out more subtle on the salt…
Also did an egg wash (egg white with a little water, whisked) right before toppings and baking. Came out delicious!
Who knew pretzels could be so easy!
Rebecca says
Thank you so much for the excellent advise and feedback, BananaSoup. I really appreciate you taking the time and rating the recipe!!!!!
Jojo says
thank you for tips. Experienced bread maker this process seemed to be missing a few valuable steps .4 cups of flour way tooooooooo much I had trusted my judgement. Wonder how many they have actually used their own recipe as written.
Rebecca says
Hi JoJo- I just made it twice last week exactly as written here and make it once a week usually which means that I’ve probably made it over 100 times exactly as written here since publishing it in 2018. It is a sturdier than normal dough which I think is throwing a few people off, but with kneading, it does come together. Remember that when you use milk as your liquid, it often takes longer for the flour to hydrate. It’s actually a pretty standard flour to liquid ratio, considering that King Arthur Flour’s website calls for 1 3/4 cups of water to 5 cups of flour in their hot buttered soft pretzel recipe and that’s without the extra benefit of the 1/2 cup of sourdough starter. This all pre-supposes that you’re measuring your flour with a scale vs. a measuring cup, of course, because measuring cups are notorious for packing far more than a cup’s worth of flour into the cup. If you’re in a particularly dry area, you may find you need to add another tablespoon or two of water, but it shouldn’t take more than that.
Barbara Schieving says
What a delicious way to change up pretzels!