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?
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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...
Marce says
This was very dry and impossible to knead.
Rebecca says
Hi Marce- This ratio works perfect at my humidity level and altitude. If you need to adjust the liquid, please do so!
Annie says
I mix the sugar, yeast and warm milk first then let them sit and let the yeast bloom for 5 minutes then added the rest of the ingredients. I added the flour 2 cups first then 1/2 cup at a time. I found about 3 cups is more accurate. And more than that would be to much.
Heidi VanWaveren says
Loved this recipe!
Curt says
Best food that we have made with our sourdough starter.
Rebecca says
Thanks so much for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you love it, Curt!
Debi Wiley says
2nd time I made them. My hubands enjoys then.
And my granddaughters can’t get enough of. If one it relaxing baking the pretzels. It as much fun as cookies.
Rebecca says
I’m so glad you, your husband, and your granddaughters love them, Debi!! 🙂
Diane says
I made these last night but I turned them into buns and used them for burgers. OMG were they ever delicious! One question I have though, is the use of commercial yeast necessary?
Rebecca says
Thanks so much for rating the recipe, Diane, and for letting me know that delicious idea for serving them!! Good question, and yes. For the timeline given, commercial yeast is necessary. 🙂 A full sourdough pretzel is definitely a possibility, but it’ll take a much longer time to rise, and take a lot more attention and hands-on time and a different technique all together.
Joon says
I’m making half your recipe. Had to add 3 tablespoons of milk and 2 tablespoons of water. My starter was thick but pourable. It’s in its first proof now. Thanks! 😊
Rebecca says
Hi Joon! I hope you love these pretzels like we do!
Joo says
So I let the dough ferment in the fridge overnight as I used less yeast and slightly more sourdough starter.
Did half your recipe, just with a little more salt. Still had to add 3 tablespoons of milk and 2 tablespoons of water. Was a little worried as the dough was still a little stiff, probably because I replaced ten percent of the flour with rye and spelt. I let the shaped pretzels proof for 3 hours. Turned out wonderful! Love the crust. Thank you!
Rebecca says
I’m glad you loved it!
surie says
what is SAF
Rebecca says
It is a brand of yeast. I like to use it because it’s consistently active and good!
Lauren says
I’ve made this recipe twice now – it came out even better the second time. Like other people who commented, this time I altered the recipe just a bit to make sure my dough was smooth. First, I didn’t have instant yeast so I used 2.5 teaspoons of active dry yeast. I warmed the milk just a bit and then dissolved the yeast in the milk and let it sit for a few minutes. I then mixed my starter in with the milk and then poured that combination into the dry ingredients. I used a generous half cup of starter (~120g give or take), which I think helped with the hydration so I didn’t need to add additional milk beyond what the recipe called for. A couple other suggestions: First, when you are rolling the dough into ‘pencils’ to make the pretzels, if the dough is too stiff and won’t get longer, let them sit for a few minutes, and then wet your hands just a little and try rolling again. Second, my family and I used the pretzels for toasted ham and cheese sandwiches today – if you plan to toast them as we did to melt the cheese, you’ll want to bake the pretzels for a slightly shorter time since the toaster will bake them further; and baking them initially for more than 17-18 minutes will make them too crunchy for sandwiches. Overall, great recipe that I’ll be using over and over for sure! Thanks!
Laurie says
Made these today and I hope my comments help anyone else having issues; I certainly found that reading other comments helped me. Having made the recipe on King Arthur Flour, I used that as a reference when it came to the amount of starter. My starter is also more like thick pancake batter, like a lot of the reviews. When you look at the King Arthur recipe, they use double the amount of starter (with slightly less flour) so when I saw that my dough was not what was expected based on the recipe as written, I did add more starter – so please, DOUBLE your starter and use 227g of starter, not 113, and it will come out perfectly. I also did have to add a little bit of water (but I had done it when the original ingredients weren’t coming together as well as they should; after the water the dough was very tough and that’s when I compared the 2 recipes and realized the gap). You may not need to add extra water if you double your starter. I cut the dough into 4 pieces and they made gorgeous, small loaves; next time I will cut it into 8 and make rolls with it 😉
Susan says
I made these today using bread machine, I added an extra half cup of starter as mine is on the thicker side, weighed my ingredients and they turned out amazing. I have tried a few recipes and this is my new favourite.
