Homemade Pretzel Bread (Pretzel Rolls)
Posted Dec 20, 2017, Updated Jun 17, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
The best Homemade Pretzel Bread (or Pretzel Rolls) recipe. Once you make this you will never be able to eat store-bought pretzel bread again! It’s dense, soft, chewy, buttery, salty and irresistibly delicious.
This Homemade Pretzel Bread is the best bread you will ever eat in your life. I am not exaggerating either.
It is one of my most requested recipes and everyone who tries it asks for the recipe. It’s dense, soft, chewy, buttery, salty and unbelievably delicious. Serve it with a side of this homemade cheese sauce and you’ll be in heaven!
I know making homemade bread can seem intimidating, but don’t worry! Follow our step-by-step photos and watch the video to learn how to make pretzel bread perfectly every single time! And if there’s a recipe that’s worth conquering your kitchen fears for, this is definitely it.
I have also included instructions for how to make pretzel rolls. Pretzel rolls are a great smaller serving size option. They also make delicious hamburger buns for homemade burgers.
Homemade Pretzel Bread: Ingredient Substitutions
As always I recommend making this recipe exactly as written, however here are a few possible substitutions!
- Whole Milk. 2% milk works well. I do this often with great results! Half & half or cream also work well!
- All-purpose flour. Bread flour is the only other flour I have used to make this recipe and it produces an incredibly delicious final product!
- Dark brown sugar. Light brown sugar works equally well in this recipe.
That’s it! I really don’t recommend tinkering with this recipe any more!
How to Make Homemade Pretzel Bread
If making homemade bread sounds intimidating to you…your’e in luck! There are two ways to make the dough.
- The first is to simply toss all the ingredients in a bread machine and set it to the “dough cycle.” Even the most sheepish bread-makers can do that, right?
- The other method involves mixing and kneading the dough using a standing mixer or your hands.
I like to do the latter because I can be sure every step of the process is going exactly the way it should be. However, I have used my bread machine with the same delicious results.
Make the Pretzel Bread Dough
To make the dough by hand, begin by proofing the yeast.
Then, add the rest of the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
Next, add the dry ingredients (flour and salt) and knead with the dough hook until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky.
Then, transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover it with a damp tea towel to rise until doubled.
NOTE: Only 1 rise
Many breads call for two rises, but not this pretzel bread. There is only one rise. After this rise, the dough is formed into a loaf and then goes immediately into the baking soda bath.
Prepare a Baking Soda Bath
When the dough has risen, prepare a baking soda water batch. To do this, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, slowly add the baking soda.
Boil the Pretzel Bread Loaves
Once the baking soda bath is ready. degas the dough and form it into the size and shape you want. This recipe makes 2 large loaves, 4 small loaves, or 8-10 rolls/buns.
Boil the pretzel bread one portion a time in the soda bath for 60 seconds on each side. Use a slotted spoon to remove it from the bath and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
(Note: I use a skimmer spoon like this to take the dough out of the boiling baking soda bath and remove excess water).
Bake
Once the dough is removed from the boiling baking soda bath and formed into loaves or buns, immediately place it on a greased baking sheet, cut an X in the top and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
Next, bake until the loaves are a deep golden brown and they sound hollow inside when hit with a wooden spoon (or until the internal temperature in the center of the loaves reaches 185 degrees Fahrenheit).
Then, remove the pretzel bread from the oven and brush the outside of the loaves with melted butter. Then, transfer the loaves to a cooling rack to cool just enough to eat.
Serve
This pretzel bread is best served warm and eaten the day it’s made! However, it does reheat well and makes a delicious sandwich bread for recipes like turkey cranberry sandwich, BLTs, hamburgers, chicken salad, etc.
Or serve it as a side to your favorite main dish recipes, soups, etc. We love dipping it in this homemade cheese sauce or slathering it with honey butter.
How to Make Pretzel Rolls
This recipe makes the best pretzel rolls. To make pretzel rolls, follow the recipe exactly, except make a few slight changes:
- Divide dough into eight equal pieces.
- Boil each dough ball for 30 seconds on each side, remove from the water, transfer to a baking sheet, and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through.
That’s it! then brush each of the pretzel rolls with melted butter and enjoy as rolls or hamburger buns with the best burger recipe (YUM)!.
