Sourdough Soft Pretzels
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 medium mixing bowl
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 wooden spoon or dough whisk
- 1 Kitchen scale
- 1 measuring cup set
- 1 measuring spoon set
- 1 clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap
- 1 bench scraper or knife
- 2 large baking sheets
- 2 sheets parchment paper
- 1 Large pot
- 1 slotted spoon
- 1 pastry brush
- 1 Wire rack
Ingredients
- 200 gram sourdough starter active and 100% hydration
- 240 gram water lukewarm
- 40 gram unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 30 gram granulated sugar
- 10 gram fine sea salt
- 500 gram bread flour
- 1 large egg for egg wash; beaten
- 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
- 2 liter water for boiling
- 60 gram baking soda for boiling solution
- 2 tablespoon coarse pretzel salt for topping
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter, lukewarm water, melted butter, and granulated sugar until mostly smooth.
- Add the fine sea salt and bread flour to the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and only slightly tacky.
- Place the dough into a lightly oiled large mixing bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let rise at warm room temperature for 2–3 hours until puffy and almost doubled.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
- Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently deflate it.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces using a bench scraper or knife.
- Roll each piece into a rope about 20–24 inches (50–60 cm) long, tapering slightly at the ends.
- Shape each rope into a U, cross the ends twice, and fold the twisted ends down to the bottom of the U to form a pretzel shape, pressing the ends firmly to seal.
- Place each shaped pretzel on the prepared baking sheets, cover lightly with a towel, and let rest for 20–30 minutes while you heat the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
- In a large pot, bring 2 liters of water to a gentle boil, then carefully add the baking soda.
- Using a slotted spoon, gently lower 1–2 pretzels at a time into the simmering baking-soda water and boil for 20–30 seconds per side.
- Remove the pretzels from the water with the slotted spoon, let excess water drip off, and return them to the parchment-lined baking sheets.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash.
- Brush each boiled pretzel generously with egg wash using a pastry brush.
- Sprinkle the tops of the pretzels with coarse pretzel salt.
- Bake the pretzels for 12–15 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until deep golden brown.
- Transfer the baked pretzels to a wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
For best results, use an active, bubbly sourdough starter that has been recently fed, since a sluggish starter will lengthen rise times and can make the dough denser. If your kitchen is cool, allow extra time for the bulk rise or place the covered bowl in a slightly warm (but turned off) oven to encourage fermentation. When shaping, avoid adding too much flour to the surface so the ropes grip the counter and roll out more easily, and if the dough springs back, let the pieces rest for 5–10 minutes to relax the gluten. The baking-soda bath is key for traditional pretzel color and flavor, so maintain a gentle simmer rather than a vigorous boil to keep the pretzels from breaking apart. You can adjust the chewiness by boiling slightly longer for a firmer crust or shortening the bath for a softer bite, and for variety, skip the salt and brush the baked pretzels with melted butter and cinnamon sugar for a sweet version.
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