Today we’re sharing a recipe for Sourdough Soft Pretzels. An easy and delicious recipe for homemade soft pretzels and a great way to use up some of your sourdough discard!
All About Sourdough Soft Pretzels
You may not believe it, but these Sourdough Soft Pretzels are fun and easy to make. They’re great to bake with beginner bakers, kids and families. We also love to freeze them so you can reheat a pretzel to eat any time. These pretzels are the perfect appetizer for a party, game day, gathering, potluck or even just to make for a yummy treat for your family.
How do you like to eat your soft pretzels? Many love to enjoy a soft pretzel with their favorite dipping sauce. We love a cheese sauce or some mustard with our soft pretzels. They are also awesome with cinnamon sugar, if you’re looking for a sweet treat. We also love to use this to make soft pretzel dogs or pizza soft pretzels.
Our Sourdough Journey
Like many on a Sourdough journey, you envision loaves upon loaves of delicious sourdough bread. But it turns out those sourdough loaves take a lot of time and practice to make. In order to keep your sourdough starter alive, you continually feed it and must find ways to use the starter or dump it. In the spirit of not wasting food, even sourdough discard isn’t something that we can afford to waste. This recipe uses up 3/4 of a cup of sourdough discard so it’s a great recipe to have on hand.
While our sourdough starter has made quite a few loaves of bread, tortillas, pizza, bagels, pancakes, waffles, brownies and even muffins. We are still looking for ways to use up sourdough starter and found these Sourdough Soft Pretzels are another delicious option. We regularly make these for an easy lunch or dinner to go along with a smoothie.
If you’re looking for other sourdough recipes, we have several here on the blog. There are more sourdough and sourdough discard recipes to come also. In addition, we have a post on how to start your own Sourdough starter if you need help with that.
Sourdough Soft Pretzels
This delicious homemade Sourdough Soft Pretzels are easy to make and are a great way to use up some of your sourdough discard!
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons warm water
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 200 grams (about 3/4 cup) sourdough discard unfed, at room temperature
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp butter melted
For Boiling:
- 10 cups water
- 2/3 cup baking soda
For Topping:
- 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 Tablespoon water for egg wash
- Flaky sea salt or coarse kosher salt
Instructions
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Combine the warm water (1 cup + 2 Tbsp) and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit for 5 minutes or until the yeast begins to foam.
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Add the sourdough discard, flour and salt and mix on low speed. While the mixer is running, pour in the melted butter and mix on low speed. While the mixer is running, pour in the melted butter and mix until combined. Change to medium speed and continue to knead until a smooth dough forms, about 4-5 minutes (you can also knead by hand if preferred).
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If needed, add more flour or water (1 Tablespoon at a time) to reach your desired consistency. The dough should be fairly sturdy, smooth and not sticky.
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Transfer the dough in a ball to a large, oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
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Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a baking mat (such as a Silpat mat) and set aside.
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Turn the dough out onto a smooth, dry work surface (no need to flour or oil, you'll want some traction). Divide the dough into 8 equal-size pieces (this doesn't need to be exact). Roll each piece into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, then cross the ends of the rope over each other like a heart. Twist the ends together and push down at the bottom of the U. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a clean kitchen towel while you prepare the next step.
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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bring 10 cups of water and 2/3 cup baking soda to a boil in a large pot. Make sure to add the baking soda to the water before it boils to avoid a bubbly mess!
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Place the pretzels in the boiling water, one by one, for 20-30 seconds on each side. A longer boil will create a thicker crust. The pretzels should float (called "passing the float test").
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Remove the pretzels from the water using a slotted spatula and shake off excess water. Return the pretzels to the baking sheet. Lightly brush each pretzel with egg wash and sprinkle with flaky salt.
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Bake until golden brown, approximately 13-15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool fully. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Recipe Notes
To make Cinnamon Sugar Sourdough Discard Pretzels, omit the egg wash and flaky salt. Bake as directed above, then let the pretzels cool. Melt 4 Tablespoons butter. Stir together 3/4 cup granulated sugar with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Brush the cooled pretzels with the butter, then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
How to Reheat and Store Leftover Pretzels
If you’re going to eat these pretzels quickly (the next day or so), keep them in a paper bag at room temperature. If they harden, you can put them in the microwave for about 30 seconds to make them soft and warm again. For longer term storage, once cooled, transfer the pretzels to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to reheat, place them in the microwave for 60 seconds or until they’re soft and warm again.
We’d love to hear what you think about this recipe. What is your favorite sourdough recipe? Let us know in the comments below. Thank you for visiting Sunup to Sundown! Please subscribe, like or share this post with others who could benefit from it.