To Prepare in Advance
You can make the dough and store it in the refrigerator overnight or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
When you’re ready to bake the pretzel bread, remove the dough from the fridge or freezer to let it come to room temperature and rise. Then continue on with the recipe including the baking soda bath, baking, etc.
Store
You can store homemade pretzel bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. I suggest reheating it before eating it to restore it’s fresh-from-the-oven texture.
Freeze
You can also freeze baked loaves of pretzel bread. Let them cool completely then wrap in plastic wrap and foil and put them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the oven set to warm covered in foil or in a dutch oven.
Pretzel Bread Recipe FAQs
Yes, I often double this recipe to make 4 loaves when we have company, or to make 16 pretzel rolls.
Yes, the baking soda bath is necessary to create the outer pretzel crust.
A lot of people wonder how a soft pretzel is different from bread! The answer is that the dough is boiled before it is baked! Boiling the dough in the baking soda & water bath is the step in this recipe that gives this Homemade Pretzel Bread it’s pretzel-y identity!
If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
Homemade Pretzel Bread (Pretzel Rolls)
Ingredients
Pretzel Bread Dough
- 2 ¼ teaspoons yeast
- 1 cup warm water (105-110 degrees F)
- 2 Tablespoons whole milk
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter (melted)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Baking Soda Bath
- 4 quarts water
- ½ cup baking soda
Topping
- 1-2 Tablespoons coarse sea salt
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter (melted)
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Combine yeast, water, and brown sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. Let stand for 5 minutes (until foamy). (Or put it in a large bowl and mix by hand).
- Once yeast is proofed, add melted butter and milk to the yeast mixture and mix on low speed with dough hook until just combined.
- Add flour and salt and mix with dough hook until flour is fully incorporated.
- Knead in a mixer until the dough forms a slightly tacky, but firm ball.
- Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, cover with a damp towel and let it rise in a warm place for one hour or until doubled in size.
Prepare a Water Bath
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, lightly oil or grease a large baking sheet, or line it with a silicone baking mat (do not use parchment paper).
- Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil.
- When the water is boiling, slowly add the baking soda a little bit at a time (Be careful not to add too much at once or the mixture will overflow).
Boil & Bake
- Remove the dough from the bowl and gently press out the air bubbles.
- Make two balls of dough the same size (note: The total weight of the dough comes out to be about 800 g, so each loaf should weigh about 400 g), forming them into the shape you want (Do not let it rise here).
- Carefully place one of the balls into the boiling baking soda water. Boil for 60-90 seconds on each side, turning it once to guarantee both sides covered. Drain the excess water from the dough and place it on an oiled baking sheet.
- Immediately sprinkle coarse sea salt over the bread to your specific tastes, and use a knife to cut a small "X" on the top of the bread.
- Repeat with second ball of dough. (Do not let it rise at all here! Straight from boiling into the oven).
- Bake the bread for 22-25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through. You know the bread is done when the outside is deep golden brown, the loaf sounds hollow when hit with a wooden spoon, or the internal temperature is 185 degrees F).
- Once removed from the oven, immediately brush the melted butter over the loaves to guarantee a soft crust. Transfer to a wire rack to cool just enough to enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Divide dough into eight equal pieces.
- Boil each dough ball for 30 seconds on each side, remove from the water, transfer to a baking sheet, and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through.
- Whole Milk. 2% milk works well! I do this often with great results! Half & half or cream also work well!
- All-purpose flour. Bread flour is the only other flour I have used to make this recipe and it produces an incredibly delicious final product!
- Dark brown sugar. Light brown sugar works equally well in this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ritch absolutely adores this bread, and since it’s one of his favorite recipes of all time I thought I’d let him share his thoughts about it with you:
“My wife’s pretzel bread is one of the most amazing things that I have ever eaten. The only thing better than a loaf of this homemade pretzel bread is MORE loaves of pretzel bread! Sometimes when we have friends over to dinner— and Laura asks for meal ideas—I am torn as to whether or not to suggest this bread, simply because I can’t handle watching other people eat MY FAVORITE BREAD. (I smile, and politely pass the bowl, but secretly…I’m watching every movement…praying that they leave more for ME!) Fresh out of the oven, this bread beats any other meal that comes out of my home (IMHO), and a loaf of this stuff literally makes the “top 3 list” of things I would want with me on a deserted island. So basically, I HIGHLY recommend this recipe. -Husband”
(<-he signed it that way, not me! LOL!)There you have it folks, this Pretzel Bread is definitely husband approved! And I can attest to the fact that he will eat an entire loaf by himself if he doesn’t have to share.
