Oh yes, Soft Pretzels with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce. The pretzel stores in the mall can’t hold a candle to these warm golden pillowy bites! Easy to make, and you don’t even need to engage your mixer. The perfect Super Bowl appetizer, this recipe yields 5 dozen so there’s plenty for everyone!
I’ve broken this recipe down step-by-step, to simplify it and show you that it’s a simple process. The results are truly delicious pretzels that have a beautiful color and the perfect pretzel flavor.
carte du jour
How to make Soft Pretzels Step-by-Step
- Add the yeast to the 1 1/2 cups of warm water. This allows the yeast to bloom.
- Then stir in the sea salt, brown sugar, and melted brown butter, whisk gently until combined.
We add brown butter to boost flavor, it’s nutty caramel essence adds crazy depth of flavor! Grab the technique here and see where else you can deploy it to boost your kitchen game.
- Begin adding the flour a scoop at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon after each addition. The dough will be very sticky at first, keep adding the flour a cup at a time until it is no longer sticky. Touch the dough with your finger and once it bounces back it’s ready to knead.
Adding the flour little by little gives you better control over the quality of the dough, and makes the mixing process easier. You can certainly use a mixer, but it’s not necessary a wooden spoon is our choice for this recipe.
- Turn out onto a lightly floured counter top or cutting board and knead for 3 minutes. Shape into a ball and place in a lightly oiled (olive oil) mixing bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Kneading the dough develops the gluten and makes the pretzels light, airy, and chewy. Without the proper development of gluten they would be flat and tough.
Why use baking soda when boiling pretzels?
- Preheat oven to 425°F /218°C) line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Add the reserved 9 cups of water and 1/2 cup of baking soda to a heavy-bottomed pot, turn on the heat and begin to bring to a boil.
Why do we use baking soda when boiling pretzels? Food nerd alert ahead! Baking soda is an alkaline ingredient, typically added with flour and then combined with an acid. The baking soda then neutralizes the acid and creates carbon dioxide bubbles, which causes the baked good to rise.
Alkaline Water Gives Pretzels Their Distinct Color and Flavor!
With pretzels you’re not raising the dough. We’re looking to increase the alkalinity on the outside of the pretzel. This step of boiling the dough in alkaline water gives the pretzels their distinct color, texture and flavor when baked in the oven. The oven has the causation of the Maillard Reaction which happens in the presence of h20 and certain amino acids that are aided in an alkaline environment.
- Meanwhile, turn the dough out of the bowl back onto your work surface, and cut into 6 portions.
Stretch the dough out slightly into a rectangular shape and use a sharp knife to cut.
- Roll each of the dough balls into approximately 20-inch ropes.
Roll the dough ball out into a cylinder shape, then continue rolling from the center out.
- Cut the ropes into 1.5-inch pieces to make your pretzel bites.
With the dough still in a line cut down vertically, they almost look like pizza bites!
- Now that your water has come to a boil, begin dropping in pretzel bites 10-15 at a time and boil for 20-30 seconds. Don’t boil any longer as a metal taste can develop.
This quick alkaline water bath is the key to developing that great pretzel flavor! (As discussed above.)
- Lift the bites out of the boiling water and place onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure they all have a little elbow room.
Use a slotted spoon or kitchen spider to make the process easier.
- Now beat the egg and brush over the tops of the pretzel bites, sprinkle with coarse ground Kosher sea salt.
The beaten egg helps to enhance the color further and the coarse Kosher salt develops flavor.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Yes, the perfect pretzel bite!
You’ll find the recipe and directions for making the Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce in the recipe.
If you love a great cheese sauce with your pretzels, then be sure to check out our Triple Cheese Beer Dip! This is the same pretzel recipe too, just roll and shape!
Please Pin Our Recipe to Share with your Friends!
How to Make Soft Pretzels
Oh yes, Soft Pretzels with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce. The pretzel stores in the mall can't hold a candle to these warm pillowy bites!
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) warm water, plus 9 cups for boiling
- 1 packet yeast, active dry
- 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt or Kosher sea salt, finely ground
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, light brown
- 1 Tablespoon brown butter, or sub regular butter
- 4 1/4 cups (530 grams) all-purpose flour, + extra for dusting counter
- 1/2 cup (90 grams) baking soda, for boiling water
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Kosher sea salt, coarse for sprinkling
- 1/2 cup (110 grams) mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1/2 Tablespoon lemon fresh lemon juice
-
Add the yeast and 1 1/2 cups of warm water to a bowl, whisk and set aside for 5 minutes. Stir in the sea salt, brown sugar, and melted brown butter, whisk gently until combined.
-
Begin adding the flour a scoop at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon after each addition. The dough will be very sticky at first, keep adding the flour a cup at a time until it is no longer sticky. Touch the dough with your finger and once it bounces back it's ready to knead.
