Light and chewy sourdough with the perfect bite, these easy homemade, soft sourdough pretzels are made from ancient grains einkorn or spelt flour. Dip them in mustard or cheesy dip for the perfect afternoon snack. They’ll soon be your favorite treat!
There’s never a wrong time for sourdough pretzels. When this post was originally published, it was fall and the weather just screamed for sourdough pretzels hot out of the oven.
But during the summertime, I love having quick and easy “grab-and-go” snacks for days where time is short or we’ll be out and about. This sourdough pretzel recipe is the perfect little treat for long summer days in need of snack breaks.
(Be sure you also try sourdough bagels or sourdough English muffins topped with chia seed mixed berry jam, or sourdough flatbread with some homemade jerky on the side.)
Pretzels may be my biggest weakness, no wait… SOURDOUGH pretzels are my biggest weakness. They’re so hard to resist, with their chewy softness browned by a delicious Maillard reaction!
Of course, I easily solve the temptation of commercial pretzels by making my own! Gentler gluten, no enriched bleached flour, no mystery ingredients, and no bloated belly. Those are all great reasons for sourdough.
For comparison, I use wholesome ancient flours like einkorn or spelt, even when making quick bread like Spelt Banana Bread.
There’s no need for yeast in these sourdough pretzels since I use a natural leaven with my sourdough starter (click for a free tutorial) and know that I have approved every single ingredient before I add it.
Baking Soda Vs. Lye
In Germany, pretzels were traditionally dipped in a lye solution before baking them. This gave them a very dark brown color and unique taste.
Since lye is a powerful alkali (with a pH of 13 to 14) that must be handled with caution, many home cooks choose an easier route. Instead, we use baking soda.
Baking soda is also an alkali, although less so (with a pH of 8). It produces a lighter colored skin and a more subtle pretzel flavor.
Another alternative? Washing soda, with a pH of somewhere between lye and baking soda.
The challenge is finding washing soda that’s pure. If you’re a DIY-type person, you just might want to tackle the project of making washing soda at home. It requires heating baking soda to high temperatures and is quite simple, but is also just another step before enjoying these tasty treats.
All that said, if you decide to use lye, you’ll get the most authentic looking and tasting sourdough pretzels. For this recipe, we’re calling for baking soda.
How To Add Softness When Baking With Ancient Grains
Have you ever seen “vital wheat gluten” listed on the ingredient label of store-bought bread? Since gluten gives bread texture and softness, this means you’re getting something extremely soft!
But is it worth it?
Both einkorn and spelt have a gluten that is gentler on digestion than modern wheat varieties (source). Ancient grain flours such as these often go hand-in-hand with tougher textures and smaller rises when baking.
However, in my opinion, this is a small trade-off for the superior nutritional benefits that come with unhybridized varieties of wheat like einkorn, spelt, and kamut.
And of course, bakers have their own tricks to bring desired softness to even ancient grains! (Like Wardee’s amazingly soft einkorn artisan bread recipe!)
For sourdough pretzels, I add a whole boiled potato. It makes them truly soft… So much so that you won’t even miss the store-bought stuff again.
Soft Sourdough Pretzel Ingredients and Substitutions
- Potato – This is the trick to getting soft and chewy pretzels when baking with ancient grain. If you’re using another grain, you can still use the potato for an even lighter pretzel.
- Sourdough Starter – There is no yeast in this recipe, only those naturally occurring in your sourdough starter. Click here to learn when your sourdough starter is ready to bake with.
- Sugar – We’re using evaporated cane juice in this recipe. You could also use something like Sucanat, Rapadura, or coconut sugar.
- Flour – We like to use a combination of both einkorn and spelt flour for this recipe. Spelt tends to give baked goods a lighter texture, so it’s perfect all on its own, or for pairing with Einkorn in these sourdough pretzels. But do be sure to use all-purpose flour. If you don’t have all-purpose, learn how to make your own all-purpose flour from your fresh ground grain here.
- Sea Salt – Don’t skip the salt! This adds flavor. Without it you’ll be left with a dull bread flavor and wonder, “What’s missing?”
