Description

Auntie Anne’s Soft Pretzels recipe recreates the famous soft, chewy pretzels with a perfect golden crust, ideal for a savory snack or party treat. This recipe guides you through mixing yeast dough, shaping pretzels, boiling in a baking soda bath, and baking to perfection, finishing with a buttery glaze and coarse salt for that authentic taste.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

2 (0.25-ounce) packages active dry yeast (about 1 ½ tablespoons total)
½ cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 ¾ cups warm water (about 100-110° F)
5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl

Boiling Solution

9 cups water
½ cup baking soda

Toppings & Finishing

Coarse salt, to taste
¼ cup melted butter

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Instructions

Activate Yeast: Combine the yeast, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and warm water in a small bowl. Let it rest for 10 minutes until foamy to ensure the yeast is active.
Mix Dough: In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, whisk together flour, remaining sugar, and kosher salt. Add vegetable oil and yeast mixture. Mix on medium-low speed for about 5 minutes until a smooth dough forms.
First Rise: Transfer dough to a greased bowl, turning to coat it with oil. Cover and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheets: Near the end of the rise, preheat oven to 425°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Prepare Baking Soda Bath: Bring 9 cups of water and baking soda to a boil in a large pot, stirring to dissolve baking soda.
Shape Pretzels: Punch down the risen dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each into a 22-24 inch rope, then twist into a pretzel shape.
Boil Pretzels: Carefully drop 1-2 pretzels into boiling baking soda water for 20-30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spatula and shake off excess water. Place onto prepared baking sheets and sprinkle with coarse salt.
Bake: Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.
Finish: Brush warm pretzels with melted butter and serve immediately for best taste and softness.

Notes

Prepared dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours or frozen for 2-3 months in an airtight container.
Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before use.
Do not boil pretzels longer than 30 seconds to avoid an unpleasant metallic taste.
Use coarse salt generously for authentic flavor and texture on the pretzels.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 pretzel
Calories: 220
Sugar: 5g
Sodium: 500mg
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 38g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 6g
Cholesterol: 5mg