Soft Sourdough Pretzels
A soft sourdough pretzel recipe using a sourdough starter that yields a dark, chewy crust with a light center and salty topping. They make the perfect snack or appetizer, and are easy to make. Make a double batch because they disappear in minutes every time I make them!
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Equipment
- kitchen scale
- stand mixer
- bench scraper
- parchment paper
- slotted spoon
Ingredients
Levain
- 42 g active sourdough starter
- 42 g water
- 42 g all-purpose flour
Sourdough Pretzel Dough
- all levain
- 250 g water 1 cup
- 80 g honey ¼ cup
- 12 g salt 2 tsp
- 500 g bread flour 4 cups
- 56 g unsalted butter ¼ cup, cut into 1 T pieces
Baking Soda Bath
- 2 qts water 8 cups
- 100 g baked baking soda ⅔ cups
- 15 g brown sugar 1 T
- ½ T pretzel salt topping
Instructions
Baked Baking Soda
- Prepare the baked baking soda mixture. Sprinkle ⅔ cup of baking soda onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 250°F/121°C for 1 hour. Set aside and allow to cool.100 g baked baking soda
Levain
- Add the sourdough starter, flour, and water to a clean jar to make 125 g levain. Stir until combined. Loosely cover the jar with a lid or paper towel fastened with a rubber band, and let rise at room temperature. The levain is ready to use when it has doubled in size. There will be plenty of bubbles on the surface and sides of the jar.42 g active sourdough starter, 42 g water, and 42 g all-purpose flour
Mix The Pretzel Dough - Stand Mixer Option
- TIP: Because this is a very stiff dough, I found the best results using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment to knead the dough.
- Add all of the levain, water, honey, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix with a spoon or spatula to break up the levain before adding the bread flour. Mix on low for 6-7 minutes. The dough will be very stiff, shaggy, and break easily if stretched at this point. all levain, 250 g water, 80 g honey, 12 g salt, and 500 g bread flour
- Cover the sourdough pretzel dough and rest for 30 minutes. (I leave the bowl in place and wrap a towel around the dough hook while it rests.) After a short rest, the dough should be stretchy and pass the windowpane test. If it doesn't, rest for another 30 minutes and check again. Don't add the butter until it passes.
- After a short rest, add the butter slices to the dough. With the mixer on low speed, add one pat of butter at a time to the dough. Mix on low until it's completely incorporated before adding the next pat of butter. Work through all of the butter. Continue to mix until the dough becomes cohesive, smooth, and elastic, roughly 5 minutes total. If it's still a shaggy dough, it needs more kneading. 56 g unsalted butter
Mix by Hand Option
- Add the levain, water, salt, and honey to a large bowl. Use a Danish dough whisk to break up the honey and levain before adding the bread flour. Continue mixing, working the last bits of flour in with your hands. all levain, 250 g water, 12 g salt, 80 g honey, and 500 g bread flourCover the sourdough pretzel dough and rest for 30 minutes.
- Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Knead the dough for 10 minutes.
- Fold in a piece of butter into the dough, one at a time, while kneading the dough. The dough breaks after adding the butter, but continue kneading. With enough kneading, it comes back together into a smooth dough ball. A bench scraper makes it easier to gather the dough as you work it. Resist adding more flour.
Stretch and Folds
- Over the next 90 minutes, do 4 sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals.Grab the dough at the edge of the bowl and stretch it straight up before turning it over itself into the middle of the dough. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat with another stretch and fold. Continue for 10-12 stretches. The dough is stiff, and you may need to hold one side of the dough while stretching the other side.
Bulk Ferment
- Transfer the dough to a clean container. I like to shape the dough into a ball to help organize the gluten structure a bit. Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plate, and place it in a warm spot to bulk ferment. Let the dough rise for 8-12 hours.
Shape the dough
- Shape each piece into the shape of a pretzel and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- For shaped pretzels, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, roughly 85 g each.
- Roll each of the dough balls into a 20 inch long rope. Let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes to let the gluten relax if the dough becomes resistant and shrinks back.
- Cross the ends of the rope over each other, 2 inches from the ends.
- Pull the loop of the dough over the crossed ends, gently pressing them together. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces.
Proof
- Cover the shaped pretzels with plastic wrap and allow them to proof until they're soft, airy, and spring back slightly when pressed. This took about 90 minutes in my 70℉/21℃ kitchen. The exact timing will vary depending on the temperature.
Boil
- Preheat the oven to 425℉/232℃.
- Add the baked baking soda and brown sugar to a large pot filled with 2qts of water and bring to a boil.100 g baked baking soda, 2 qts water, and 15 g brown sugar
- Working in batches, gently lift the proofed pretzel into the boiling baking soda bath. Boil for 30 seconds, flip them over with a slotted spatula, and boil for another 30 seconds. Use a mesh strainer to remove the pretzels and place them back on the parchment paper.The pretzels should float. If they sink, they need more time to proof.While the dough is still wet, sprinkle the top with pretzel salt. ½ T pretzel salt
Bake
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the outside is dark golden brown.
- Move the baked pretzels to a wire rack and cool.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
- Sourdough pretzels, warm from the oven, are best the day you bake them. To store, allow the pretzels to cool completely before placing them in an airtight container. If you store them while warm, condensation builds up and softens the crust. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- To freeze pretzels, let them cool completely and then wrap them individually in plastic wrap. Insert the wrapped pretzels into a freezer-safe container or a plastic freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Do not refrigerate pretzels as it dries them out and makes the crust leathery. At room temperature or in the freezer are the best options.
- Thaw frozen pretzel at room temperature for 30 minutes. While it's thawing, preheat your oven to 400°F/204°C. Place the pretzel on a baking sheet and bake it for 3-5 minutes or until heated through.
Nutrition
Calories: 221.6kcalCarbohydrates: 39.6gProtein: 5.4gFat: 4.5gSaturated Fat: 2.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 398.7mgPotassium: 51.7mgFiber: 1.1gSugar: 6.8gVitamin A: 117.5IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 0.6mg
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