Soft Pretzels are so easy to make a home, and this recipe is so easy! Whenever we go back to visit my mother’s home country of Bavaria, I always grab a freshly baked pretzel that is usually included in the bread basket. They are perfect with a “Mas” of Bavarian Beer! You can easily make these soft pretzels at home, in under 90 minutes. Promise!
My mother was born and raised in Bavaria. She met my father, who was stationed in Salzburg, Austria. They married in Salzburg in1954, and she moved to America. My mom became a US Citizen in 1957, but she hung on to her Bavarian heritage with pride. She came from a lineage of great cooks, and her grandmother owned a successful restaurant in Bad Reichennhall, Bavarian. I can remember my mother, at a very young age, teaching me how to make our family’s favorite recipes. My mother passed on October 13, 2002. Since then, I have started a family tradition, of hosting an Oktoberfest dinner in memory of my “Mutti”.
I don’t need written recipes, because I can make them from memory. (One of the reasons I started my blog was to recreate these recipes so that they won’t be lost). Yesterday was our 7th Oktoberfest, so Craig put on Bavarian Oom-Pa-Pa music, to start the festive mood. At first, I could feel a big lump in my throat as I rolled up my sleeves and started making her dishes. Mutti is gone, but I felt a sense of her presence as I spent the next six hours making her Austrian Goulash, German Potato Salad, Spaetzle, and Red Cabbage. Of course, we had traditional sausages– but just a few. The Goulash is my personal favorite dish. It’s a stew with a rich sauce of tomato sauce and paprika.
This year, I opted out on making the traditional Bavarian Semel Knoedel (bread dumplings). Instead, I made a big batch of homemade spaetzle.
To keep the carbs coming, I decided I wanted to make Bavarian “Bretzen“… otherwise known as Soft Pretzels, in America. This recipe truly is fast and easy to to make. I realized that I had 90 minutes until the guests arrived! Could I make these on time? The answer is “yes“! I didn’t photograph each step, because I was running out of time and energy.
You start with warm water, sugar, salt and a packet of dry yeast. In five minutes it was foamy. Using my Kitchen Aid Stand mixer, and the dough hook, I added flour, and melted butter. That’s it! In one hour, the dough had doubled…
Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll into a 24″ coil. Shaping them was easy, thanks to Monica’s great photos . I was in a rush, so I didn’t have time to photograph the steps (click here, if you want to see Monica’s). The fun part was dipping them into a pot of boiling water, with baking soda. That took 30 seconds, each. I brushed them with an egg wash and sprinkled kosher salt on them.
Bavarian Bretzen (Soft Pretzels)
Equipment
- Stand Mixer with Dough Hook Can be done by hand, with elbow grease
- 2 Baking sheets lined with parchment paper
- 1 large pot to hold 10 cups of water
- 2 large spatulas I used my "spider" strainer for ease
- kosher (coarse) salt I buy pretzel salt online at King Arthur Flour
Ingredients
If using Rapid Rise/Active Dry Yeast (such as Fleischmans:
- 1 1/2 cups warm water 110°F to 115°F
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 package active dry yeast
If using Instant Yeast (such as SAF):
- 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast I use SAF brand
Pretzel dough:
- 22 ounces all-purpose flour approximately 4 1/2 cups
- 2 ounces unsalted butter melted, about 4 tablespoons
- 10 cups water
- 2/3 cup baking soda
- vegetable oil for the bowl
Egg wash:
- 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
- pretzel salt or Kosher salt
Instructions
If using rapid-rise/active yeast:
- Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam.
If using instant yeast (my preferred method):
- Simply add the instant yeast, skip waiting for 5 minutes for the mixture to foam. Go straight into mixing the dough.
Make the dough:
- Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined.
- Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the bowl. Shape the dough into a "round" and then place into a clean bowl that has been oiled.
Proof the dough:
- Cover with plastic wrap (or a plate) and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
Preheat the oven and prepare the water bath:
- Preheat the oven to 450°Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper, do not use wax paper–it will smoke, and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.
- Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.
- Prepare the egg wash.
Shape the pretzels:
- In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces.
- Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope.
- Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel.
- Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.
- Place the pretzels into the boiling water, one at a time, for 30 seconds. Don’t worry, they will sink to the bottom then float back to the top. If they fall apart in the water, just quickly reshape them when you place them back on the parchment.
- Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. NOTE: I used my "spider" strainer and that was really easy!
- Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt.
- Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Oh, Debby!! What a beautiful bretzel. I am looking forward to trying these myself.
This meal looks amazing, and yes it brings me right back to my days of living in Bavaria. . . spaetzle (specifically kasespaetzle) were my favorite. My parents seem to be Oktoberfest hopping this year, they went to the one in Munich (which apparently has become a huge drunken not-so-fun event, not like what it was 25 years ago. . .). Now they are heading to the second largest Oktoberfest in Blumenau Brazil. . . who knew?
