Super Soft Pretzel Rolls Recipe (2024)

Super soft pretzel rolls are perfect with soup or as a bun for a sandwich or burger!

Super Soft Pretzel Rolls Recipe (1)

Amazing Homemade Pretzel Buns Recipe

If you like soft baked pretzels, you will definitely like these super soft pretzel rolls! The rolls seriously taste just like a soft baked pretzel.

As you can imagine, the rolls are delicious dipped in anything cheesy, like this cheesy bacon dip or one of our soup recipes, or you could go the cinnamon sugar route instead of salt. Anything that might be delicious on a soft baked pretzel will be delicious on these pretzel rolls!

Super Soft Pretzel Rolls Recipe (2)

These Pretzel Buns Have Various Uses!

Another reason to make this pretzel roll recipe is that you can use them as an awesome homemade option for sandwiches or burger buns! We’re going to have some fancy burgers with these pretzel buns!

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These Pretzel Rolls Are Surprisingly Easy to Make

Now, you might think that pretzel rolls sound hard or complicated to make, but they really are surprisingly easy and simple. Just a few little extra steps than your regular roll.

This pretzel roll recipe takes about 2 hours from start to finish. Not too bad. And about 1 hour and 20 minutes of that time is hands-off. You can do it!

Super Soft Pretzel Rolls Recipe (4)

The dough is really simple – yeast, oil, milk, water, salt, flour. It is a bit more of a stiff, heavy dough, but still soft, smooth, and slightly tacky.

Super Soft Pretzel Rolls Recipe (5)

How to Divide and Shape Your Pretzel Buns

The easiest way to divide the dough into 16 pieces is to shape the dough into an even square or rectangle, then cut it 4×4. A dough scraper is perfect for this!

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To make dough balls, I pull the dough back to one point to make a taut ball with one puckered end. Then you can flatten out the pucker a bit. The pinching/pulling of the dough helps squeeze out air bubbles and make a nice tight ball.

This is basically done again after the dough balls rest, but before boiling. Except it is done much more gently that time around.

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Boiling the Pretzel Buns

Finally found a good use for this skimmer slotted spoon. I think this is the first recipe I’ve actually used it in. Haha.

The dough balls will look a little strange and wrinkly when they come out of the boiling water and that is ok! It will all work out.

Super Soft Pretzel Rolls Recipe (8)

Baking the Pretzel Rolls

Silicone baking mats work really well for this soft pretzel roll recipe because they help keep the dough from sticking while the dough rests and when they bake too.

It is really important that the knife or razor you use to make the slits is sharp. Otherwise, your dough balls might deflate or get squished.

Shout to my favorite knivesVictorinox! Either the chef knife or a paring knife will work here. I’ve had mine for years and they are still like new. Just use a simple knife sharpener every once in a while and these knives slice through tomatoes with ease, as well as pretzel roll dough. 😉

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Conclusion

Note that this recipe makes 16 large pretzel rolls that are perfect as buns. Feel free to make the rolls smaller, if desired.

Give this soft pretzel roll recipe a try! Fresh pretzel rolls on your table 2 hours from now!

Super Soft Pretzel Rolls Recipe (10)

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Super Soft Pretzel Rolls Recipe (11)

Super Soft Pretzel Rolls Recipe (12)

Super Soft Pretzel Rolls Recipe

Super soft pretzel rolls are perfect with soup or as a bun for a sandwich or burger!

4.42 / 5 ( 17 Reviews )

Print Rate

Prep Time: 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours

Serves: 16

Adjust Servings: 16

Equipment

  • Stand mixer

  • Large bowl

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the yeast, oil, milk, and water. Add salt and two cups of flour. Then add more flour gradually until the dough begins to form and clears the sides of the bowl. Knead for 3-4 minutes. The dough will be soft and slightly tacky. It is a stiffer, heavier dough than your usual roll dough though.

  • Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl, cover with greased plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

  • Portion the dough into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a dough ball and place onto lightly greased parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes.

  • While the dough rests, add the 3 quarts water, sugar, and baking soda to a 5-6 quart pot and bring the water to a boil.

  • Carefully remove the dough balls one at a time from the parchment or mat and gently pinch the sides of the bottom of the dough in to the bottom of the ball. You are pulling the dough taut by forming a pucker of dough on the bottom. Don't totally deflate the dough ball though.

  • Gently drop 3-4 dough balls into the boiling water and boil for about 30 seconds each side. The longer you boil, the chewier the pretzel roll will be. Remove the dough ball from the water with a slotted spoon or spatula, letting the excess water drip off.

  • Place boiled dough balls onto baking sheets lined with parchment or silicone baking mats.

  • Preheat oven to 425°F/218°C.

  • Use a very sharp knife or razor to make two parallel shallow cuts in the top of each roll. Lightly sprinkle the tops of the rolls with coarse salt or kosher salt.