-
Turn out onto a lightly floured counter top or cutting board and knead for 3 minutes. Shape into a ball and place in a lightly oiled (olive oil) mixing bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
-
Preheat oven to 425°F /218°C) line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Add the reserved 9 cups of water and 1/2 cup of baking soda to a heavy-bottomed pot, turn on the heat and begin to bring to a boil.
-
Meanwhile, turn the dough out of the bowl back onto your work surface, and cut into 6 portions.
-
Roll each of the dough balls into approximately 20-inch ropes.
-
Cut the ropes into 1.5-inch pieces to make your pretzel bites.
-
Now that your water has come to a boil, begin dropping in pretzel bites 10-15 at a time and boil for 20-30 seconds. No longer as a metal taste can develop.
-
Lift the bites out of the boiling water and place onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure they all have a little elbow room.
-
Now beat the egg and brush over the tops of the pretzel bites, sprinkle with coarse ground Kosher sea salt. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
-
Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, honey, and fresh lemon juice to a bowl.
-
Whish until thoroughly combined
- Prep time is approximate.
- Best eaten the same day.
- Soft Pretzels can be stored at room temperature up to 2 days.
- To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap and then heavy-duty foil up to 1 month.
- To reheat, preheat oven to 275°F/135°C and bake for 5-10 minutes.
Did You Make a Mean Green Chef Recipe?
We 💙 LOVE 💚 seeing your creations! So don’t forget to tag us @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef so we can see what’s happening in your kitchen!
Also Shared on These Great Link Parties!
Grow Your Blog with Our Directory of 100+ Link Parties!
62 comments
Those look absolutely delish! I will have to give it a try.
Hi Laurie! 🙂 Thank you so much for stopping by to check out our Soft Pretzel Recipe, it’s super easy and so good too. Please be sure to tag us @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef so we can check out your results! ??
These look so good. It’s a lot easier than what I would think it would be!! I love mall pretzels…
Hi Meagan! Thanks so much, and trust me if you love mall pretzels then you’ll flip for these! And they are so easy to make too :)?
I can’t wait to make these! I am going to try them this weekend!! Thank you!!
Great Holly, I’m so happy to hear that you’re going to make them! 🙂 I promise they are so easy and so worth the time making them, totally fun and delish! Please don’t forget to tag us @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef so we can see how your batch turns out! Thank you ??️?
Okay, I am a bit of a pretzel snob! Being from Philly, I was raised on the pretzels in the nation. But I have to say these look amazing!
LOL, well I take that as a major compliment Tricia, so thank you! It’s great when you can whip up a batch at home 🙂 thank you so much for checking out our recipe! ?
Looks really yummy! My family would love that
Thanks so much, Anna 🙂 your family would totally dig this snack, it’s the perfect food for a movie night! ?
Oh my gosh, these look so yummy. I definitely want to try making these!! Thank you!
Hi Tracy! 🙂 Can’t wait to see how they turn out for you, I promise they are surprisingly easy to make and so worth the effort. Just read the steps through a couple of times and have everything in place and you’ll jam them out. Please don’t forget to tag us @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef when you make them! Thank you ??️?
These, as always, look amazing!!! I think I’ll try these!
Awww, thank you, Jen! 🙂 If you do make them I promise you’ll love them! And be sure to tag us @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef when you snap some pics! Thank you as always for checking out our recipe ??️?
Yum! I’m going to make these for Superbowl this weekend!
Yeah, I can’t wait to hear how you all like them, Kim! Please be sure to let me know by tagging us @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef when you make them! Thank You?
These look amazing, and I love how the dipping sauce calls for honey instead of white sugar. Do you think they would work with gluten free flour?
Hi, Ramae! 🙂 Thank you, the sauce is really tasty too. I will be honest and tell you I don’t have much experience with gluten-free flour. However, I know that GF flour can be used with xanthan gum to create a similar texture. I use King Arthur flour and here is their recipe for Soft Baked Pretzels, I have never made these but am sure they are great, they have super ingredients! Hope this helps 🙂 https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/gluten-free-soft-pretzels-recipe
These look amazing – I cannot wait to try them!!!!
Thank you, Cameron! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear how they turn out, please be sure to share some pics with us @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef in your recipe photos!! ?
What a great snack recipe! I’m always up for pretzels, and I love that these are bite-sized. They’d be great for the kids too!
Thanks so much, Kristi! 🙂 They’re a great snack especially warm and soft from the oven, perfect for the kids and they can help roll the dough! ?
These pretzels look so amazing! Yum! I love pretzels but have never made them from scratch. I can’t wait to try the dipping sauce.
Hi Jennifer, thanks so much! 🙂 You’ll be surprised how easy they are to make and totally worth the effort?
I love soft pretzels! Great recipe.
