Sourdough Pretzels

close up overhead shot of salted pretzels on baking sheet.

These homemade sourdough pretzels are chewy, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make, perfect for a cozy afternoon snack or a special occasion treat. Makes 12 pretzels.

Prep Time35

Cook Time18

Rising Time13

Total Time13 53

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: sourdough pretzels

Servings: pretzels

Calories: 226kcal

Author: Katie

Equipment

digital scale
Electric stand mixer with hook attachment

Ingredients

Dough

½ cup active sourdough starter 100 g
1 cup warm filtered water
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
3/8 cup butter {melted and cooled and divided (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons)}
1 tbsp pretzel salt or coarse salt

Water bath

6 cups water
2 tbsp baking soda
1 tbsp brown sugar

Instructions

Activate Starter Night Before. Add 30g of sourdough starter, 35g of all-purpose flour, and 35g of filtered room-temperature water to a pint-sized mason jar. Stir to combine, cover, and allow to sit at room temperature for 6-12 hours or until it’s doubled in size.
Mix the Starter, Water, Honey, and Salt. Mix the active sourdough starter, water, honey, and salt. I recommend a stand mixer with a dough attachment. It will make it a lot easier.
Add Half of the Flour. Next, add in about 2 cups of the all-purpose flour. Stir to combine.
Add the Rest of the Flour. Add the rest of the flour (2 cups) and stir until most of the dough comes together.
Add Butter. Drizzle over ¼ cup of butter. Stir to combine.
Knead the Dough. Set your stand mixer to medium and allow the dough to knead for about 2 minutes. You will notice the dough releasing itself from the side of the bowl, and it will be soft and pliable.
Let the Dough Rise. Turn the dough out onto a clean, dry surface. Grease the dough with a small amount of cooking spray and place it back into the bowl (or transfer it to a different bowl). Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for about 12 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
Prepare Parchment Squares. Cut a piece of parchment paper into twelve 4” squares and set aside.
Separate the Dough. Turn the dough out onto a clean, dry surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces.
Shape Dough Into Pretzels. Roll the individual dough balls out into a long log shape (about 18” long). Bring the ends together to make a U shape. Twist the ends twice, then fold them to create a classic pretzel shape. Transfer the pretzel onto the precut piece of parchment paper (placing them on the piece helps easily transfer). Repeat this process until all of the dough balls have been shaped.
Let Dough Rest. Allow them to sit for 1 hour.
Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with a piece of parchment paper and set aside. (If you only have one, you can bake it in batches.)
Prepare Waterbath. Add 6 cups of water, 2 tbsp of baking soda, and 1 tbsp of brown sugar in a large pot. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
Boil Pretzel Dough. Once boiling, working in batches, place pretzels into the prepared water bath, and remove the piece of parchment paper (it will easily release once it is in the water). Allow the pretzel to cook in the water bath for 3 minutes, flipping halfway (after 90 seconds). Transfer the pretzels to the lined baking sheet.
Coat with Butter and Salt. Brush the tops with some melted butter (optional) and sprinkle on some coarse pretzel salt.
Bake. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for 10 minutes before enjoying.

Notes

For this recipe, I used salted butter. You can use unsalted butter or margarine.
I recommend measuring out the water for the water bath. If you add too much or too little water, the baking soda’s concentration will be off.
Brushing butter over the top of the pretzels is optional, but it gives them an extra buttery flavor, which is nice!

Nutrition