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Bavarian Soft Pretzels

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Nothing goes better with beer than a pretzel. So let’s kick off Oktoberfest with giant Bavarian soft pretzels. I’ll bring the pretzels, you bring the beer!

Bavarian Soft Pretzels

Are you Oktoberfest ready? Well you have two days to prepare yourself and I’m here to get you started. I’m kicking off the festivities with a little giant snack that goes with a mug of beer like Laurel goes with Hardy, Will goes with Grace, and a glass of red wine goes with me on a Friday night.

Pretzels.

Bavarian Soft Pretzels

 

Bavarian Soft Pretzels

And not just any pretzels….Bavarian soft pretzels that have a toasty, salty, deep brown crust and a soft, chewy center. These are the stuff that carb-filled dreams are made of. They are definitely not the stale pretzels that you can buy from a cart in Central Park or at the movies served with a cup of sticky orange cheese. Nope, these are crafted from a wonderful yeasty dough fed with a little brown sugar and best served alongside a dish of tangy brown mustard and a frosty beer.

Bavarian Soft Pretzels

Oh, and like I mentioned these pretzels are just the start of the fun. I’ve joined forces with a bunch of talented bloggers for an Oktoberfest party hosted by the all-beer-knowing Milena and Chris of Craft Beering for a food-fueled, beer-inspired, tasty soirée that you can replicate from your very own kitchen. We’re talking meats to treats to sweets. Everything pairs perfectly with beer and is well-suited for this German “holiday”.

So fill your stein and strap on your feed bag because we are getting after it today. Happy Oktoberfest to all and to all a good night!

Bavarian Soft Pretzels

Craft Beering – Schweinshaxe (Bavarian Roasted Pork Knuckle)
Itsy-Bitsy Kitchen – Bee Sting Cake
Girl Heart Food – Traditional Pork Schnitzel
Tasty Ever After – Kartoffelsuppe (German Potato Soup)
Beer Girl Cooks – Beer Mustard Crusted Pork Loin
Sugar Love Spices – Porchetta Panini
Seasons & Suppers – German Beef Rouladen
The Bearded Hiker – Sauerbraten
Kelly Lynn’s Sweets & Treats – German Chocolate Cake Cookies
Leeks and High Heels – Beef with Beet Puree & Purple Cauliflower
The Home Cook’s Kitchen – Cheese and Cherry Strudel
What Should I Make For… – Bavarian Soft Pretzels

4.48 from 23 votes
Bavarian Soft Pretzels
Print
Bavarian Soft Pretzels
Prep Time
1 hr 30 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Resting Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 42 mins
 
Nothing goes better with beer than a pretzel. So let's kick off Oktoberfest with giant Bavarian soft pretzels. I'll bring the pretzels, you bring the beer!
Course: Snack
Cuisine: German
Keyword: soft pretzel
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 405 kcal
Author: Cathy Roma | What Should I Make For...
Ingredients
  • 1 1/4 cup warm water (100 degrees)
  • 1/4 oz active dry yeast (1 pkg)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp light brown sugar, packed
  • 4 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided, melted and cooled slightly
  • Canola or vegetable oil for coating the bowl
  • 2 quarts water
  • 1/2 cup baking soda
  • sea salt
  • Mustard for serving
Instructions

  1. Combine water, yeast, and brown sugar in a small bowl. Whisk to combine and let stand until the yeast begins to activate and foam slightly.

  2. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl fitted with a dough hook and mix for a minute. Add the yeast mixture and 2 Tbsp melted butter and mix with the dough hook on medium/low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 mins. (Alternatively knead by hand for 5-10 mins).
  3. Form the dough into a large ball and turn into a large bowl coated with oil. Turn to coat. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the bowl sit at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size, about an hour.
  4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment and spray well with cooking spray.
  5. Divide the dough into six equal portions and use your hands to roll each into a 24 inch rope, allowing the dough to rest if if springs back to quickly.
  6. Form into a U-shape and then cross the ends to form into a pretzel.

  7. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Add the baking soda and using a perforated spautula, lower one pretzel at a time into the water. Boil about 30-45 seconds and remove to a paper towel for a minute to drain. Place three pretzels on each baking sheet and brush well with the remaining 2 Tbsp melted butter and sprinkle generously with salt.

  8. Bake for 12 minutes until dark golden brown, rotating the trays midway through baking.
  9. Serve warm with mustard on the side.
Recipe Notes

Yields 6 pretzels.

Nutrition Facts
Bavarian Soft Pretzels
Amount Per Serving
Calories 405 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 20mg7%
Sodium 797mg35%
Potassium 106mg3%
Carbohydrates 71g24%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 235IU5%
Calcium 28mg3%
Iron 4.1mg23%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Bavarian Soft Pretzels

Oktoberfest-Bash-2017-Recipes

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About Cathy Roma

My food philosophy is simple: everything in moderation. Sweet, savory, healthy, decadent…food, like life, is all about balance. I rely on my background as a trained chef/mom to create family-friendly recipes that will inspire you to cook, not complicate your life.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  6. Milena | Craft Beering says

    5 stars
    These are possibly the prettiest soft pretzels I’ve seen! Something to aspire for, but for the time being I am all too happy to enjoy yours. What is Oktoberfest without pretzels, seriously:) Thank you Cathy for joining the party!

    Reply

    • Cathy says

      Aw shucks Milena. Thanks for including me in the festivities! What a fabulous round-up and I don’t know which to try first!

  7. karrie / Tasty Ever After says

    5 stars
    Heck yeah to Oktoberfest and beer and soft pretzels!! How did your pretzels turn out so pretty? Mine always look like they’ve been knocked around in a fight. Maybe it’s my dough so I’m trying your recipe and way next time 🙂

    Reply

    • Cathy says

      Ha! I’m sure even a slightly roughed up pretzel is still just as tasty. But let me know if you give these a go and have better luck.

  14. Lindsay says

    Thanks for sharing the recipe. It looks great. I’m trying it now actually and it seems like I’m missing something? Just added the warm water mixture to the flour and it seems like there’s nowhere near enough water (1.25 cups) to the 4+ cups of flour… Should I add more water?

    Reply

    • Cathy says

      I wouldn’t add any additional water, not sure why it doesn’t feel like enough. Hope these came out great for you!

  15. Cara says

    5 stars
    I just got home from a trip to Germany and wanted to recreate the delicious pretzels we ate on our trip. Your recipe was absolutely perfect and so easy to make! Thank you for sharing your recipe, I will definitely be making these again!

    Reply

  16. Greg says

    Do we need 2 or 4 tbs of butter? Ingredients show 4, but instructions only call for 2 unless I’m overlooking something.

    Reply

    • Cathy says

      you need 4 Tbsp in total. 2 Tbsp of melted butter in the dough, 2 Tbsp to brush on the pretzels before baking.

  17. Jackie says

    5 stars
    Just made these and they are AWESOME!! Have you tried freezing them? I made them today as practice for an Oktoberfest themed dinner party we are throwing in three weeks. Would be great if I could just freeze this batch and not have to make them again in three weeks.

    Reply
4.48 from 23 votes (16 ratings without comment)

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