Why You Should STOP Buying Mall Pretzels (Easy Recipe)

Better Than Auntie Anne's! The Ultimate Homemade Soft Pretzels 🥨✨ Stop settling for frozen or mall pretzels! Today, I'm showing you how to make the ultimate Homemade Soft Pretzels right in your own kitchen. They are golden brown on the outside, incredibly soft and chewy on the inside, and brushed with plenty of melted butter and coarse salt. The best part? This recipe is surprisingly EASY and foolproof—no fancy baking skills required! In this video, you'll learn: The secret to getting that classic, deep-golden pretzel crust (The baking soda bath trick!). How to easily twist a perfect pretzel shape every single time. Ingredients Water: 1 ¼ cups warm water (warm to the touch, but not too hot) (0:14) Yeast: 1 packet active instant yeast (0:24) Flour: 3 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dustings) (0:36) Salt: 1 teaspoon (for the dough) (0:36) Sugar: A little pinch (0:41) Baking Soda: ¾ cup (for the water bath) (3:14) Toppings: Kosher salt (for sprinkling) and melted butter (for brushing) (9:50) Instructions 1. Activate the Yeast Pour 1 ¼ cups of warm water into a small bowl (0:14). Stir in the packet of active instant yeast (0:24). Set the mixture aside for a couple of minutes until it becomes frothy (0:30). Note: If it does not froth up, your yeast is too old; discard it and start fresh (1:02). 2. Form and Rise the Dough In a large bowl, mix 3 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of sugar (0:36). Pour the frothy yeast water into the flour mixture (0:51). Mix thoroughly using your hands or a spoon until it forms a cohesive dough (1:13). If the dough is too dry to incorporate everything, add a tiny splash of extra water (1:39). Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it until it forms a smooth ball (1:45). Lightly coat a clean bowl with cooking spray, place the dough ball inside, and cover it tightly with plastic wrap (2:05). Let the dough rest in a warm area for 1 hour until it rises (2:32). 3. Divide and Relax Preheat your oven to 425°F (3:21). Punch down the risen dough and turn it onto a floured work surface (3:04). Cut the dough progressively in half until you have 8 equal portions (3:54). Roll each portion into a small ball (4:19). Leave them uncovered on the counter to relax for 5 to 10 minutes so they stretch easily (4:25). 4. Roll, Bath, and Shape Prep a large pot of water on the stove (3:04). Before the water heats up or boils, stir in ¾ cup of baking soda until fully dissolved (3:09). Important: Adding baking soda to boiling water will cause a dangerous, foaming mess (4:33). Keep the water warm (8:03). Take a relaxed dough ball and roll it from the center outward into a long, thin cylinder (roughly 14 inches long) (5:08). Use a slotted mesh spoon (spider utensil) to submerge the long dough strip into the warm baking soda water (6:38). Move it around for just a few seconds until completely wet, then lift it out (8:18). Immediately lay the wet dough onto a baking sheet lined with wrinkled parchment paper (6:48). Form the dough into a traditional pretzel shape (8:24): shape it into a U-shaped smiley face, cross the two top legs over each other, and flip them down to press into the bottom curve (9:04). Repeat for the remaining portions. Leave plenty of space between them (around 4 pretzels per sheet) as they swell significantly (9:38). While the shaped pretzels are still wet, sprinkle the tops generously with kosher salt (9:42). 5. Bake and Butter Bake at 425°F for 7 minutes until deep golden-brown (9:55). Pull them out of the oven and immediately brush the tops with melted butter while they are piping hot (10:09). Serve fresh (10:31)!