Homemade Soft Pretzels

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Try this homemade soft pretzels and have fun while making a tasty treat! These homemade soft pretzels are butter and soft and give you that same flavor and texture as the pretzel shop! 

Making homemade soft pretzels with kids

Soft pretzels are something I’ve made with my kids a couple of times and have been meaning to share the recipe. They are so much fun to make. We also love baking Whole Wheat Crusty French bread, 30 minute dinner rolls, and Fast & Easy Biscuits.

Cooking With Kids: Soft Pretzels. Get your kids in the kitchen with this fun recipe for soft pretzels. This recipe makes traditional salted soft pretzels and cinnamon sugar soft pretzels. Recipe from aileencooks.com.
A picture showing the cover images for all three cookbooks written by Aileen Clark.

How to homemade soft pretzels

I made the homemade soft pretzel dough during nap time, so I could have it ready to go when my kids woke up. You can totally include your kids in the dough making process. Kids love to measure and pour ingredients – just mentally prepare yourself for a little (or a lot) of flour on the floor. It comes with the territory!

Cooking With Kids: Soft Pretzels. Get your kids in the kitchen with this fun recipe for soft pretzels. This recipe makes traditional salted soft pretzels and cinnamon sugar soft pretzels. Recipe from aileencooks.com.

The dough was done rising about 30 minutes after my kids woke up from their nap. I had them wash their hands, put on their aprons, and get the step stools. Meanwhile, I set up our station with floured cutting boards and the soft pretzel dough.

Cooking With Kids: Soft Pretzels. Get your kids in the kitchen with this fun recipe for soft pretzels. This recipe makes traditional salted soft pretzels and cinnamon sugar soft pretzels. Recipe from aileencooks.com.

I broke the soft pretzel dough into 12 equal pieces and we counted them together. It was a nice toddler math lesson.

Cooking With Kids: Soft Pretzels. Get your kids in the kitchen with this fun recipe for soft pretzels. This recipe makes traditional salted soft pretzels and cinnamon sugar soft pretzels. Recipe from aileencooks.com.

After we broke up the dough, I had the kids roll each piece into a “snake” and form their soft pretzels into shapes. The shape of the pretzel really doesn’t matter, so don’t get too hung up on them looking pretty. They will still taste good, regardless of the shape.

Cooking With Kids: Soft Pretzels. Get your kids in the kitchen with this fun recipe for soft pretzels. This recipe makes traditional salted soft pretzels and cinnamon sugar soft pretzels. Recipe from aileencooks.com.

You could even spell your child’s name out if you want. I did that the last time we made soft pretzels. This time, my kids were more into making their own shapes.

Cooking With Kids: Soft Pretzels. Get your kids in the kitchen with this fun recipe for soft pretzels. This recipe makes traditional salted soft pretzels and cinnamon sugar soft pretzels. Recipe from aileencooks.com.

After the soft pretzels were shaped, we dipped them in a mixture of water and baking soda, sprinkled them with salt and baked them in the oven for 8 minutes.

Cooking With Kids: Soft Pretzels. Get your kids in the kitchen with this fun recipe for soft pretzels. This recipe makes traditional salted soft pretzels and cinnamon sugar soft pretzels. Recipe from aileencooks.com.

How do you store homemade soft pretzels?

Let them fully cool to room temperature. Store homemade soft pretzels in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also freeze homemade soft pretzels for up to 3 months. To reheat, place them on a foil-lined cookie sheet and reheat for 5 minutes – until warm – at 350 degrees. If reheating from frozen, increase the time to 10-12 minutes. 

Cooking With Kids: Soft Pretzels. Get your kids in the kitchen with this fun recipe for soft pretzels. This recipe makes traditional salted soft pretzels and cinnamon sugar soft pretzels. Recipe from aileencooks.com.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Aileen Clark
Homemade soft pretzels are a fun and delicious way to cook with your kids. 
5 from 5 votes
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 38 minutes
Course Bread Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 326 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 4 teaspoons instant yeast sometimes called bread machine yeast
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/4 cups warm water
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 4 cups hot water
  • 1/2 cup baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Optional toppings: Melted butter and cinnamon sugar 1/4 cup sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon or melted butter and coarse kosher salt

Instructions
 

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
  • Add in the warm water and vegetable oil. Mix until a dough forms.
  • Attach the dough hook and knead for 5-6 minutes, until a smooth dough forms. (If kneading by hand, knead 7-8 minutes). The dough should be tough but smooth. If it is too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons water.
  • Place dough in a greased bowl and cover. Place in a warm spot and allow to rise until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour. (The dough will take longer to rise if your kitchen is cold)
  • Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Grease two cookie sheets and set them aside.
  • Once your dough has doubled in size, place it on a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 pieces.
  • Roll each piece into a long "snake" and form into a pretzel (or any other fun shape).
  • Whisk together the hot water and baking soda, until the baking soda is dissolved.
  • Dip each formed pretzel into the baking soda mixture and place on a cookie sheet.
  • Once all of your pretzels are ready and on the baking sheet, sprinkle with the additional salt and bake for 8 minutes.
  • Let cool.
  • Enjoy the soft pretzels plain or dip in melted butter and top with either coarse kosher salt or cinnamon sugar. Store in an air tight container.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pretzelCalories: 326kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 6gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 3028mgFiber: 3gSugar: 25g
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15 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I love cooking with my kids. We have always used cooking to explain science, math while sharing other cultures. Looks like you all had a lot of fun too!

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  3. Love this pretzel recipe! You are amazing to be so patient with the children to let them be involved and included. It can be a mess sometimes. Ha!

    1. Thanks Jessica! The photo didn’t show my daughter spitting on the dough and being removed from the kitchen. ?

  4. 5 stars
    I love cooking with my kids. We have always used cooking to explain science, math while sharing other cultures. Looks like you all had a lot of fun too!

  5. My kids LOVE pretzels and we’ve only made them a couple of times at home so far. We’ll have to try this recipe – seems really kid-friendly! Thanks!

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