I wish I could add a photo!
Rebecca says
Please feel free to tag me on instagram, Susan! I’d love to see them!
Kim Stoner says
I just made these. They are amazing and delicious.
Rebecca says
I’m so glad you love them, Kim!
Amy says
I doubled the amount of starter that I added and the dough was perfectly moist. I did not need to add additional flour or milk to get the right consistency. My starter was at 100% hydration.
Ann Van Haney says
My daughter and I made these today. She had fun rolling the dough out into ‘snakes’ to make the pretzels. 🙂
They were incredible! I love the crispy crust and the soft dough inside.
Rebecca says
I’m so glad you both loved them, Ann. Thank you so much for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you loved it. 🙂
Hazel Hummel says
I made your pretzels n they are the best I’ve made so far when I was young married my mother tried to teach me to make bread I never was good at kneading so she said she’d make my bread for me after she died we got a bread machine so that’s what I used with these n it was a charm not a problem thank you for the recipe
Rebecca says
Thanks so much, Hazel! I’m so glad you loved them and that you took the time to let me know. xoxo
Jon says
Followed the recipe, but my pretzels taste like baking soda.
Otherwise sensed like a great recipe
Rebecca says
Hi Jon- The baking soda is a pretty standard amount in homemade soft pretzels. It may be you’re very sensitive to the flavour, though. Feel free to reduce the amount of baking soda in the boil, but it will effect the browning and chewy texture of the exterior of the pretzels. If you’d like and feel brave, you can do a lye dip instead of a baking soda boil. There are a great many good tutorials on how to do that available online.
Jami says
How can I store these since I can’t eat 8 all at once (haha)? The pretzels came out great though I didn’t use bread flour, just regular AP flour. I also only used 678g and still needed to add more water. I’m very happy with the results as I have already eaten one of them!
Rebecca says
That’s fantastic! I’m so glad you love it, Jami! Thanks for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know. I’d say you can probably let them cool completely and then individually wrap and freeze. The salt likely will not hold up through the freezing/thawing process, though. 🙂
Sally says
Those are very delicious. I had some minor issues with the dough being too dry , but I make lots of bread, so I just added a little more milk and water and it was great . I always weight ingredients when I bake so the weight measurements ere helpful, although the dough wa still a little dry. I made a couple with garlic salt and a couple with cinnamon sugar and gathered rest of Malden sea salt. They ultimately turned out perfectly.
Rebecca says
Thanks for taking the time to let me know, Sally! I’m trying to figure out what’s going on for people who have crumbly dough, because I go by weight, too, and while the dough is a stiff one (sturdy but still able to get smooth and tacky like a post it), it is not dry for me ever. If I didn’t make them twice a week, I’d be really worried. 🙂 Is your sourdough starter a stiff one (dough like) or a slack one (pancake batter thickness)?
Amy Wiegandt says
Love the recipe and pretzels. My husband is German. Similar to good german Brezeln! Enough salt.
Easy to make and no problems with the dough. I used an electric mixer with hook. Although I usually kneed my bread by hand. got nervous when I saw some reviews. Saying you needed more water. But nope. Mine was perfect. My starter is like buttermilk. Not thick.
Thanks.
Amy
Rebecca says
Fantastic, Amy! Your starter sounds like it is about the same viscosity as mine! I’m really glad you love the pretzels!!
Yvonne says
Made the dough in the bread machine. Perfect consistency . First time making pretzels and they were perfect.
Rebecca says
That’s awesome, Yvonne! Thank you for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know the bread machine worked for kneading it!
Lilly says
These were great!!!! Don’t skip the boil. It doesn’t make a hard outter shell like the carnival soft pretzels. Instead it helps make the soft, slightly salty, malted outside like the soft mall pretzels.
Rebecca says
Thanks so much, Lilly! I agree and I’m so glad you took the time to let me know!