soft pretzels

photo by daxiang stef

Eleven-year-old Kelly came over to visit this afternoon, with her heart set on making “big fat pretzels” — her current fav snack food.

Unfortunately, my old recipe called for the dough to rise for at least an hour, a luxury of time that we just didn’t have today.

With a few kitchen science experiments, however, we came up with a new recipe for Soft Pretzels. This is quick enough not to try the patience of a pre-teen cook, and yummy enough to please all of our eager taste-testers. (They certainly disappeared fast enough!)

I like my pretzels topped with the traditional coarse salt, but young Kelly put cinnamon sugar on hers and we tossed around ideas for other toppings, like grated cheese, poppy seeds, even shredded onion and garlic in oil… There’s lots of scope for culinary imagination here, to suit every taste in pretzels!

No-Rise Soft Homemade Pretzels

4 – 4½ cups flour, divided
1 package active (‘quick’) dry yeast
1½ tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1½ cups very warm water
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp water
coarse salt (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease a baking sheet (or use a non-stick pan). Have ready a pot of boiling salted water.

Put 2 cups of the flour into a large bowl. Add the yeast, sugar, salt, and warm water. Mix well for 3 minutes, until very smooth. Gradually add the remaining 2 – 2½ cups flour, kneading in as much flour as needed to make a smooth soft dough.

Divide the dough evenly into 16 pieces. Roll each piece between your hands to make a foot-long rope, and twist it into a pretzel shape.

Drop the pretzels a few at a time into the pot of boiling water, and cook for 2 minutes, turning over once. Lift them out on a slotted spoon or spatula and set on a wire rack to drain, then transfer to the baking sheet.

Mix together the egg yolk and 1 Tbsp of water, and brush onto each pretzel. Sprinkle with coarse salt if desired.

Bake at 400°F for 18 – 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Find more of my favourite recipes here!

This Post Has 9 Comments

  1. domestika

    @Jackie, Thanks for the comment – glad you like the soft pretzel recipe! I know it’s a weird concept to boil dough, but that’s what gives the pretzels their nice chewy texture – and both adults and kids alike get a kick out of watching them bob around and puff up!

  2. Jackie Thompson

    I just made these last Friday with my kids and their friends and they were a big hit. They enjoyed the cinnamon sugar on top and I had the salt. I had never boiled dough before so I was worried that it would break apart in the water but they turned out perfect. Thanks so much.

  3. domestika

    @Mary Emma, @Anne, @LazyTcrochet, glad you like the recipe! I find myself making these quite often, because they are so remarkably quick and easy – and really impress people! ;)

    @Michael, a topping of Asiago cheese – what a great idea! And you’ve got me wondering if it might be possible to actually put Asiago inside the pretzel… stuffed pretzels, sort of like stuffed pizza crust. Hmm… yummm! :)

  4. Michael Martine

    Oh, wow… (wipes up drool) those look awesome. I betcha they’d be great with some Asiago cheese on them.

  5. LazyTcrochet

    Sounds yummy. My daughter has been bugging me to make these. Maybe today!
    Thanks

  6. Anne Maybus

    I might have to try these. I don’t have enough patience to wait around for yeast to rise! Your photos still looks very tasty, too.

  7. Mary Emma Allen

    Thanks for the recipe. My grandson loves those large pretzels. Will see about getting him to make some himself…with his mom’s or my help.

  8. domestika

    Ha, this means you’re going to fix my digital camera for me, Deimos? :D Camera’s not working very well in low-light conditions, as those landscape shots from earlier this month do show very plainly!

    the last pretzel Fortunately, the Domestik Goddess is all about sharing info, and not-so-much the “showing off” of my own mad skillz… :)

    Here’s the best I could do — a lovely portrait of the only pretzel left, after last night’s feeding frenzy!

  9. Deimos Tel`Arin

    That’s a nice and yummy looking Pretzels aye?
    Eh but wait, you did not take the photo yourself. Should take photos of your final product what! :D
    Showcase your results to us! ;)

    I guess I would coming back here if I need any recipes!

    Cheers! :D

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