How to Make Soft Homemade Pretzels - A Step-by-Step Guide

Soft homemade pretzels are a classic treat that everyone loves. Whether you enjoy them as a snack on their own or as a side to your favorite meal, there's no denying the deliciousness of a warm, fluffy pretzel. Making your own soft pretzels at home might seem daunting, but with the right recipe and a little bit of practice, you can achieve that perfect combination of chewy, salty, and buttery goodness.

These homemade pretzels are great for any occasion, from game day to movie night to...

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Ingredients

  • 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F (43 degrees C))
  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon shortening, melted
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • coarse salt, or to taste

Information

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Additional Time: 1 hr 5 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins
  • Servings: 12
  • Yield: 1 dozen pretzels

  • Stir yeast into 1 cup warm water in a large bowl; beat in flour, sugar, shortening, and salt to make a dough. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
  • Place dough into a greased bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down dough and divide into 12 equal-size pieces. Roll each piece into a rope 18 to 20 inches long.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
  • Shape each rope of dough into a pretzel on the prepared baking sheet; let pretzels rest for 5 minutes. Beat egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl and brush yolk mixture over each pretzel; sprinkle each with coarse salt.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until pretzels are golden brown, about 15 minutes.
  • Nutrition

    158 cal.

    • Total Fat: 2g
    • Saturated Fat: 1g
    • Cholesterol: 17mg
    • Sodium: 676mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 30g
    • Dietary Fiber: 1g
    • Total Sugars: 2g
    • Protein: 4g
    • Calcium: 9mg
    • Iron: 2mg
    • Potassium: 64mg