Homemade Pretzel Bread (Pretzel Rolls)
Posted Dec 20, 2017, Updated Nov 05, 2024
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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!
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Homemade Pretzel Bread (Pretzel Rolls)
Ingredients
Pretzel Bread Dough
- 1 cup warm water (105-110 degrees F)
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons yeast
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter (melted)
- 2 Tablespoons whole milk
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
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 water, and brown sugar and yeast 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 made this into 4 burger buns and 2 smaller loaves, and it was a huge hit!! Absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing! Definitely will be a must for all future burger nights.
Woo hoo!!! I’m SO glad you love it Karissa! Once you have a homemade pretzel bun there really is no other acceptable way to eat a burger again! 😉
How do you get the air bubbles out on step 8?
I simply deflate the dough pressing it with my hands!
Hi, I’m new to bread baking. Can you tell me, approx. how long should it take to come kneed in the stand mixer and what would the cooking times be when making the 2 loaves and the 4 smaller loaves.
Thank you…
Hey Donna! You need to knead it until the dough is not sticky (adding small amounts of flour as necessary). I’d say 3-5 minutes. You can always finish it by hand too. When I make two loaves I bake them at 400 degrees for about 22 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through!
YUM! Just pulled these out of the oven. I am in LOVE! Thanks so much for sharing!
YAY!! SO glad you love these Betsy!!!!!
Pretzel rolls are a favorite in my family, and your recipe sounds easy enough (much easier than others i have seen!) to ensure success. I will post again after i try it. Wish me luck!
OoOo Darlene I hope you made this and loved it! I can’t wait to hear how it went!
I know this is an older post but I’m trying the bread as we speak and I have a few questions , how long do you knead your bread dough in the mixer ? Also my bread dough doesn’t seem to be browning as well as what’s pictured, any advice ?
This bread looks amazing and I really want to try it. I will be attempting the bread machine version and have a question. You say use the machine to step 5 and then nothing. So, I will have to do the rest of the recipe by hand? It will not be baked in the machine? I hope that I can manage the rest manually. I am disabled and can only stand for a few minutes at a time. The instructions look like I should be able to go to at least through 7 before switching to manual. Am I missing something? Thank.
Becki
Hey Becky! You are correct. You absolutely go through step 7 in the bread machine! I will fix that now! The bread machine is used to knead and rise the dough. Then after that the steps are pretty easy and go pretty quickly. You just boil water and create your baking soda bath. Then boil each loaf for about 2 minutes, making sure to flip them half way through. Place them on a baking pan and sprinkle with salt and bake! The only rise is in the bread machine (do NOT let the dough rise after being boiled)!
I have made this bread 3 times now but I just can’t get my loaves to look like yours. My loaves aren’t rising enough to get the loaf effect. My loaves are coming out to be maybe 1 1/2″ thick, I’m wanting a real loaf effect in order to use for sandwiches, etc. Any suggestions as to what I’m doing wrong?
Don’t get me wrong, we love this bread. Just want to make a true loaf look.
Hey Karen! I’ve been mulling over your question since I read it yesterday! One thing that’s important to note (that I will add to the recipe) is that you need to form your dough into the shape that you want it before you put it into the baking soda bath. The dough should still rise a little after that in the oven…but your loaves will come out very similar in size and shape to they way they are when you place them in the oven to bake. Another question…Do you make sure that your yeast is proofed before continuing with the bread-making process? Mixing the water, sugar and yeast together and waiting until it becomes foamy is crucial to activating the yeast and ensuring that your bread will rise! Does this help?
Yes, yeast mixture is perfect. I’ll just keep trying to perfect it, love it so much
I may have an answer! I too have had ‘deflated bread’ after slicing the X after the hot water bath.. its like poking a hole in a balloon! I now X it BEFORE the bath.. right after rolling. Havent had an issue since. Hope this helps you too!
What kind of yeast do you use? Also, for the first step, do you use cold water, warm water or room temp water? Sorry but yeast and I don’t get along very well and I don’t want to mess this up.
Hey Erin! I use active dry yeast (like this)! You want to use warm water between 105 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit….warm but not hot to the touch! Just be sure you let the water, sugar and yeast activate (the mixture will form bubbles and look foamy) before you move on to the next step. If your yeast doesn’t activate it could be that your water was too hot. It’s very important that if it doesn’t activate you do not move forward with the recipe! (although I have only had that happen a handful of times and I bake bread sometimes twice a week)! Let me know if you have any more questions!