Pretzels
Soft pretzels, so quick and easy to make, perfect for your Oktoberfest party or anytime.
Ingredients
Pretzel Dough
- 355 grams Warm Water 100°F 1 ½ cups
- 7 grams Yeast 2 ¼ tsp
- 12 grams Sugar 1 T
- 8 grams Salt 1 ½ tsp
- 15 grams Vegetable Oil 1 T
- 475 grams Bread Flour 3.5-4 cups
Baking Soda & Water Bath
- 2.3 Kg Water 10 cups
- 90 grams Baking Soda ½ cup
- 2 T Coarse Kosher Salt - preferred or Coarse Sea Salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a mixer, add yeast, sugar, salt, oil with the warm water. Stir to combine.
- Add flour. Mix on low speed with dough hook 2-3 minutes, until a ragged dough is formed.
- Switch to speed two and continue to mix until a soft dough is formed, 3-4 minutes. If needed, add a tablespoon more of flour until dough does not stick to fingers when touched.
- Dump dough onto work surface. Gently knead into a ball.
- Set aside for ten minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C.
- Bring 10 cups of water plus 1/2 cup baking soda to a boil.
- Prepare a baking sheet lined with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper.HINT: If using parchment paper, spray it VERY well with oil otherwise your pretzels will stick when baked. I prefer the professional perforated baking sheets as bread cooks more evenly on the bottom and does not stick when the air flows through the holes. You can also use a baking sheet without a mat or parchment, just spray it very well with oil.
- Divide dough into twelve pieces, 72-75 grams each (2.5-2.6 oz).
- Form pretzel dough into desired shape (see instructions in blog post).
- Once pretzels, pretzel sticks or pretzel buns are formed, place them on a tray and allow to rise in a warm place until puffy (about 10-15 minutes).
- Once the baking soda and water bath is boiling, add pretzels, pretzel sticks or pretzel buns to water, about 2-3 at a time (place them in the water face up). DO NOT TURN THEM OVER. Boil for 30 seconds (no longer or they will taste metallic).
- Remove with a slotted spoon and place face up onto baking sheet. While still wet, sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
- Repeat until all pretzels, pretzel sticks or buns are on a sheet pan.
- Bake pretzels and pretzel sticks 12-15 minutes until golden brown, rotating pans as needed to achieve an even golden-brown color. Bake buns 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove and cool. Serve.