- Butter – This recipe needs just a bit of fat to give it that nice elasticity when being shaped. If you’re dairy-free, you could use coconut oil or even something like avocado or olive oil.
- Baking Soda – This is strictly for the boiling stage. It gets mixed in with the water to create that Maillard effect mentioned above.
How To Make Homemade Sourdough Pretzels
Making The Dough
1. Combine potato, water, sourdough starter, and sweetener in a blender and blend until uniform.
2. Next, sift 4 cups of flour into a large bowl. (I show how to sift flour in #AskWardee 117.)
3. Add potato/water liquid and mix with a spoon until no dry spots remain. Cover and leave for 30 minutes. (In baker’s terms, this is autolysis — the flour will hydrate and enzymes will begin breaking down starch, etc.)
4. At the end of 30 minutes, add salt and butter.
5. Knead the dough by hand or with a dough mixer. Once the dough starts getting too sticky, add the remaining 1/2 cup flour.
6. Continue kneading to incorporate. The dough should be nice and pliable, and maybe slightly sticky. Keep your surface floured well to avoid sticking.
7. Cover and leave at room temperature to rise. It could take anywhere from a minimum of 3 to 4 hours to a maximum of 6 to 8 hours of rising time. Watch the dough, not the time. It should rise significantly.
Shaping The Pretzels
8. When you are ready to cook the pretzels, turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface.
9. Give the dough a few folds by hand. The dough will be sticky at first but will quickly become nice and manageable.
10. Prepare a baking sheet covered with parchment paper (or silicone baking mat).
11. Separate the dough into 8 to 12 pieces (depending on how big you want your sourdough pretzels). Keep the remaining pieces covered until ready to shape.
12. Roll each piece into a rope (18 to 24 inches long) and shape into a pretzel (see photo above).
13. Place onto the baking sheet. Let rest 20 to 30 minutes.
Boiling The Pretzels
14. Bring 10 cups of water and 2/3 cup baking soda to a rolling boil.
15. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
16. Place pretzels into the boiling water (2 at a time) for 30 seconds on each side, then transfer back to the baking sheet using a spatula.
Baking The Pretzels
17. Sprinkle with pretzel salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or cinnamon sugar, or any other topping of choice (if you’re having trouble with your toppings sticking to your sourdough pretzels, you can use an egg wash prior to topping. This is just one egg mixed with 1 to 2 tablespoons water, then brushed lightly over the pretzel.)
18. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a deep golden brown.
Sourdough Pretzel Topping Options
The flavor variations are virtually endless. First, you must decide whether you want a sweet or savory option, then you also much choose your dipping sauce. (Dipping sauces are a MUST you know!)
- Sea Salt
- Sesame Seeds
- Poppy Seeds
- Cinnamon & Sugar
- Minced Garlic
- Onion Powder
- Everything Bagel Seasoning
Dipping Sauces for Sourdough Pretzels
- Fermented Mustard (three different ways, pictured above)
- Lacto Fermented Honey Dill Mustard
- Caramel Sauce (scroll down to the “sauces” portion of the post)
- Ranch Dip
- Cucumber Ranch Dressing
- and many more fermented dips and spreads!
Storing Pretzels
Soft pretzels will store well at room temperature up to 7 days. Store in an airtight container.
Freezing Pretzels
To freeze pretzels, allow them to fully cool then wrap them individually in parchment paper (you could also use plastic wrap if you don’t mind the plastic), then sealed in a zip-top freezer bag. Pretzels will keep up to 3 months in the freezer.
Reheating Pretzels
If sourdough pretzels are frozen, defrost completely (takes about 30 minutes), place on a baking sheet and reheat for 3 to 5 minutes in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven.
This method also works if you just want that “fresh from the oven” taste!
Tips When Making Soft Sourdough Pretzels
- Be sure to read about the flour options mentioned above. Remember, all-purpose flour will work best for this recipe.
