New York-style soft pretzels are not just for tourists who don’t know any better.
Before there were fancy food trucks in cities across the U.S., there were carts on New York City streets selling soft pretzels to natives and tourists alike.
Walking down a New York street, when I see a pretzel vendor, it’s an almost Pavlovian reaction – I must have one. Those sold as “street food” are heavily coated in coarse salt, but it’s the pretzel itself and not the topping that makes the New York version so delicious.
When I saw that my Secret Recipe Club partner for March, Cathleen of A Taste of Madness, has a soft pretzel recipe on her site, I knew immediately that was the one I’d pick for my post. If you aren’t familiar with how Secret Recipe Club works, we each get randomly assigned another blogger, whose site we check out and introduce to our own readers. Then we pick a recipe from that site to make, or to use as inspiration.
Cathleen is a math teacher. She started blogging as a way to track what she had cooked. Over time, she began using A Taste of Madness to push herself to try new recipes and to move beyond desserts to savory dishes. Cathleen calls herself a “math nerd,” but she seems anything but nerdy in her fun approach to life and cooking. A woman after my own heart.
I love Cathleen’s simple approach to food. Her Easy Mustard Chicken is a quicker version of my mom’s chicken cutlet recipe and her muffin-tin single serving dinners (mini lasagna and mini shepherd’s pie) are creative ways to make dinner easy. Of course, I would never visit a blog and miss the desserts page. On A Taste of Madness, there’s no shortage of great looking desserts. As a certified ginger freak, ginger molasses cookies attracted me, but honestly, I could probably be happy making any of her desserts – or better yet, all of them.
Anyway, back to New York-style soft pretzels. Cathleen’s recipe inspired me, but I did go pretty far afield once I got started. Before making my pretzels, I also consulted two recipes on Leite’s Culinaria (one titled fresh baked pretzels and the other described as soft pretzels), a Joy the Baker version adapted from Gourmet, and one from The Kitchn. Perhaps even more important, I read up on the whys and hows of using “baked baking soda” from one of my favorite food gurus, Harold McGee.
The ingredients are simple:
After letting the yeast activate, I added it to the flour, salt, and oil.
Then there is a second rise once the dough ropes are pretzel-shaped.
| Prep Time | 60-90 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 2 1/2 - 3 cups flour preferably bread flour, but all purpose will work
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- Baking soda + water - see directions below for alternatives
- 1 egg mixed with 2 teaspoons of water
- Toppings - coarse salt E.g. poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onion flakes/powder or a combination
Ingredients
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- Whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.
- Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let the mixture stand on the counter for about 5-10 minutes, until it foams.
- Add the oil and yeast mixture to the flour and salt. Knead the dough in a stand mixer with a dough hook for about 5 minutes on low-medium speed or by hand for about 7-8 minutes, until the dough is tough but smooth. Mine resembled a brain, with strands that were smooth but didn't merge easily into a ball.
- Place the dough into a large, oiled bowl, lightly oil the dough ball itself, cover the bowl and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
- After removing the dough from the bowl, cut it into 8 pieces and roll each one into a dough "rope." Try to make each piece into a rope about 24" long. It takes effort because the dough is firm.
- Fold each rope into a U shape, twist it once or twice, then bring the ends down to the bottom of the U, crossing them and pressing the ends into the lower sides of the U. (See photos in the post.)
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Do a baking soda and water bath. (See below for 2 alternative methods.)
- Place the pretzels on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush them with the egg and water mixture and top with topping(s) of choice. (See note below if not serving soon after baking.)
- Bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Serve while warm.
