New York-Style Soft Pretzels
With a crust reminiscent of bagels and a soft inside, these New York-style soft pretzels are a wonderful savory treat.
Servings Prep Time
8 60-90minutes
Cook Time
10minutes
Servings Prep Time
8 60-90minutes
Cook Time
10minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.
  2. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let the mixture stand on the counter for about 5-10 minutes, until it foams.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.)
  7. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
  8. Do a baking soda and water bath. (See below for 2 alternative methods.)
  9. 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.)
  10. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
  11. Serve while warm.
For the baking soda and water bath, do one of the following
  1. 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
  2. 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.
Recipe Notes

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.