- When lining your baking sheet, you may want to consider using a silicone Silpat mat instead of parchment paper. Sometimes the wet pretzels can stick to the parchment paper and be hard to remove after baking.
- Just like any homemade pretzels, soft sourdough pretzels are best when eaten fresh! If you will be storing them, be sure to read the tips on how to store them for the best results.
- If you like to sprinkle coarse salt on top, it will likely dissolve by the next day. For pretzels that will be stored, I recommend using other toppings such as sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or cinnamon sugar.
- To begin a sourdough starter for these pretzels or your own bread, muffins, cakes, and more make sure to grab our free instructions –> How To Start A Sourdough Starter and When Is A Sourdough Starter Strong Enough For Baking.
Soft Sourdough Pretzels {Einkorn Or Spelt}
Pretzels may be my biggest weakness. They’re so hard to resist, with their chewy browned softness. Of course, I easily solve the temptation of commercial pretzels by making my own! I use wholesome ancient flours like einkorn or spelt. I also leaven my dough using natural fermentation, and know that I have approved every single ingredient before I add it.
Ingredients
-
1
potato
small, boiled, peeled, and chopped (about 100g) -
1
cup
pure water
warm -
1
tablespoon
sourdough starter
active -
1
tablespoon
evaporated cane juice -
4 1/2
cups
all-purpose flour
einkorn, spelt or a mix of both -
2
teaspoons
sea salt -
4
tablespoons
grass-fed butter
softened
For boiling pretzels:
-
10
cups
pure water -
2/3
cup
baking soda
Instructions
-
Combine potato, water, sourdough starter, and sweetener in a blender.
-
Blend until uniform.
-
Next, sift 4 cups of flour into a large bowl.
-
Add potato/water liquid.
-
Mix with spoon until no dry spots remain.
-
Cover and leave for 30 minutes. In baker’s terms, this is autolysis — the flour will hydrate and enzymes will begin breaking down starch, etc.
-
At the end of 30 minutes, add salt and butter.
-
Then knead it by hand or with a dough mixer.
-
Once the dough starts getting too sticky, add the remaining 1/2 cup flour.
-
Knead to incorporate. The dough should be nice and pliable, and maybe slightly sticky.
-
Cover and leave at room temperature to rise. It could take anywhere from a minimum of 3 to 4 hours, to a maximum of 6 to 8 hours. Watch the dough, not the time. It should rise significantly.
-
When ready to bake, turn the dough over to a well-floured surface.
-
Then give it a few folds by hand. The dough will be sticky at first but will quickly become nice and manageable.
-
Prepare a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
-
Separate the dough into 8 to 10 pieces. Keep pieces you are not working on covered.
-
Roll each piece into a rope (18 to 24 inches long) and shape into a pretzel.
-
Place onto the baking sheet. Let rest 20 to 30 minutes.
-
Bring 10 cups of water and 2/3 cup baking soda to a rolling boil.
-
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
Place pretzels into the boiling water (2 at a time) for 30 seconds on each side, then transfer back to the baking sheet using a spatula.
-
Sprinkle with pretzel salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or cinnamon sugar.
-
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until deep golden.
Recipe Notes
*Use all-purpose einkorn or all-purpose spelt in this recipe. All-purpose spelt makes the best pretzels, in my opinion. They rise more and are much softer than all-purpose einkorn.
*Whole ground einkorn is too hard to work with, although doable if you are an experienced baker.
*Whole ground spelt flour works pretty well, but it does make pretzels that are more dense and quite dark.
Calories from Fat 45
More Sourdough Recipes
- Sourdough Mediterranean Pizza
- Sourdough Chapatis (Indian Flatbread)
- Sourdough Sandwich Bread (pictured above)
- Boston Brown Sourdough Bread
- Whole Grain Sourdough Bread
- Einkorn Sourdough Bagels
- Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread (with FREE Video)
- 12 Yummy Sourdough Snacks
- 26 Sourdough Bread Recipes
Have you ever made soft sourdough pretzels before? Spelt, einkorn, or kamut… which ancient wheat is YOUR favorite?