- Simple Method - Dissolve 1/4 cup of baking soda in a pot of water that would cover a pretzel (I used about 8 cups), bring it to a boil, reduce it to a simmer, and then gently lower one or two pretzels at a time into the water, simmering the pretzel(s) for 30 seconds, then turning them and simmering the other side for another 30 seconds. Gently drain the pretzels on a wire rack or parchment. OR
- Authentic (but more complicated) Method - Ahead of time, "bake the baking soda." Do this by spreading 2/3 cup of baking soda out on a foil-lined baking pan (cookie sheet with sides) and bake it at 250-300 degrees F for one hour. Place the "baked baking soda" in a tightly sealed jar until use if baking it hours or days ahead of time. DO NOT TOUCH THE BAKED BAKING SODA WITH BARE HANDS. Use gloves or lift the foil without touching the baking soda. When ready to dunk the pretzels in the baking soda and water, put the baking soda in a bowl with 2 cups of warm water. Immerse each raw pretzel in the solution for 3-4 minutes, gently drain the pretzel and rinse off the solution in a large bowl of plain water before draining the pretzel on a wire rack or parchment. It's best to use tongs when moving the pretzels.
If serving later, do not use egg wash or topping when baking at 450 degrees. Bake for only 8 minutes. When ready to serve, brush the pretzels with the egg/water mixture, add toppings and reheat at 350 degrees for a few minutes, until thoroughly warmed.
Leigh says
Wow. This post blew me away they look so good. I’m not a fan of pretzels myself (as I don’t eat wheat), but your pictures are making me want to reach through the computer and grab one.
Laura says
Leigh, You’re too sweet! I’ll bet you could do these gluten-free. Might take a bit of experimentation, but knowing you, they would be fabulous.
SallyBR says
Great post, what a nice write up! Homemade pretzels are one of the things on my endless list to bake “soon”
yours turned out simply perfect!
Laura says
Sally, You should definitely give them a try – not difficult. The hardest part was rolling out the long strands and that was not a technical problem, just a bit tedious.
SallyBR says
I absolutely MUST do this!
Rachel says
These look amazing!! What a fun project!
Laura says
Rachel, It was fun – hope you try it.
Erin @ Making Memories says
Your pretzels look amazing! YUM!
Laura says
Many thanks Erin.
Stephanie says
I keep wanting to try handmade pretzels and just watched a show where they used a lye dip, seeing it explained here makes me more willing to try this version.
Laura says
Stephanie, Do try it. These are eminently do-able. And the easy baking soda rinse works well – the “baked baking soda” was a bit better IMHO, but not by enough to prevent you from trying the simpler way if you’re so inclined.
Sid says
I want some, now!.. Hmmm, I guess I need to put pretzels on my list of recipes to try. These look amazing. Your pictures are gorgeous. Great choice for this month.
Laura says
Thanks Sid. Yes, you really should try them – delicious and fun to make.
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
Oh my gosh those are picture-perfect pretzels. I am reaching through the screen. Great SRC pick.
Laura says
Many thanks Dorothy. They were so much fun to make.
Lisa (Panning The Globe) says
I love this post Laura! I shared it on Panning The Globe’s Facebook page and I can’t wait to try your recipe. Or I may give it to Eddie (my husband) to make because he’s the dough expert in our house and would absolutely love this.
Laura says
Many thanks Lisa. I loved making these pretzels and also experimenting with the baking soda rinse. Can’t wait to hear how yours turn out. My beloved is a former professional pizza man – bet he and Eddie would have a fantastic time in the kitchen working the dough angle for our recipes:)
susan @ the wimpy vegetarian says
I admit I’ve never considered making homemade pretzels. But once I read your post, I really really have to make them. I’m so impressed with all the groundwork you did too – I’m a huge fan of Harold McGee as well. I like knowing why something works, and why it doesn’t. And your photos are really gorgeous. It makes me want to head to the kitchen right now! Wonderful pick this month!!!!
Katie Zeller says
I love pretzels… and if I want one I’m going to have to make my own so thanks for the recipe. Now I really want a pretzel!
Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories says
These look so perfect!!!
Laura says
Many thanks Karen. We enjoyed them and I’ve even got a few hidden in the freezer for another day when I need a fun snack.