Soft Pretzels

These Homemade Soft Pretzels (Laugenbrezel) are deeply browned, glossy from an alkaline bath, with a chewy crumb and a crust that crackles just slightly under the salt. This pretzel recipe stays true to tradition while keeping things practical for a home kitchen, using baked baking soda to achieve the perfect colour and texture without lye.

There’s nothing like a fresh baked soft pretzel…unless it’s an Air Fryer Pretzel Bite. These are great when you need a quick appetizer. They still require a soda bath but bake up quickly in the air fryer. Speaking of air fryers, I am in love with mine. We use it often, especially on weeknights when we need a quick dinner like Chicken Caprese.

*This post was updated on August 21, 2026*

Soft Pretzels

One of my favourite memories of our 2025 Euro trip was stopping at every roadside pretzel cart we saw in southern Germany and Northern France. While most people assume pretzels originate in the Bavarian region of Germany, the origins are somewhat unclear. In fact, our friends in Strasbourg claim that ‘Bretzels’ originated in the Alsace region of France, an area with a tumultuous history of its own.

What is known is that this baked treat was invented by European monks in the early Middle Ages, possibly in the 6th or 7th century. Its distinctive knot shape represents the Holy Trinity, with the three holes in the pretzel symbolizing the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Whether you’re baking up an after-school snack or Oktoberfest treat, these Homemade Soft Pretzels are guaranteed to disappear quickly. It all starts with a soft yeasted dough mixed and kneaded in a stand mixer then proofed until it doubles in size.

Pretzel shaping may seem a little intimidating but I’m here to guide you every step of the way! Once you have the pretzels shaped, they go for a quick dunk in boiling alkaline water followed by some oven time.

The result is the perfect pretzel. The dark brown exterior forms a slight crust which gives way to the chewy interior. And of course, no pretzel is complete without a scattering of coarse salt to complement the bready flavour.

Serve these pretzels with hot German or grainy mustard or whip up traditional Obatzda, a moreish beer and cheese dip straight from Bavaria.

Baking Soda vs. Lye

In a commercial kitchen, lye (sodium hydroxide) is used to create the alkaline water bath that gives pretzels their distinctive color and flavour. However, lye can be hard to source, expensive to purchase, and must be used with care since it is highly caustic and can burn skin and eyes. 

Most kitchens have a perfectly acceptable substitute at hand – baking soda.  When baking soda is baked, it changes from sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate, making it more alkaline.  When added to water, this alkaline powder creates a water bath that gives the pretzels a lovely dark brown colour. 

To bake baking soda, preheat oven to 250°F / 120°C and spread 1/2 cup baking soda evenly on a baking tray. Bake at 250°F / 120°C for 1 hour then allow it to come to room temperature. Store in an airtight container or use immediately.

Ingredients for Soft Pretzels

For this recipe, you’ll need a large mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons, a stand mixer with a dough attachment (or another large mixing bowl), baking trays, parchment paper, a strainer spoon, and a large pot.

• Warm Water
• Active Dry Yeast
• All-purpose Flour
• Sugar
• Fine Sea Salt
• Baking Soda
• Coarse Pretzel Salt
• Butter

How to Make Soft Pretzels

For the Pretzel Dough

While the baking soda is in the oven, you can start the dough. Place 1 ¼ cups warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer then sprinkle in 1 packet active dry yeast. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, until foamy.  If your yeast/water combo isn’t bubbly, it’s not good!

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar and salt together. Attach the dough hook to a stand mixer then add flour to yeast mixture. Turn mixer on low and mix/knead for 8-10 minutes.

Transfer dough to a greased bowl. Cover with a towel and place in a warm spot to rise for 60–90 minutes, until doubled. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Shaping the Pretzels

Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and knead by hand for another minute. Next, divide the dough into 8 small balls. Roll each ball into a long string, about 24 inches long, tapering the ends. Finally, twist the ends together twice and into a pretzel shape.

Place prepared pretzels on baking sheets and cover.  Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes, then refrigerate 20–30 minutes, loosely covered.

Boiling and Baking the Pretzels

Preheat your oven to 425°F/ 220°C and bring 8 cups of water to a gentle boil in a large pot. Once water is boiling, dissolve baking soda in the pot.

Working one at a time, dip each pretzel for 15–25 seconds, then transfer boiled pretzels to the baking sheet. Sprinkle them with coarse salt.

Once you’ve boiled them all bake them in the oven for 12–15 minutes, until deeply browned and glossy. Cool slightly before serving. Brush with melted butter only if serving immediately.

Storage

Pretzels are at their absolute best fresh from the oven, when the crust is still crisp and the interior is soft and chewy. However, they store reasonably well with a little care.

Store cooled pretzels at room temperature in a paper bag or loosely wrapped in a clean kitchen towel. This helps prevent them from drying out while still allowing the crust to breathe. Avoid airtight containers, which can soften the exterior and dull the texture. For longer storage, pretzels can be kept in a loosely closed container for up to 24 hours.

To refresh, lightly mist with water (or run your hands under water and flick a few droplets over them), then warm in a 350–375°F (175–190°C) oven for 3–5 minutes. This brings back the crust and revives their freshly baked aroma.

Pretzels are not well suited to refrigeration, which tends to speed up staling and softens the crust.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill, the heart and soul behind Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

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