Description
Crispy, golden homemade soft pretzel bites deliver pure German-inspired comfort directly from your kitchen. Salt-sprinkled and irresistibly warm, you’ll savor each chewy morsel with genuine bakery-style satisfaction.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) warm water
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter, melted
Leavening and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
Baking and Topping Ingredients:
- 10 cups (2.4 L) water
- ½ cup (120 g) baking soda
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Coarse salt or pretzel salt
Instructions
- Activate the yeast by whisking it with warm water and sugar in a spacious mixing vessel, allowing the mixture to bloom and become frothy for approximately 5 minutes.
- Incorporate flour, salt, and liquefied butter into the yeast mixture, stirring until a cohesive dough develops and pulls away from the bowl’s sides.
- Transfer the nascent dough onto a generously floured work surface, then methodically knead with rhythmic motions, developing gluten and creating a smooth, springy texture that rebounds when gently pressed.
- Nestle the prepared dough in a lightly oiled bowl, draping a clean kitchen towel over the top to create a warm, draft-free environment for rising, and let it expand until doubled in volume, approximately 1 hour.
- Punch down the risen dough to release trapped air, then divide it into manageable segments for shaping bite-sized pretzels.
- Roll each segment into slender ropes, then cut into uniform bite-sized pieces using a sharp knife or bench scraper.
- Prepare a poaching liquid by combining water and baking soda in a wide, shallow pan, bringing it to a gentle simmer.
- Carefully lower pretzel bites into the alkaline bath, poaching for roughly 30 seconds to create that signature pretzel sheen and distinctive flavor profile.
- Extract the poached bites using a slotted spoon, allowing excess liquid to drip away, then arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Sprinkle coarse salt generously over the damp pretzel bites to enhance their savory character.
- Bake in a preheated oven until the pretzels transform into a deep golden-brown color with a crisp exterior, approximately 12-15 minutes.
- Transfer the freshly baked pretzel bites to a cooling rack, allowing them to rest briefly before serving with your preferred dipping sauce.
Notes
- Use lukewarm water between 100-110°F to activate yeast perfectly without killing it.
- Ensure your kneading develops strong gluten networks for that signature chewy pretzel texture.
- Experiment with different flour types like whole wheat or gluten-free blends for varied dietary needs.
- Adding a baking soda bath before baking gives pretzels their classic deep golden-brown color and distinctive tangy flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg