Chewy, fluffy, and full of sourdough flavor, these soft sourdough pretzels are the perfect snack! They are easy to whip up and taste delicious dipped in your favorite dipping sauce.
Chewy, fluffy, and full of sourdough flavor, these soft sourdough pretzels are the perfect snack! They are easy to whip up and taste delicious dipped in your favorite dipping sauce.
Soft Sourdough Pretzels
I’m always thinking about simple and convenient snacks I can keep on hand for busy days when my kids are hungry.
I want to avoid store-bought processed snacks as much as possible, but I still need something easy to grab. In addition to my usual sourdough cheddar biscuits and protein pumpkin muffins, I decided to try something new.
After making sourdough pretzel bites, I knew I needed to try my hand at traditional soft pretzels with a sourdough twist. These are fun to make and easy for small hands to hold. They’ll definitely make it into my regular snack rotation and I know you’ll love them just as much as we do!
Why We Love Them
Soft pretzels have always been a favorite of mine! Dipped in mustard or cheese sauce, they are a satisfying and fun snack. I love serving them alongside a main dish like my cabbage and bratwurst soup or enjoying them for an afternoon snack. My kids absolutely love them too!
Store-bought pretzels are made with ingredients I try to avoid, so making my own is a must! These homemade pretzels are made with simple, wholesome ingredients. No vegetable oils, preservatives, sugar, or other artificial ingredients.
To make this recipe even better, I long ferment the sourdough pretzel dough. This breaks down the phytic acid in the flour, making the pretzels more nutritious and easier to digest. Soft pretzels don’t get much healthier than that!
These pretzels are simple and easy to make. Even if you are new to sourdough baking, you’ll get the hang of this recipe in no time. The hardest part is being patient while the dough ferments!
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More Sourdough Favorites from the Homestead
Einkorn Sourdough Chicken Pot Pie
Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Pancakes
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sourdough Discard
Einkorn Sourdough Discard Tortillas
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Sourdough Pretzel Bite Ingredients
Pretzel dough:
1/2 cup sourdough starter
1 cup filtered water
2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled slightly
2-3 tbsp honey (you can also use maple syrup or cane sugar)
1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for topping
4 cups all purpose flour
Baking soda bath:
1/4 cup baking soda
Pot of boiling water
Other:
1 egg (for egg wash)
How to Make Soft Sourdough Pretzels
Mix the Dough
In a large bowl or stand up mixer, combine the starter, water, butter, honey or sugar, and salt. Whisk together with a fork to combine.
Next add in the flour and mix with your hand or a dough hook for 5-10 minutes until a consistent dough is formed. You want the dough to be sticky and stretchy. It will come together and firm up as the gluten develops over time.
In a bowl add 1 tbsp avocado oil and place the dough inside. Place a tea towel over the top and let rise 6-8 hours in a warm spot, or until doubled in size. Or, cover with plastic and let it sit in the fridge overnight.
Stretch and Folds
This step is optional. I like to do stretch and folds here like you would with a regular sourdough loaf. Every 1-2 hours, lift up one corner of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it back down onto the center of the dough. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and do it again, until all 4 sides have been stretched and folded. You could just make the dough, let it sit 6-8 hours or overnight, and then make the pretzels without doing any stretch and folds. But, I do recommend doing 1 or 2 if possible, because it will develop the gluten better and give you a fluffier soft pretzel 🙂
Shape and Boil
The next day, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each one out into a long roll, about 18-20 inches in length.
Bring the two ends up to meet each other and form a circle with the dough log. Then, cross them over each other once, and then a second time, and then bring the ends down towards the bottom part of the circle. Press the ends firmly into the dough on the bottom part of the circle.
Repeat the process of rolling the dough out and forming the pretzels for all 8 doughs.
Add the baking soda to the boiling water, about half at a time. Then add the pretzels to the baking soda bath in batches so the bath doesn’t get too crowded (I do 2 at a time) Boil the pretzels in the baking soda for about 20 seconds. Do not flip them and handle carefully so they do not break!
Use a slotted spatula to remove the pretzel from the water and make sure you get as much water off of them as you can. Then, place the pretzels on to the parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake
Whisk up an egg in a small bowl. With a food brush, brush the pretzels with the whisked egg. This will give them a nice glaze on top and will also help the salt stick.
Generously sprinkle course sea salt over the top of all the soft sourdough pretzels.
Bake at 400 for 12-14 minutes or until they are a soft golden brown. Break open and enjoy! I like to make these with an easy homemade cheese dip.