  • Bake for about 20 minutes, until the rolls are a deep golden brown.

Recipe Notes

Best served same day, but can be warmed lightly in the microwave the next day or two.

Nutrition

Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 828mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g

Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Super Soft Pretzel Rolls Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient which makes a pretzel taste like a pretzel? ›

But it's the distinctive "pretzel" flavor that makes this bread extraordinary. That comes from dipping the shaped dough in an alkaline solution — traditionally a small amount of food-grade lye dissolved in water — before baking.

Is soft pretzel dough the same as bread dough? ›

Soft pretzels are just a yeast bread is that formed into a pretzel shape. The one big difference in pretzel making, as opposed to a regular bread, is that pretzels are boiled and then baked. It is the boiling that gives the outside of the pretzel its beautiful golden brown color and uniquely crisp and chewy texture.

What's the difference between a pretzel and a soft pretzel? ›

Soft pretzels are large and have a chewy texture. They're usually served individually and are commonly sold at concession stands, restaurants, and bakeries. Meanwhile, hard pretzels are small and crunchy and can be eaten by the handful, depending on their shape.

Why boil pretzel dough in baking soda? ›

Furthermore, we've introduced the baking soda bath. While it sounds strange, this step is what gives pretzels that iconic flavor, chewy texture, helps deepen their golden color in the oven, and locks in the super soft interior.

What is the secret of soft dough? ›

Milk powder.

Instant milk powder makes bread dough super soft and fluffy and also helps to give it a good rise. It also contributes to the dough staying nice and soft after baking for a little longer than a recipe that does not use milk powder.

What type of flour is best for pretzels? ›

I really recommend that you use bread flour rather than all purpose when making soft pretzels. Bread flour has a higher gluten content, which in this case yields softer and chewier soft pretzels than you could expect with all purpose flour.

What gives soft pretzels their flavor? ›

What Gives Pretzels Their Pretzel Flavor? You have baking soda to thank for that distinct pretzel flavor. Baking soda is highly alkaline and imparts that subtly metallic taste onto the dough before your pretzels go into the oven. Some recipes call for a lye bath, which does the same thing.

Why are my soft rolls hard? ›

Too much flour, or not the right kind, could be to blame. Dough made only from flour with a high or even average amount of protein (like bread flour or all-purpose flour) can become tough from overmixing. Protein gives bread structure in the form of gluten—the more you mix and move the dough, the more gluten you get.

How do you soften Auntie Anne's pretzels? ›

If pretzel is frozen, allow it to thaw. Wrap pretzel in foil and bake approximately 3 minutes. Microwave Oven: If pretzel is frozen, allow it to thaw. Microwave pretzel for approximately 10-15 seconds on medium setting.

How do you moisten soft pretzels? ›

Drizzle a small amount of water over the pretzel so that the pretzel is moist but not soggy. Wrap your pretzel in aluminum foil and place it in the oven for five minutes. If you want a crispier exterior, leave the aluminum foil off and just place the pretzel directly on the middle rack of your oven.

How do Germans eat soft pretzels? ›

The popular toppings of authentic bavarian pretzels are:

Sesame, poppy, sunflower, pumpkin or caraway seeds, cheese sauce and bacon bits. Bavarians especially enjoy their pretzels in the late morning with Weißwürst, sweet mustard, and a Beer.

Are soft pretzels healthier than hard pretzels? ›

Hard pretzels don't have as much protein or fiber as soft pretzels, but they also have fewer calories and sodium.

What are soft pretzels called in Germany? ›

The pretzel, known as "Brezel" in German, is a type of baked bread product that is typically twisted into a distinctive knot-like shape. Its origin is often attributed to Germany, specifically to the region of Bavaria, although its precise beginnings are somewhat debated.

What gives pretzels their pretzel flavor? ›

What Gives Pretzels Their Pretzel Flavor? You have baking soda to thank for that distinct pretzel flavor. Baking soda is highly alkaline and imparts that subtly metallic taste onto the dough before your pretzels go into the oven. Some recipes call for a lye bath, which does the same thing.

What makes a pretzel bun taste like a pretzel? ›

Using lye for your pretzel rolls guarantees they will taste authentic and German (as compared to using baking soda). No worries, I shared all of my tips for using real lye for you in the recipe card below. Carefully cut an X into the tops of the rolls, sprinkle them with pretzel salt, and bake them.

What is the flavor profile of pretzels? ›

Tasting Notes:

The typical pretzel has a pleasant cracker-like flavor, a crisp, brittle texture and a brown glossy surface color. Salt crystals are often sprinkled on its surface to make them taste more appealing. Pretzels have a moisture content of anywhere from 2-4% and therefore have a very long shelf life.

What makes pretzels smell like pretzels? ›

After removing other scent molecules individually, the researchers found two molecules that are essential to the unique pretzel scent: 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, which has a roasted smell, and 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone, which has a caramel smell.

References

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