I so appreciate that you made a way to print out the recipe. My computer is in another room, so if I can’t print out the recipe, it is of no use to me.
This is an amazing recipe! The taste is fantastic and it’s so easy! I use bread flour and enrich the dough with one egg. That means I have to add 1/4-1/3 extra flour and I knead until it passes the window pane test. Amazing loaves/rolls every time!
Thank you Gwen!
Easy instructions. Mine did not turn out as pretty as yours but I guess it takes making them more than once. I have tried one roll and it tastes good but the bigger ones I bet will not be as done. I will try them again.
These are the BEST! A regular staple in our house!
Thank you so much Jen! <3
What a wonderful recipe! I made mine into 8/4 oz rolls and I swear my husband and I could have ate all! Can’t wait to try again but think I’ll try 2 oz dinner rolls. Recipe was easy to follow and I didn’t make any changes. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Lisa!
Can you sub gluten free flour in this recipe?
10/10!!! This recipe is absolutely perfect as written. Zero modifications needed. I bake a lot of breads and rolls and these are my new favorite. Made buns out of it for sliders and my family of 5 boys devoured them. I think I shot myself in the foot here with this though because they now expect sliders with these buns every time. Lol
Thank you for a PERFECT pretzel bread recipe!
Not a bad expectation to have, in my opinion! 😉 I’m so glad your whole family loves this recipe as much as we do!
I had to make a second batch and doubled that one because my first batch disappeared in 5 minutes! So good.
I love this bread and have made it more than once. The only problem I’m having is when I cut it open there is a darker brown ripple running through some parts of the bread and I’m not sure what causes this. It doesn’t taste any different in those spots but it’s not as visually appealing as the rest. Any ideas what this could be from?
Can you e-mail me a photo and I will check it out?
We loved this recipe! (We made the roll variant to maximize the yummy outside part.) My wife immediately requested that I make another batch soon… and double it! 🙂 And she raved about it at work and a colleague wanted the recipe.
Question about making the dough ahead of time: should I let it rise for the initial hour before I put it in the refrigerator? Or is it best to refrigerate immediately after kneading?
@joyfoodsunshine
I’d like to surprise my wife with pretzel bread but I’ve never baked before so I’m hoping you can answer a few basic questions. Do you use salted or unsalted butter in the dough? Is there a discernible difference in taste or texture using 2% milk vs whole milk? We have an old bread machine (last used 20 years ago); its manual says to start with liquid ingredients and “ALWAYS ADD YEAST LAST.” Your instructions mix the yeast and water before adding flour. Should I follow the machine instructions (I’ve heard that when baking, the order of ingredients is important which is why I’m asking) or does it not make a difference? Would adding olive oil make the rolls softer? Sorry for the basic questions, thanks for your help!
Hey Terence – what a sweet hubby you are! I’m happy to answer your questions. 1) Both salted and unsalted butter work well, I use salted butter. 2) No, there is no discernible difference between 2% or whole milk. I most often use whole milk and have even used half and half with great results. 3) You can follow your bread machine’s instructions if you plan on letting the dough rise in the machine. Do not bake the dough in the bread machine though, it needs to be boiled in a baking soda bath first then baked in the oven. 4) Do not add olive oil to the recipe – follow it as it is written and you will not be disappointed! 🙂
Thanks for your reply. The rolls tasted great! Having never used a bread machine before, I didn’t realize that it was going to knead the dough twice (second kneading was maybe 30-60 minutes after the initial one). Also, I let the dough rise in the machine; it was pretty sticky when I pulled it out so the rolls ultimately looked inconsistent…couldn’t figure out how to get the nice smooth ball. I saw some other recipe where they added the baking soda to the water then started boiling it. Does it make a difference when I add the baking soda? Much easier if I can just add it at the start. Thanks again! Will be trying this recipe for guests on Xmas day. Fortunately, they are relatives so the rolls don’t have to look pretty. I assume if I can just double all the ingredients? Or is there something where you don’t double everything?