How to Store Soft Sourdough Pretzels
Sourdough pretzels will last in an airtight container or bag for 3-5 days.
How to Reheat Soft Sourdough Pretzels
Reheat soft sourdough pretzels by placing them on a parchment lined baking sheet, covering with a tea towel or foil, and placing in the oven on a low temperature or an already hot oven but then turning the oven off. I like to preheat my oven to 350, then place the pretzels in, then turn the oven off and let them sit for 10-15 minutes. The pretzels are ten times as yummy when served nice and warm!
FAQs
Are sourdough pretzels healthy?
Yes! These sourdough pretzels are long-fermented, meaning you get the maximum health benefits of sourdough. They are also made without refined sugar, preservatives, or vegetable oil. These soft pretzels are boiled and oven-baked, which gives you that delicious crispy exterior without deep frying.
How do you eat sourdough pretzels?
These sourdough soft pretzels are delicious by themselves, but I especially love to eat them dipped in Dijon mustard or a creamy homemade cheese sauce! They make a delicious standalone snack or a fun side dish or appetizer paired with your favorite main dish.
Can you freeze sourdough soft pretzels?
Yes, these pretzels freeze very well! Place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3-6 months. Thaw them at room temperature, then warm in the oven following the reheating instructions above.
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More Delicious Sourdough Recipes
Sourdough Einkorn Banana Bread
Sourdough Einkorn Peach Cobbler
Einkorn Sourdough Dinner Rolls
Soft Sourdough Pretzels
Chewy, fluffy, and full of sourdough flavor, these soft sourdough pretzels are the perfect snack! They are easy to whip up and taste delicious dipped in your favorite dipping sauce.
Ingredients
Pretzel Dough
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter
- 1 cup filtered water
- 2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 2-3 tbsp honey (you can also use maple syrup or cane sugar)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for topping
- 4 cups all purpose flour
Baking Soda Bath
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- Pot of boiling water
Egg Wash
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
Mix the Dough
- In a large bowl or stand up mixer, combine the starter, water, butter, honey or sugar, and salt. Whisk together with a fork to combine.
- Next add in the flour and mix with your hands or a dough hook for 5-10 minutes until a consistent dough is formed. You want the dough to be sticky and stretchy. It will come together and firm up as the gluten develops over time.
- In a bowl add 1 tbsp avocado oil and place the dough inside. Place a tea towel over the top and let rise 6-8 hours in a warm spot, or until doubled in size. Or, cover with plastic and let it sit in the fridge overnight.
Stretch and Folds
- This step is optional. Every 1-2 hours, lift up one corner of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it back down onto the center of the dough. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and do it again, until all 4 sides have been stretched and folded. You could just make the dough, let it sit 6-8 hours or overnight, and then make the pretzels without doing any stretch and folds. But, I do recommend doing 1 or 2 if possible, because it will develop the gluten better and give you a fluffier soft pretzel 🙂
Shape and Boil
- The next day, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each one out into a long roll, about 18-20 inches in length.
- Bring the two ends up to meet each other and form a circle with the dough log. Then, cross them over each other once, and then a second time, and then bring the ends down towards the bottom part of the circle. Press the ends firmly into the dough on the bottom part of the circle.
- Repeat the process of rolling the dough out and forming the pretzels for all 8 doughs.
- Add the baking soda to the boiling water, about half at a time. Then add the pretzels to the baking soda bath in batches so the bath doesn’t get too crowded (I do 2 at a time) Boil the pretzels in the baking soda for about 20 seconds. Do not flip them and handle carefully so they do not break!
- Use a slotted spatula to remove the pretzel from the water and make sure you get as much water off of them as you can. Then, place the pretzels on to the parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake
- Whisk up an egg in a small bowl. With a food brush, brush the pretzels with the whisked egg. This will give them a nice glaze on top and will also help the salt stick.
- Generously sprinkle course sea salt over the top of all the soft sourdough pretzels.
- Bake at 400 for 12-14 minutes or until they are a soft golden brown. Break open and enjoy! I like to make these with an easy homemade cheese dip.
Notes
How to Store Soft Sourdough Pretzels
Sourdough pretzels will last in an airtight container or bag for 3-5 days.
How to Reheat Soft Sourdough Pretzels
Reheat soft sourdough pretzels by placing them on a parchment lined baking sheet, covering with a tea towel or foil, and placing in the oven on a low temperature or an already hot oven but then turning the oven off. I like to preheat my oven to 350, then place the pretzels in, then turn the oven off and let them sit for 10-15 minutes. The pretzels are ten times as yummy when served nice and warm!
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