I’ve made several German recipes for my kids’ high school German classes over the last few years. The assignment was to make or bake a German recipe and everyone in the class enjoyed the snacks. My daughter decided she wanted to try real homemade German pretzels when she was a Freshman. So I set out to find an authentic German pretzel recipe.
Homemade German Pretzel Recipe
Previously I had made Bretzel Rolls, so luckily I was already prepared for this. The Bretzel rolls were delicious and reminded me of a restaurant I used to go to. For this same class assignment we also made mini lemon cakes and Partybrot.
I found this pretzel recipe on the blog La Cerise. It’s run by Astrid who lives in Zurich and bakes up some true masterpieces. This German pretzel recipe was originally adapted by Astrid from a German website.
I’ve calculated the adjustments from metric to standard, so I was very pleased that our homemade German pretzels came together so well.
Original photo from the first time I made these in 2009
The first time I made them they were considerably smaller than I expected. Mine looked quite a bit fatter than Astrid’s, so when I made these again, I made sure to roll out my ropes longer.
That was back in February of 2009. Fast forward a few years and I’ve made these homemade German pretzels several times.
Baking Soda Bath
Have you ever wondered why pretzels, which are made essentially from bread dough, have that lovely brown crust when a loaf of bread does not? Pretzels get that wonderful brown crust from something called the “Maillard process”. While I won’t take you back to science class, I can tell you that this process is a het activated reaction between small sugars and amino acids.
“Dipping dough in lye alters the ratio between sugar and protein, because lye breaks proteins present in the dough into smaller bits. Those are the small amino acids that then combine with sugars in the dip to create the flavor compounds at the pretzel’s crust.” [Source: Wisconsin Public Radio Ideas Network]
Since you can’t really find lye at the grocery store, you can use a baking soda bath to get the same results. The chemical reaction takes place in the baking soda bath, and after baking in the hot oven you’ll get that beautiful brown crust that pretzels are so famous for.
Authentic German pretzels are a little smaller and not as fat as the kind you get at the county fair or local food stand. So don’t expect the same pretzel that you buy from the street vendor or food truck.
They are delicious though and you should definitely try them. Besides, the process is actually quite fun. Who knew science could be so delicious?
More Pretzel Recipes
- Ham & Cheese Pretzel Roll Sandwiches
- Bretzel Rolls (Pretzel Sandwich Rolls)
- Homemade Pretzel Dogs – What Megan’s Making
- Rosemary Sea Salt Pretzels – Two Peas and Their Pod
- Air Fryer Pretzel Bites
Homemade German Pretzels
IMPORTANT - There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 1 ½ oz active dry yeast 4 1/2 teaspoons (2 packages)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- Coarse salt for sprinkling
Soda Bath
- ½ cup baking soda
- 2 quarts water
Before You Begin
Instructions
- Dissolve yeast in the lukewarm water. Mix flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Form a well in the flour mixture then add the sugar to the center of the well. Pour the yeast/water mixture into the well. Let it rest for 15 minutes before mixing.
- Add the softened butter to the mixing bowl and knead everything to a smooth dough. I used the dough hook on my Kitchenaid for about 6 minutes on speed #2, I did have to add about a tablespoon of additional water as it was not quite gathering all the dry ingredients. Remove the dough hook and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Cut the dough into twelve equal parts, then roll each piece on the table (don't flour the surface, you shouldn't need it) to about 20 inches, tapered toward the ends. Don't make it smaller than 20 inches as it's impossible to get a good shape with a short, thick rope of dough. The dough should not get too warm as you roll it out, or it might tear.
- To form the pretzel shape, place dough rope on parchment lined cookie sheet so that it creates the shape of the letter "U". Take both ends of the "U" and cross them over each other twice forming a twist. Bring that twist down and place it over the bottom curve of the "U".
- Place the pretzels without covering them in the fridge for about an hour. This helps build a skin that will absorb the dipping solution better and make a beautiful shiny crust.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Fill large stock or pasta pot 3/4 full and bring the water to a boil. Carefully and slowly add the baking soda to the boiling water. There will be a reaction when the baking soda hits the water and it will bubble furiously for a moment and then relax. Stand back a bit just to be safe. Using a slotted spoon, gently drop each pretzel into the bath for 10 seconds, then turn over for another 10. Astrid called for a total of 10 seconds only. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Score the dough once like for a baguette with a razor blade or sharp knife.
- Sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake the pretzels for about 15 to 20 minutes (mine took 20 minutes for a nice dark crust), depending on how dark you like them.
