Homemade Soft Pretzels

November 10, 2021

Easy homemade soft pretzels.
These pretzels are soft and chewy in the middle, golden brown on the outside.

 Homemade soft pretzel


Soft Pretzels

Soft pretzels are fun and easy to make at home.
And making these pretzels at home are so satisfying plus they are less expensive than the ones in the mall ;P.

With homemade soft pretzels, you can create as many or as little toppings that you love.
Be it, sweet or savoury.

My favourite toppings for soft pretzel is definitely cheese and jalapeno.

Not much of a sweet tooth person of late, so cream cheese cinnamon pretzels, would be my second choice!



How to make Soft Pretzels

List of ingredients and method can be found towards the end of this post.

However, I will take through on how to make soft pretzels by these photos, with some pointers or two.

 mixing dry ingredients and wet ingredients to make pretzel dough
1. Mix bread flour, melted butter, yeast mixture and salt in a mixing bowl.

 knead pretzel dough until smooth
2. I use kitchen bench top mixer to achieve this smooth pretzel dough.

 Rest pretzel dough for an hour
3. Leave the dough to rest for an hour or until double in size.
The timing for the pretzel dough to double is very much dependent on the ambient temperature.

On cold winter day, the dough will be slow to rise and vice versa on hot summer day.
Keep an eye on the dough. 

 de gas pretzel dough
4. This is the best part, to de-gas the dough.
Punch the dough down to de gas the pretzel dough.

 divide pretzel dough into 8
5. Divide the dough into 8 (or smaller)

How to shape a soft pretzel?

 roll pretzel dough into a long strand
1. Roll each ball to a long super long thin dough.

 shape pretzel dough
2. Shape.
It is very difficult to describe, I recommend watching the video on how my daughter made the pretzel.

Why use baking soda to pre-cook / parboil Pretzels?

 add baking soda to boiling water
1. Bring water to rapid boil.
Add baking soda to boiling water.

Be careful as the hot water makes a lot of bubble and may splatter on you, the minute baking soda was added.

 dip un baked pretzel into alkaline bath
2. Gently place the pretzel into the alkaline water.
Count 15 seconds each side.

Why use baking soda prior to baking pretzel?

Do not miss this step!
Par boil un baked pretzel in baking soda bath is the key to give pretzels its chewy texture.
Dipping in alkaline bath gives these pretzels its dark golden colour with a tint of yellow.

Pretzels topping prior to baking

 brush un bake pretzel with egg yolk
1. Brush with egg yolk (optional), you can brush with melted butter. Your choice :D

 sprinkle sea salt before baking pretzel
2. Sprinkle sea salt.

I prefer to use Maldon sea salt.

 top pretzel with cheese and jalapeno
3. Top sone or two pretzels with tasty cheese (cheddar cheese) and slices of jalapeno.

 Golden baked pretzel
4. Bake at 180C for 12 to 15 minutes until the pretzels turn to rich brown in colour.

Cream cheese Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Topping

 cream cheese frosting for pretzel
 1. This is my daughter's favourite.
Cream cheese with cinnamon sugar.

Once the pretzel has cooled down completely.
Sprinkle cinnamon sugar generously.
Pipe cream cheese.

Or you can spread cream cheese on the pretzel and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Other Baking recipes that you may wish to try

Home baked Cinnamon rolls
Matcha Red Bean Buns
Hot Cross Buns and butter Pudding

 Auntie Anne's pretzels

Video on How to make Soft Pretzels!






 Easy homemade soft pretzels. These pretzels are soft and chewy in the middle, golden brown on the outside. You can make Auntie Annes' pretzel with sweet cinnamon cream cheese frostings, or go for the plain pretzel, sprinkle with sea salt.


Posted on 29th March 2013

I love you the most ...Mom. 6 words that tugged my heart... those 6 words uttered, breathe the much needed O2 to fill up my lungs and my head. Just when I thought I was way over, having to deal with tantrums, Terrible 2's, soldiered on ...ten plus few years ... another set of emotional roller coaster ride, looked me in the eye... TEENS (and their raging hormone). I once asked D ; "Why is it teen (aka you) love to argue/ disagree and annoy their mom (aka me) so much?" His quick answer.." ...because you are MOM!!!" awww... thank you very much, that supposed to make me feel better. He didn't make any sense at that time ... I thought he was pulling my leg. (phew... thank God that he was no longer in that 'Terrible Teen' phase)
Almost at that exact age of 15 going to 16 before reaching 17... E started to behave exactly like ...well, you know ... TEENS!!!
Challenging my every word, questioning my every action, pouting and long faces when I beg to differ...
If looks could kill, I'd be sliced and dead a million times over!!!
... "this can't be happening" again, I heard a faint voice inside my head...

I turned to Mr Google to shed some light on "Moms and Teens" relationship, specifically Mom and daughter.
Apparently Mom is the only person that teens will vent, take out their anger, frustration, because of her unconditional love towards her children. No matter what circumstances she might be in; be it  stress, strain, she'll have  her kids in her arms again in no time, once the emotional roller coaster ride has come to a complete cycle and stop. 
Teens will not pull the same stunts with fathers, teachers or peers...worried of repercussion and shunned by their own social circles.