What a lovely way to honor your mother.
Looks gorgeous and delish!!
Your pretzels are perfectly golden Deb! I could certainly eat them slice in half with butter- oh my!
But then again, I'd be happy eating them for dinner too! Thanks for linking back to my blog- I appreciate it.
Happy Oktoberfest 2010- your Mutti would be so proud of you!
Your pretzels are picture perfect, Debby. How I love these with a dunk in some spicy mustard (even better with an icy cold beer on the side). It will soon be time for our German American festival here with lots of pretzel and beer. I love this time of year!
I love your new Prada Pretzel glasses! So cute!
Beautiful job! Clearly you have the "pretzel-making" gene!
These are gorgeous! what a sweet tribute to your mother. I am so impressed with the twisting. The last time I tried to make pretzels..well it was a disaster.
What a great tribute to your mom! Beautiful pretzels! I'll have to add that to my bread baking list.
Your Mutti would be proud with that spread Deb!
I love these huge pretzels, yet have never made them! Gotta try homemade one of these days, especially for my German hubby! Happy German Octoberfest!!!
Köstliche Brezn – can't wait to try them out myself!
Wow ! What beautiful pretzels! I will be making these soon!
That looks sooo good, I am making those pretzels this week! Thanks for sharing!
you're mom looked like quite a lady! love the hat!
i can smell them from here! mmmmm
Your Oktoberfest menu sounds fantastic! You've totally gotten me in the mood for Bavarian food. I could go for a pretzel and a cold beer right now!
Debby – You certainly created a wonderful feast in honor of your mother. You have definitely done her proud! Everything looks heavenly. I could really go for one of those pretzels with butter.
P.S. Love the pic of you hiding behind the pretzel.
Debby, your bretzen are beautiful, and aren't you cute hiding behind one? 😀 Like you, I feel close to my Mother when I make something of hers. She was first generation of Slovakian parents and her Mother, my grandmother, was a wonderful cook. The apple didn't fall far from the tree with my Mother. Her recipes were by touch or taste. I need to write them down (figure out the measurements versus "by the eye"). Thanks for the inspiration.
Your pretzels look amazing! Makes me wish I had made to Oktoberfest… maybe next year, who knows!
Debby, your bretzen look perfect! I'm sure your mom would be proud!
~ingrid
Wonderful!! I can't wait to give these a try. Yours look so perfect. Thanks for sharing memories of your mother and her recipes.
Debby, your pretzels sure turned out beautifully. I've tried them once and they weere just okay. I'll be trying them again with this recipe and also your lovely Austrian Goulash.
Thanks.
Love the photo of you and the 'pretzel spectacles'! These look delicious as well.
This is a wonderful yearly tradition to keep the special family ties and memories unfolding Debby. Soft pretzels remind me of Munich where I went to a "beerhausen"many MANY years ago!
I love soft pretzels and have always thought about making them just haven't gotten around to it (yet). They look fantastic!
I was in Munich for O'fest this year. I swear I ate Butter Bretzen Every day. Bread, beer & butter for 2 weeks and I lost weight! I want my Butter Bretzen diet!
Is there a link to the recipe for the pretzels? They look yummy.
Yes, if you scroll to the bottom of the post there is a printable recipe card. I should make these again…soon!
Do you know how you are torturing us with this? hehe. Looks so perfect and soft!! I want some now. Bookmarking this one.
Your Mom looks like she was a lot of fun. A very beautiful lady. An the pretzels look scrumptious.
Such a wonderful recipe. I will be making these often. Do you think the texture would be sacrificed if you made bite-sized Bretzen? Well, I am making some for a fall get together.. we'll see : )
Your mother was adorable. She reminds me of my Great Grandmother who was from Italy.
P.S. I also want to try your Spaetzle recipe. Thank you thank you ; ) many blessings to you.
I can't wait to give these a try!!
hi,
im in New Zealand and the dry yeast comes in containers, not packet. how much yeast would i use?
Hi, I've been making these regularly now and always get good reviews, especially from German friends. Thanks so much for the recipe. Re the question about yeast in NZ I use one sachet of the Edmonds dry yeast (comes in a box of 12 sachets) works a treat!
What a great comment, and thank you for the feedback. I'm so glad that you enjoy this recipe. I'm long overdue to make more. Greetings to you, in New Zealand!
I stumbled on this recipe – just 10 years after you published it… and I’m so GRATEFUL I did! Absolutely delicious and very close to the pretzels I had in Munich, Frankfurt and Salzburg. THANK YOU!!
My pleasure! Whenever we are in Bavaria, we enjoy these with a glass of good Bavarian beer! Thanks for stopping by.