This soft pretzel recipe is perfect for parties, munching during the football game, and everyday snacking. Pair it with a cheese dip and a beer and you have yourself the perfect party food. The pretzels turn out soft and buttery, these are even better then the mall pretzels. I am having an Oktoberfest party this year, so I will definitely be making these.

This recipe makes 12 soft pretzels. It takes about 15 minutes to make and knead the dough, about an hour to rise, and 8 minutes to bake, for a total time of 1 hour, 23 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 1/3 cups warm water
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 2 cups hot water
• 1/2 cup course salt, for topping
• 1/2 stick of melted butter

Making the pretzels:

1. Dissolve the yeast and the brown sugar in warm water. Let it stand for 6 minutes (it will get frothy).
2. Mix the flour, white sugar, and salt together in a large bowl.
3. Make a depression in the center of the dry ingredients with your fingers, and pour the yeast/sugar mixture and oil into it.
4. Mix the ingredients into a dough. It will probably be a bit dry and crumbly, so add a tablespoon or two of water to it to make it a bit sticky.
5. Knead the dough for 5 minutes (Don’t skimp here, knead it well!)
6. Transfer the dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it sit for an hour to rise (it will double in size).
7. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
8. Dissolve baking soda in hot water.
9. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces.
10. Roll the dough into ropes on a lightly floured surface and twist it into the shape of a pretzels.
11. Dip the pretzel into the baking soda mixture and then place it on a greased baking sheet.
12. Sprinkle with course salt.
13. Bake for 7 minutes until the tops turn brown.
14. Melt the butter in the microwave and pour it over pretzels when you take them out of the oven.

Additional tips:

• If you want a sweet pretzel, skip the salt and top them with cinnamon and sugar after baking.
• Garlic powder and parmesan cheese is also a fantastic topping. Pour on the butter and sprinkle it on after you take them out of the oven.
• Make large soft pretzels by dividing the dough into 6 sections instead of 12, and roll the ropes longer.
• If you are serving a large crowd, roll the section into ropes and then divide the ropes into 2 inch setions with a knife. Cut the cooking time to 5-6 minutes. Pretzel bites!
• Freeze the dough in divided sections so you can make a pretzel anytime. Just let it thaw to room temperature, dip the pretzel into the baking soda mixture, then bake.

What’s Next?

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