In her quiet...tired moment, resting in my arms... she whispered 

"I love you the most ...Mom".
tears in my eyes, ... I must have done something right after all...



Handling teens are like making these beautiful pretzel...

We measured, mixed basic ingredients; flour, yeast, water, knead and give it much love... hope that it will rise to the occasions... and when it does, it was worth every effort we put in... and if it doesn't... well, we just have to try and try again...and not to give up hope.

Have a lovely long weekend, Peeps.

Make sense?

In a nut shell... We, the Moms, are their punching bag!!! ouch...

Rewind some 30 odd years ago....
I would not, dare not, repeat... dare not show any Teens Tantrums with my mom, she'd have me straightened up in no time with 'cane' in her hand / Malay word ~ rotan mari...

Comments

  1. Hi Lisa
    Though this teen has however annoyed you before, still these golden words could really touched your heart and makes your day among all things. These are the words that all moms love to hear! Your pretzel looks so gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ya...well..kids are always be kids! It takes a lot of patience to deal with them. It's better to be patient when they are younger rather than when they r older...that will be hard!

    Your pretzel looks lovely!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your words of encouragement...
      it is hardwork with teens but no pain no gain..kan? :)

      Delete
  3. Gorgeous pretzels! They look just perfect.

    Aaahhh, teens... ;-)

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Rosa :)
      How I wish my teens will skip their 'teenage' years :(... from 12 years old straight to 19 yrs ;P

      Delete
  4. What a beautiful (and funny) post! Teens will be teens and patience is required, but your pretzels turned out beautifully :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL...thank you Gourmantine, being able to read the brighter side of my story ;P

      Delete
  5. I made these gorgeous pretzels last weekend, found the recipe in FOODnetwork. absolutely love them. So easy, ate the, right of the oven. Yours look beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yay... I agree with you... this recipe is a keeper :D

      Delete
  6. awww ^^.. i was once E.. and i love mum the most.. still do, even though she's not around anymore ^^ you will always be numero uno in your girl's heart, lisa ^^ isn't that wonderful? and the pretzels are gorgeous! ^^

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Hui, I think I was like her too~ just not that vocal with my parents... takut kena rotan ma :P

      Delete
  7. Hi Lisa! My eldest is only 10 but I am already having a big challenge reasoning with her and making her to understand our kindest intention and love for her. I cannot imagine her going into her teenage.

    Your pretzel looks amazing! My favorite is with cinnamon sugar...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ahhh Chef, I know exactly how you feel. Its the highest hurdles, the longest jump that most parents had to go through (I think) :(

      Delete
  8. Hi Lisa, your pretzel looks fantastic yummy. I love pretzel especially with cinnamon sugar ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you esther :)
      this reminded me of that 'Auntie something' in KL ;P

      Delete
  9. Hi Lisa, thanks for sharing your story moms and teens. Kids now a days are different from our time. Children now are expose to TV, computer, games, etc...unlike our time we don't have all these. The most difficult time is from 12 to 17 yrs but after they past this stage, should be more mature and sensible.

    Your pretzel look very professional. Well done!

    Have a nice week ahead.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you my dear friend Amelia, for the your kind words of encouragement. I know I have another year before all this ends ...phew :)

      Delete
  10. Thank you Neela for visiting and following...
    Going to your blog now :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your pretzels look perfect! They sound a lot easier to make than I thought. Some warm and fresh pretzel will be wonderful for lunch or snack. I can't wait to get started!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hiya Lokness
      Thank you :)... these are yummy and easy.
      Happy trying :)

      Delete
  12. I'm sure I have put my mom through quite a bit too, but I always try to tell her how much I love and appreciate her . . . though the truth is I could never say it enough. She has and still does so much for me.

    I have wanted to make these pretzels forever! They look incredible.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was the same too except that I wasn't as vocal as gen Y kids :(

      I am thinking of making this again..its so addictive :)

      Delete
  13. These are the best. I've made this recipe a hundred times probably and they have come out perfect every single time. Yours look great too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup *nodding* agreeing with your statement... his recipe is brilliant :)

      Delete
  14. Looks so lovely. I loved the clicks. I almost wanted to take out one nad grab a bite! Could you let me know the measurements in cups?

    Shobha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Shoba
      Thank you :D

      You can refer to Alton's original recipe here...its in cup measurement :)
      http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/homemade-soft-pretzels-recipe/index.html

      Delete
  15. The pictures are stunning! I've never made home-made pretzels before, but I bet they're better than the ones you find in the mall. In Malaysia, I really liked Auntie Anne's, and fell in love with the texture and flavour. Definitely will have to try these soon

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Thank you Yii-Huei
      Yes... thats the one ~ Auntie Anne's Pretzel :)

      Delete
  16. Next time I have teen problem, I msg you ok. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You will have no problems kot ;P
      Selamat menempuh alam teens :)

      Delete
  17. Whoa, your pretzels look PERFECT!! I am saving this recipe (and hope to look just like these!).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Nami... a lot of home baker out there swear by Alton's recipe ;)
      You'll be alright :D

      Delete