These pillowy soft sourdough pretzels are very simple to make and only require a few steps until you achieve a delicious result. Although you'll need to make sure your pretzel dough is proof enough before you proceed with baking! Get your sourdough starter ready, because you're in for a treat!
Table of Contents
- 100 gr active sourdough starter
- 255 g water
- 40 gr honey
- 10 g fine sea salt
- 500 gr bread flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon coarse salt
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- Mix the sourdough starter, water, honey and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the bread flour and use your hands to bring these ingredients together as best you can. By now the dough should be stiff and ready to cook. Place the dough hook on the stand mixer and mix the dough on the lowest speed for 7 minutes. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature for 12 hours.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer the pretzel dough to a clean work surface.
- Roll the dough into a long rope and place it in a U shape. Lift the edges of the dough and roll it twice. Fold the twist and press the edges of the dough together. Cover the pretzel dough with a towel and leave to rise and rise for 60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Boil 6 cups of water in a large pot and add 2 tablespoons of baking soda, along with 1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar.
- Drop 3 pretzels into boiling water for 30 seconds, then use a mesh strainer to remove and place on a baking sheet. Brush each pretzel with an egg wash and sprinkle some coarse salt over them.
- Bake the pretzels for 12-14 minutes, until they turn light brown.
- Cooking time: 14 min
- Category: bread
- Kitchen: German
Baking time
- Day 1: 08:00 – Food starter
- 20:00 – Mix the pretzel dough, cover and ferment on the kitchen counter overnight
- Day 2: 08:00 – Divide the dough, shape the pretzels, cover and freeze.
- 8.30 in the morning – Prepare boiling water with baking soda and dark brown sugar
- 9 o'clock in the morning – Boil the pretzels, brush them with egg, add some salt and then bake them.
Can you use a sourdough starter to make pretzels?
You can use a sourdough starter for this soft sourdough pretzel recipe. However, you will need to include commercial yeast in the recipe.
Simply add up to 7g of commercial yeast, along with your sourdough toss, for a delightfully puffy rise.
Why do you boil soft pretzels with sourdough before baking?
To achieve a soft and chewy crust, it's important to boil your pretzels before baking. Traditional German pretzel are boiled in paintedbut to make this recipe accessible to home bakers, you can add a little baking soda to the boiling water.
The baking soda helps the pretzels achieve their unique color and chewiness. Boiling the soft pretzels allows them to achieve a wonderful puff, before finally being baked in the oven.
Like sourdough bread, these pretzels also require moisture to achieve the desired result. This means that the crust is set by boiling, and as the bagel bakes, it becomes chewier from the moisture.
Is pretzel dough and bagel dough the same?
Sourdough pretzel dough is almost the same as sourdough bagel dough, in the sense when it is prepared and cooked in the same way, with the hope of achieving a chewy result. The only difference lies in the shapes of the sourdough pretzels, while their textures are almost the same.
Why are my sourdough bagels so dense?
When the pretzels are too dense, they may not have risen properly, or you may have used a flour that is too high in protein.
Before you bake your sourdough pretzels, they should be nice and puffy, like pretzel dough pillows.
If the pretzels are not puffed before boiling, they will come out dense after baking. The pretzel should be soft and chewywith a light and airy environment.
of type of flour that you use plays a big role in this sourdough pretzel recipe, so choose an all-purpose flour for the best results.
How to store pretzels?
Homemade cookies can be stored at room temperature or in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To store your pretzels for longer, simply freeze your pretzel when you're ready to eat again!
Soft pretzel with sourdough
Top your delicious and soft sourdough pretzels with a little pretzel salt if desired for that decadent finish and enjoy them for breakfast or a snack!
Sourdough Pretzel Recipe FAQ
Are Sourdough Pretzels Healthy?
Nuts are low in fat and very nutritious. Instead of eating chips, opt for a soft pretzel with sourdough.
Are sourdough pretzels low carb?
While sourdough pretzels can be very nutritious, they are very high in net carbs (78g), which is not good for those on a keto or low-carb diet.
Can diabetics eat sourdough pretzels?
The fermentation process in sourdough recipes reduces the glycemic response when people with diabetes consume sourdough bread, or pretzels.
Are pretzels good for weight loss?
Although regular pretzels may be low in fat, they have no nutritional value, meaning they do not contribute to weight or fat loss.
