This post is sponsored by Heinen’s, thank you for supporting the brands that I love to use in our home daily!
Making scratch-made baked soft pretzels and spicy pimento cheese will quickly become a super power you never knew you had!
Whether you create the classic twist, or chop the pretzel dough into bite-sized nuggets, these scratch-made baked soft pretzels are SO good you’ll pat yourself on the back for making them all on your own!
Ever met a soft bake pretzel you didn’t like?
I have! Ugh, the frozen store bought ones are the absolute worse. Microwave them up and they turn into this chewy hard bite that you’d be better off feeding the dog.
Let me teach you how to make these pretzels, no matter which shape you choose ( I do both!) so that you can be the bad ass appetizer-maker that I know you are!
Everything that you need …
9 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour ::: 8 Tbsp Unsalted Butter – melted ::: 3 cup Warm Water ::: 2 Tbsp Sugar ::: 2 tsp Kosher Salt ::: 2 (1/4 oz) Packages of Active Dry Yeast
For Pot of Boiling Water ::: 20 cups water + 1/2 cup baking soda
Egg wash ::: 3 egg yolks ::: 3 tablespoons water
Flaked Sea Salt
The approach to making homemade soft pretzels can be broken down into a few simple steps: Rise. Roll. Slice. Boil. Egg Wash. Bake
In a small bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons of water and 3 egg yolks, this is the egg wash that will make your pretzels golden and shiny. In another small bowl, fill with 1/4 cup of flaked sea salt.
Now it’s time to make the pretzel dough!
- Start with a large bowl, add the warm water, sprinkle over the yeast and sugar. Let this sit for five minutes while it “blooms”. You’ll notice to dry yeast start to foam and bubble, this will let you know that indeed the yeast is activated and ready to go!
- Next, measure out your flour and add it to another large bowl. Pour in the melted butter and warm water that has been activated with yeast.
- Stir, stir, stir. Until a sticky dough has formed. Now it is time to use the best tools in the kitchen, your hands!
- Knead the pretzel dough for a few minutes – just until all flour is incorporated and you have formed a beautiful dough ball that is stretchy and smooth!
- Take the ball of dough out of the bowl, pour a bit of extra virgin olive oil into the bowl, swirl it around the bowl and place the pretzel dough ball back into the bowl to rest. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise for one hour (it will double in size!)
- Once your dough has risen, it is time to prep your water to boil and get the dough portioned to be rolled and cut into delicious little nuggets!
- First, boil the water. In a large pot, bring 20 cups of water and 1/2 cup of baking soda to a roaring boil.
- While that is coming to a boil …
Shape the pretzels …
Portion the pretzel dough into four equal portions. With each quarter of dough, split into two balls additional balls of dough, you’ll have eight pieces of dough to work with.
- Roll each dough ball into a long rope, one-inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut one-inch pieces of dough and set aside on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- NOW that your dough is cut into little nuggets, and the water is boiling, let’s get an assembly line ready!
Time to bake …
Pre Heat the oven to 450*
Have two baking sheets lined with parchment paper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil – set these trays to the side of the oven.
Drop 15-20 pieces of pretzel dough into the boiling water for 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon, remove the dough and place on the oiled baking sheets. Continue this process until the two baking sheets are full.
BAKE at 450* for 10-15 minutes, until the pretzels are golden brown. Remove from the oven, and enjoy warm!
Just look at that perfect golden color!
Tip: Freezer Friendly!
You can also let the pretzel bites cool completely, flash freeze on a baking sheet for 2 hours and then place them into a gallon freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge when ready to use, and then bake at 300* until just warmed through! This is such a fantastic way to make an entire batch and set them aside for special events or a football gathering!
