Homemade Soft Pretzels
Published 1/20/2025
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Have you always wanted to make your own Homemade Soft Pretzels recipe? Well, here’s your chance! These easy soft pretzels are super simple, fluffy, and buttery and have an irresistible mustard cheese sauce that’ll rock your world.
I can’t be the only one who used to beg my mom to buy me one of Auntie Anne’s classic soft pretzels. I remember watching them work with the pretzel dough in amazement as the buttery smell put me into a trance. Making the pretzels looked so fun! And now that I can make them myself, and I’ll teach you how to do it too!
From the dough to shaping and baking these homemade soft pretzels, this recipe is simple enough for a beginner baker to follow. Try making them with your family on a lazy Sunday morning or as a fun after-school activity with the kids. They’re literally SO GOOD.
Checklist for Homemade Soft Pretzels
- Instant yeast: I like to use instant yeast for this recipe because it saves time and doesn’t require proofing.
- All-purpose flour: This versatile flour is perfect for making soft pretzels. It gives them just the right texture and structure.
- Kosher salt: I use kosher salt for the dough and for sprinkling on top of the pretzels. It adds a nice crunch and flavor.
- Baking soda: The baking soda is used in the boiling water bath to give the pretzels their signature shiny and golden brown crust.
- Cream cheese: The base of our amazing mustard cheese sauce!
- Dijon mustard: Who doesn’t love mustard flavor with their pretzels? Sooo tasty.
- Honey: Adds a sweet touch to the mustard cheese sauce.
- Hand mixer: Use this to mix the cheesy mustard sauce until smooth and creamy.
What if I don’t have instant yeast?
No problem! You can simply use active dry yeast and proof it in warm water for about 5 minutes before adding it to the dough. Just make sure to use warm water (around 110-115°F degrees) and add a pinch of sugar to help activate the yeast.
Try Other Popular Pretzel Flavors
This is the best homemade soft pretzel recipe to use as a base for experimenting with other flavors.
Want to make cinnamon sugar pretzels? Simply skip the salt and coat the warm pretzels with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Want to make Pizza Soft Pretzels? Add some pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings before baking!
For the dipping sauce, you can swap the mustard cheese sauce for the classic Pretzel Cheese Dip or this yummy Beer Cheese Dip for a twist!
How to Make Homemade Soft Pretzels
- Activate Yeast: In a large bowl, whisk together the warm water and instant yeast. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes or until the yeast is foamy and fragrant.
- Knead Dough: Next, stir in the flour and 1 tablespoon of salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. About 3-4 minutes.
- Let Dough Rise: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. About 2 hours.
- Make Sauce: While the dough is rising, add all of the sauce ingredients to a bowl and mix using a hand mixer. Once everything is combined, cover and refrigerate.
- Preheat Oven: After the dough has risen, preheat your oven to 425℉ and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make Pretzels: Take the dough from the fridge, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide it into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope (about 15” long) and then form a U shape. Then, cross the two ends of the U and fold them back over the bottom to create a pretzel. Repeat with the remaining pretzels.
- Boil Water: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and slowly add the baking soda (if you add it all at once, it may boil over).
- Boil Pretzels: Add the pretzels one at a time and boil for 45 seconds. Remove the boiled pretzel, place it on the parchment-lined baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining pretzels.
- Bake: Top the pretzels with the remaining kosher salt and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the pretzels are golden brown.
- Serve & Enjoy: Enjoy with the mustard cheese sauce. Enjoy!
Here’s a tip!
The mustard sauce yields about 1 cup. You can change the flavor profile by increasing or decreasing the mustard and honey to make it more or less sweet/spicy.
Storage
Store any leftover pretzels and dip in the fridge for up to two days. To reheat, place pretzels in the oven at 350℉ for a few minutes until warm. The mustard sauce can be reheated on the stove or in the microwave.
Add These Homemade Soft Pretzels to a Platter
Headed to a potluck or having guests over? Accompany these tasty soft pretzels with other appetizers like these Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Wings, this Spinach Artichoke Dip, or Dill Pickle Jalapeño Poppers!
Soft Pretzels Recipe
Ingredients
Pretzel
- 1 cup water
- 2.25 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
- ¼ cup baking soda
Mustard Cheese Sauce
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the warm water and instant yeast. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes or until the yeast is foamy and fragrant.
- Next, stir in the flour and 1 tablespoon of salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. About 3-4 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. About 2 hours.
- While the dough is rising, make the mustard cheese sauce. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix using a hand mixer. Once everything is combined, cover and refrigerate.
- After the dough has risen, preheat your oven to 425℉ and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 pieces.
- Roll each piece into a rope (about 15” long) and then form a U shape. Cross the two ends of the U and then fold them back over the bottom to create a pretzel. Repeat with the remaining pretzels.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and slowly add the baking soda (if you add it all at once, it may boil over).
- Add the pretzels one at a time and boil for 45 seconds. Remove the boiled pretzel, place it on the parchment-lined baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining pretzels.
- Top the pretzels with the remaining kosher salt.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the pretzels are golden brown.
- Enjoy with the mustard cheese sauce. Store any leftover pretzels and dip in the fridge for up to two days.
Tips & Notes
- The mustard sauce yields about 1 cup. You can change the flavor profile by increasing or decreasing the mustard and honey to make it more or less sweet/spicy.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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