Nutrition
This post originally published on February 19, 2009
Amanda Davis
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steven says
Hi Amanda,
I have a job this week (Friday) making pretzels and I’ve never done it before. I like your recipe but I wanted to know how many pretzels it makes and how many ounces each they are. I want large ones so I suppose I can just make 1/2 of what you make just twice as big?
Thank you,
Steven
Elena says
These are absolutely wonderful. I’ve made them several times. Last time I made them with cheese melted on top. They were amazing!!! Great recipe!!!
Amanda Formaro says
Thank you Elena! I haven’t made these in a while, thanks for the reminder!
pascale says
Hello!!!
Je suis francaise et j’habite en Alsace pas loin de l’Allemagne et quelle surprise de voir que vous americains adorez les bretzels!!!!!
Je voulais vous dire aussi que j’adore votre site bricolages ….recettes ….
Continuez bravo!!!!!
Un bonjour de France!!!!
Amanda Formaro says
Thank you so much for your kind words Pascale!
Jill says
This recipe didn’t work for me. Followed the recipe as written and the dough was too dry and did not rise at all in the 30 mins. Yeast was fresh. As I rolled out the dough, the dough fell apart in my hands and basically was useless. I’m not sure what I did wrong but this recipe needs to be fine tuned. How can I save my dough?
Amanda Formaro says
I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with it Jill. There are many different factors that could have affected the recipe. The humidity level in your kitchen, if you live at a high altitude, if you packed the flour into the measuring cup instead of using the scoop and sweep method, if your water temperature was too extreme for the yeast, etc. From the little you have the described here it sounds like you may have had too much flour or not enough liquid. I’m not insinuating that you measured wrong, but it can happen to the best of us! To say the recipe needs to be fine tuned is not truly a fair statement; if you read through the comments there have been many people that have been successful with this recipe. Again, there are many factors that could have affected your batch, and the fact that you say it didn’t rise is also a red flag. Bread takes longer to rise if the water temperature used is too cool, or water that is too hot will kill the yeast, also stopping it from rising. As far as salvaging the current dough, I don’t think that’s possible as it sounds over-dry and sounds like the yeast didn’t begin to grow. At this point it would be better to start over. :-/
abby says
Hi Amanda
I’m from Malaysia
The recip e..2pkgs of yeast.
Can u tell me how many gram of the yeast?
I’m new in baking.. tq
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Abby! One package is equal to 7 grams, so you would need 14g for two packages ;)
Angeline says
Hi again Amanda,
I have tried your recipe for many times. Especially for family and friends. My girls are in the German school in Malaysia. So far thumbs up. Oh yes, I have rolled them and store them in the fridge for more than 24 hours at times and it still turned out perfect!
I made them 100grams so it is long and big enough like in the shop. ;)
Thank you so much for the delicious recipe.
Amanda Formaro says
That’s so awesome Angeline! Thanks so much for letting me know, so glad you enjoy this so much!
Molly says
Hi I m making these pretzels right now and made them a little small then I think yours are(mine are about 2.5 to 3 inches) How long do you think I should bake them for and when I soak them in the boiling water- should I still do the ten seconds on each side or also reduce that. And should they stay in the fridge for an hour or would that be too long since they are smaller. Sorry for all of the questions- thanks.
Amanda Formaro says
I’m sorry I didn’t see this until now Molly. How did they come out?
prairehell says
hai Amanda
I have been craving soft pretzel for a while now. As i was searching for the recipe i came upon your blog and since you have been receiving lots of +ve responses, i’ve decided to try your recipe words by words. but the dough turn out a little bit dry. any idea why? how can i improve it for the next time?
Amanda Formaro says
Hi prairehell, you said the dough came out a little dry but you didn’t say how they were after making them? I hope you didn’t just toss the dough and call it quits! This dough is actually pretty stiff, but if it was dry it could have something to do with your environment (temperature in the kitchen, humidity or lack thereof, etc). Without knowing exactly the steps you took, it would be really hard for me to troubleshoot. Did you end up baking them?
Angeline says
Hello Amanda,
First & foremost, I wish to thank you for the Pretzel recipe. I have tried and it turned out beautiful. I wish I could share some of the pics here with you all. I have made out 10 pretzels from 62g each. I used natron from Germany. Will try experiment with baking soda locally in Malaysia. They came out beautiful without sticking. I did egg washed them to get the beautiful colour. Texture is soft indeed. Overall perfect, will stick to your recipe for future bakes.
I have kept in the fridge before bathing for more than 2 hours. Question is, can I keep for 24 hours before soda bathing? Thinking of baking the next morning for freshness.
Thank you once again for the awesome recipe.
