Back when COVID first started, a friend told me about King Arthur Baking’s Hot Buttered Soft Pretzels, and somehow that turned into Pretzel Monday at our house.
Every Monday, we made pretzels.
And when I say we made pretzels, I don’t mean I carefully shaped eight bakery-perfect pretzels while my kids watched. The kids got dough. They got toothpicks and kid-safe knives. They twisted and rolled and smashed and started over. We made traditional pretzels, braids, balls, roses, and plenty of things that looked like absolutely nothing at all.
Six years later, I think I’ve made this recipe at least 100 times.
And after making it that many times, here’s what I really want you to know: pretzel dough is basically Play-Doh you get to eat.
You do not need to be precious with it. You don’t need to get the shape right on the first try. If your pretzel looks ridiculous, wad it back into a ball and start again. The dough will be fine.
Over the years, we’ve also turned the original recipe into all kinds of things. We make classic salted pretzels, cinnamon-sugar pretzels, pretzel-wrapped hot dogs, and pizza pretzels stuffed with mozzarella and pepperoni.
I’ve simplified a few things, too. I use regular all-purpose flour because I always have it, and after making these with both bread flour and all-purpose flour over the years, I don’t think you need to buy something special. I also make the baking soda bath with hot water rather than keeping a pot of boiling water on the stove while I’m cooking with kids.
And I use twice the butter as the original KAF recipe.
Because after 100 batches of pretzels, I feel quite confident saying that the answer is more butter.
This recipe was originally inspired by King Arthur Baking’s Hot Buttered Soft Pretzels, but this is the way we’ve made them in our kitchen for years. If you have kids who like to get their hands into the food they’re making, this is such a fun lunch or afternoon project.
And yes, you can absolutely call it lunch.
Hot Buttered Pretzels 4 Ways
Ingredients
Pretzel Dough
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast 1 standard packet
- 1 cup warm water
Baking Soda Bath
- 1 cup very hot water
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
For Finishing
- Kosher salt for sprinkling
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Instructions
- Make the dough. Add the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, and warm water to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix until the dough comes together, then knead with the dough hook for about 5–8 minutes, until the dough is smooth, soft, and elastic. You can also mix and knead the dough by hand.
- Let it rise. Lightly oil a bowl, add the dough, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Make the baking soda bath. While the dough rises, combine 1 cup very hot water with 2 tablespoons baking soda in a shallow pan or dish. Stir well and set aside. It does not need to stay boiling or even especially hot. By the time we’re shaping pretzels, I want it comfortable to work around with kids.
- Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 475°F. Lightly grease a sheet pan or prepare it with your preferred nonstick liner.
- Portion the dough. Divide the dough into 8 pieces for large pretzels or 16 for smaller ones. Let the pieces rest for about 5 minutes.
- Make whatever you want. Roll the dough into ropes and twist into traditional pretzels—or don’t! Make braids, balls, twists, letters, roses, or whatever your kids come up with. You can handle this dough quite a bit. If you don’t like your shape, squish it together and try again.
- Give them a baking soda bath. Place the shaped dough into the baking soda mixture and let it soak for about 2 minutes, spooning some of the water over the top if necessary.
- Salt and rest. Transfer the pretzels to the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt. Let them rest, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.
- Bake. Bake at 475°F for 8–9 minutes, or until beautifully golden brown. Stuffed or especially thick shapes may need a little additional time; watch the color rather than relying only on the clock.
- Bring on the butter. As soon as the pretzels come out of the oven, brush them generously with all 6 tablespoons of melted butter. Yes, all of it. Keep brushing.
- Serve warm.
Notes
