Easy 30 Minute Homemade Soft Pretzels Recipe

Introduction

These easy homemade soft pretzels come together quickly and deliver that perfect chewy texture and golden crust you love. With just a few simple ingredients and no boiling step required, they make a fun and delicious snack for any occasion.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon instant yeast*
• 1½ cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon honey (or sugar)
• 1 tablespoon salt**
• 4 cups flour***
• 1 egg (for wash — don’t skip since we’re not boiling)
• Salt for sprinkling (kosher is best but sea salt will do fine)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Combine yeast, warm water, honey, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
2. Step 2: Stir in flour and mix until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl, about 1-2 minutes. The dough should be smooth and only slightly sticky; if it sticks too much when shaping, add a touch more flour.
3. Step 3: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220°C).
4. Step 4: Pull off pieces of dough and shape them into pretzels, letters, hearts, animals, or small bites. Place them on one or two lined or greased cookie sheets. Fill one sheet at a time, as the first batch will bake before you finish shaping the rest.
5. Step 5: Beat the egg with a bit of water and brush it generously over the dough shapes. Sprinkle salt on top.
6. Step 6: Bake for 13-15 minutes at 425 degrees until the pretzels are golden brown.
7. Step 7: Allow the pretzels to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before serving.

Tips & Variations

• If the dough sticks too much while shaping, lightly flour your hands and surface, but don’t add too much flour or the pretzels can become tough.
• Try brushing with melted butter after baking for extra flavor and a soft crust.
• For a sweeter version, sprinkle cinnamon sugar instead of salt right after brushing the egg wash.

Storage

Store leftover pretzels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. To refresh, warm them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5-7 minutes to restore softness. They can also be frozen; wrap tightly and freeze for up to one month. Thaw at room temperature before reheating.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I skip the egg wash if I don’t have eggs?

The egg wash helps give the pretzels their shiny, golden crust since these aren’t boiled first. If you skip it, the pretzels will still bake but will have a matte finish and less color.

Why don’t we boil the pretzels before baking?

This recipe uses an egg wash instead of boiling, which simplifies and speeds up the process. Boiling helps develop a chewy crust but it’s not necessary here to get soft, tasty pretzels in just 30 minutes.

Easy 30 Minute Homemade Soft Pretzels Recipe

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4.5 from 141 reviews

This Easy 30 Minute Homemade Soft Pretzels Recipe delivers soft, chewy, and golden-brown pretzels perfect for a quick snack or party treat. Using a simple dough mixture with yeast, honey, and flour, these pretzels are shaped by hand and baked to perfection without the traditional boiling step, making the process fast and foolproof. The egg wash creates a beautiful glossy crust topped with coarse salt for that classic pretzel flavor.

• Author: zara
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 8–10 pretzels 1x
• Category: Snack
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dough

• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 1½ cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon honey (or sugar)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 4 cups all-purpose flour

Topping

• 1 egg (for egg wash)
• 1 tablespoon water (to mix with egg)
• Salt for sprinkling (kosher or sea salt preferred)

Instructions

1. Activate Yeast and Combine Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the instant yeast, warm water, honey, and salt. Stir to blend all the wet ingredients thoroughly.
2. Make the Dough: Add the flour and mix using the dough hook until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl, about 1-2 minutes. The dough should be smooth and only slightly sticky to the touch. If it’s too sticky, gradually add a little more flour until manageable but still soft.
3. Preheat Oven: Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to ensure it’s hot enough for baking the pretzels with a nice crust.
4. Shape the Pretzels: Tear off pieces of dough or roll it out and cut into pieces for even sizing. Shape each piece into pretzels, letters, hearts, or fun shapes and place them on one lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. It’s best to fill and bake one sheet at a time for optimal temperature and even baking.
5. Apply Egg Wash and Salt: Mix the egg with a tablespoon of water then brush this wash generously over each shaped dough piece. This will give the pretzels a shiny, golden crust. Sprinkle kosher salt or preferred coarse salt on top to add that signature pretzel flavor.
6. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes until the pretzels turn a deep golden brown color indicating they’re cooked through and have a slightly crisp crust.
7. Cool: After baking, transfer the pretzels to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving. This prevents sogginess and helps them keep their shape and texture.

Notes

• Using instant yeast eliminates the need for proofing and speeds up the dough rising process.
• Do not skip the egg wash; it’s essential here because the recipe skips the traditional boiling step which normally gives pretzels their crust.
• If the dough sticks while shaping, lightly flour your hands and surface to avoid sticking but avoid adding too much flour to keep pretzels soft.
• You can experiment with different shapes to make these pretzels fun and kid-friendly.
• For extra flavor, sprinkle pretzels with toppings like garlic powder, cinnamon sugar, or sesame seeds instead of salt.
• These pretzels are best enjoyed fresh but can be reheated briefly in the oven to revive softness.

Keywords: soft pretzels, homemade pretzels, easy pretzel recipe, quick pretzels, baked pretzels, snack recipe