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Angeline. I have never tried to keep them in the fridge for 24 hours. However, I would think it would work as the cold temperature stops any rising. Let me know if you try it!
Liz says
Two of my siblings and I, along with our Dad went to Romania in October to visit our grandparents. My brother is a bit of a picky eater, so my grandpa would walk to the pretzel shops on the street and buy him a ton of pretzels. He loved them like crazy! He practically lived off of them. I’m going to try to make these tomorrow and see how he likes them. When you scour them, do you do it when you’ve already shaped them, or do you do it while they’re still unshaped?
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Liz! Shape them first, then score them with your knife. I hope you like them!
Natalia says
Hi I did this recipie word by word and they came out like biscuits not pretzils do u have any idea y?
Amanda Formaro says
Did you make any substitutions at all?
Elizabeth Jordan says
These were seriously the best thing I’ve ever baked…perfect texture, crust, pretzel taste, light yet chewy.I’ve had mediocre results with several bagel recipes and was so hoping these wouldn’t just taste like my usual bread in a pretzel shape. Fun to make, delicious. Triple batch next time!
Amanda Formaro says
Thank you Elizabeth! What a great comment to wake up to :) So glad you enjoyed them!
Ashleigh says
This sounds great! You’ve recieved so much positive feedback that i decided to try this for myself. when you say 2 packages of active dry yeast, how much yeast exactly is in each package?
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Ashleigh! A package of yeast contains approximately 2 1/4 teaspoons, Hope you like them!
Tawana says
My husband, daughter, and myself made these tonight and they were perfect! My husband is half German and he was super excited they turned out great! So much, in fact he called his mother (who is German) to brag! She insists that we make them for Christmas!! I’m excited about making another batch!! The recipe was easy! I did add an extra tablespoon of water to the dough as it was mixing and it was perfect! It he baking soda bath did “erupt” on me and all over my stove…no biggie…it wiped right up!! I though it was kind of cool and my 7 year old daughter got a kick out of it!! I baked the first batch at 400 degrees but I think the bottom got brown too quickly! The second batch I cooked on 350 and I used the “speed bake” on my oven and it browned evenly a over!! Great recipe!! I’m excited to have found it!! Thank you!!
Amanda Formaro says
That is so AWESOME Tawana! Thank you so much for sharing and I hope your MIL approves of the recipe too! :)
Candace says
To the previous posters asking- it makes 12 (“cut dough into 12 equal parts”)
I’m making them as I type, doing a double batch for my son’s heritage feast at school. They smell amazing but the first batch is completely stuck to the parchment paper :( Going to cut off the bottoms, I guess to salvage them, but trying next batch with greased cookie sheet … :(
Amanda Formaro says
Candace, I’m sorry about them sticking. That could happen if it was too warm in the kitchen, or if the cookie sheet was sitting on top of the stove with the oven preheated. Thanks for answering that question. Made me blush that I rushed to answer it and didn’t even see that. Guess I need to make them again to refresh my memory cells!
Candace says
Thanks for responding! They were super yummy and an added bonus was that the house smelled great for over 24 hours! :)
Bethany says
How many do you get out of a batch?
Amanda Formaro says
I’m sorry Bathany, I don’t remember and it’s been a while since I made these. I am more careful now about recording serving numbers, but I do apologize for not having that info on this one. Next time I make these I will be sure to update the post!
Dino says
Thanks Amanda. :) This is the best and easiest recipe for the authentic Bavarian style pretzel. I have tried many recipes before but they never turned out so deliciously soft. Just perfect. Feels like getting a fresh pretzel from Muller Brot Bakery in Munich back in the days :)
Amanda Formaro says
That’s awesome Dino, thank you!
Krista says
These turned out great, but I think you need to double-check the recipe. I added almost twice as much water as was called for (which was on par with other similar recipes) just to get it to come together at all, and it was still much tougher than any bread dough I’m used to. But once modified (and with garlic powder, sea salt and cracked pepper), they were delicious!
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Krista :) The recipe is correct. The dough is very stiff. Keep in mind this is an authentic German recipe, not the soft pliable dough consistency we are used to here in the states. I’m glad they still worked for you!
Kosh says
Looks great! How many servings does tgis make? Thanks
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Kosh. I’m terribly sorry that I didn’t record how many pretzels it makes. Next time I make these I’ll be sure to keep track and adjust the recipe. :)
Danielle says
Thanks Amanda! I was nervous at first because I have never baked anything with yeast before, but these turned out really well! Definitely one to make again.
Amanda Formaro says
Awesome! So glad they were easy too!