Hi Leigh Ann, we do too! Thanks so much for checking out our recipe! 🙂
Hi Angela – I am also from NY! I love your site. My husband loves to cook and we are always looking for new recipes! We are going to Italy this summer – He insists we have to take a cooking class.
Hi Lori, NY rocks! Thank you so much. Yes, take a cooking class, you’ll love it. 🙂 The food is unbelievable, simple and totally gratifying! ?
These look so good. A perfect snack for super bowl!
Thanks so much, Junell, they’re a great snack for the big game! ?
I NEVER KNEW PRETZELS WERE BOILED! Mind blown, seriously. I love the science explination with it all, I never understood the whole process, and now I feel like I not only know the steps, but WHY. This is awesome!
HA, so glad that you like the science aspect behind what we’re doing! 😀 Exactly what I was hoping to impart, so thank you for letting me know. If you ever want to see anything featured here, just let me know and we’ll make sure it happens! Thank you so much ??️?
These look amazing! I used to love mall pretzels! I’m gluten free now, for improved health, but thanks for a great recipe.
Hi Cindy, I did a little research for another reader regarding GF pretzels. We use King Arthur products and they have a GF flour; GF flour can be used with xanthan gum to create a similar texture. I have never made these but am sure they are great, they have super ingredients! Hope this helps ? https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/gluten-free-soft-pretzels-recipe
We love homemade pretzels, but it’s been years and years since we’ve made them. These sound delicious, especially when dipped in the honey mustard. Perfect for tailgating!
They are the perfect snack for tailgating Melanie! Thanks so much for checking out our recipe ?
Didn’t know the science behind baking soda or the boiling. I’ll have to try and make some gluten free ones!
Hi Amber, I did a little research for another reader regarding GF pretzels. We use King Arthur products and they have a GF flour; GF flour can be used with xanthan gum to create a similar texture. I have never made these but am sure they are great, they have super ingredients! Hope this helps ? https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/gluten-free-soft-pretzels-recipe Thanks for checking out our recipe! ?
Omg, my mouth was watering the entire time I was reading. What a great snack idea for a cold winter weekend. Thanks!
Thanks so much, Tiffany! They are a super snack on a cold day, really appreciate you checking out our recipe. If you ever want to see anything featured just let me know we’ll make it happen! ??
Now I’m hungry!!! I have never made soft pretzels. I love your tips Angela and thoughtful.
Hi Pauline, thank you so much, glad that you liked the tips! These are so easy to make and you’ll be surprised at how delish they are too! 🙂 ?
These look phenomenal! I can’t wait to try them!
Hi Michele, thanks so much! 🙂 Please be sure to tag us @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef after you cook up a batch! Thank you ??️?
These look so yummy. I never thought of making pretzels.
Hi Sandi 🙂 we love how easy these are to make and they taste amazing too! A fun treat to have at home, thanks so much for checking out our recipe ?
Great timing for super bowl parties!! Looks so good!
Thanks so much for checking them out, Brittany! 🙂 ?
Pretzels AND honey mustard sauce? Sign me the heck up! I love it!
LOL agreed it’s a great classic flavor combination, Kathryn! 🙂 Thank you so much for checking them out ?
These were delicious Angela. Thanks for the recipe!!!
So glad that you liked them, Pauline! 🙂
I’ve never made pretzels before. These look delicious!! Love honey mustard!!
Hi, Dennis! 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by to check out our pretzel recipe, we love honey mustard too! ?
These pretzels look so good! I LOVE the “food nerd alerts”!
Hi Nicki! 😀 Thanks so much, glad that you LOVE our Food Nerd Alerts! We’ll be adding more shortly, thank you for checking out our pretzel recipe ??
Oh, these look amazing – and I’m honestly not just saying that! I love pretzel bites and honey mustard dipping sauce is the perfect complement! Yum!
Hi, Tina! 🙂 thank you so much, I totally agree honey mustard is the perfect compliment to these soft baked pretzels!???
I’ve always wanted to make pretzels. You make it sound easy. I’m going to make these for a birthday party this weekend. I do have 1 question….is it necessarily to use a glass bowl when making bread dough or is metal or plastic ok? Thanks for this wonderful recipe and great step by step instructions.
Hi Shirley, 🙂 great I’m excited to hear that your going to make these just follow the steps and they are easy! This dough is very forgiving and fun to work with, you can certainly use a metal bowl. I would avoid using plastic bowls altogether, let me know if you have any other questions and I’ll be happy to help through the process! Thank you! ? PS ~ You can reach me easily on our FB Page just send me a message https://www.facebook.com/MeanGreenChef/
I am a Philly girl! This recipe is right up my alley! Can’t wait to try it! Thanks for sharing it!
Hi Laura from Philly, can’t wait to hear how our recipe turns out for you!! ???