Sourdough Soft Pretzels
These soft sourdough pretzels use sourdough discard plus a little yeast, so they go from mixing bowl to warm, salty pretzel in about 2 hours, with no overnight rise.
If you bake sourdough, you know the discard jar situation. It builds up in the fridge week after week, and I refuse to throw it out. Pretzels are one of my favorite places to use it, because the discard adds a subtle tang to the dough and the yeast does the heavy lifting, which means you get pretzels the same day.
Pretzels are also a great savory home for older discard. As long as it’s been in the fridge 2 to 3 weeks or less and doesn’t smell too sour, it’s fair game here. I save my freshest discard for sweets, where off flavors show up more.
The baking soda bath sounds like the intimidating part, but it’s really just 30 seconds of dunking. That quick dip is what gives these the deep brown, shiny crust and classic pretzel flavor. And like everything I post here, I made these, photographed them, and ate more than I’d like to admit before I wrote a word of this post.
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
- Active dry yeast. This is what makes these a same-day bake. The discard adds flavor, the yeast handles the rise.
- Whole milk. Room temperature, not cold, so the yeast wakes up and foams. Whole milk gives you a softer, richer dough than water.
- Brown sugar. Feeds the yeast and adds a hint of caramel flavor that plays really well with the salty topping.
- Sourdough discard. Unfed discard straight from the fridge is fine. This is a savory recipe, so discard up to 2 to 3 weeks old works as long as it doesn’t smell overly sour.
- Bread flour. I use King Arthur. Bread flour gives you that chewy pretzel bite, but all-purpose works fine too.
- Fine sea salt. For the dough itself.
- Softened butter. Kneaded in after the dough comes together, it keeps the inside soft and tender.
- Baking soda. I’m an Arm & Hammer loyalist. This goes into the water bath and it’s the secret to real pretzel color and flavor.
- Melted butter and salt for topping. Pretzel salt or flaky salt gives you those big crunchy crystals.
Equipment
A few tools make pretzel day a lot smoother. These are the ones I actually used. (Some links below are affiliate links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure here.)
KitchenAid hand mixer with dough hooks: You don’t need a stand mixer for this dough. I knead it with my KitchenAid hand mixer and its dough hook attachments, and it gets the dough smooth in about 8 minutes on medium-low. Bonus: way less cleanup than hauling out the big mixer.
Kitchen scale: Mine cost about $6 on Amazon, and it’s one of the most-used tools in my kitchen. Weighing your flour and discard is the easiest way to get the same dough every single time.
Bowl scraper: Gets every bit of dough out of the bowl and helps you divide it into even pieces.
Slotted spoon or spider strainer: For lowering pretzels into the baking soda bath and lifting them back out without deflating them.
Baking sheets: Nothing fancy needed here. Mine are mostly from Amazon and they bake these perfectly evenly.
Oven mitts: A 425°F oven and a pot of boiling water in the same recipe. Enough said.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Same-day pretzels. No overnight ferment and no feeding your starter the night before. About 2 hours start to finish.
- Uses up your discard. A real, delicious use for the jar in the back of the fridge.
- No stand mixer required. A hand mixer with dough hooks does the kneading just fine.
- Real pretzel crust. The baking soda bath gives you that deep brown, glossy outside you can’t get from an egg wash alone.
- Soft, chewy inside. Whole milk and butter keep the crumb tender.
- Make them any size. Divide into 8 big pretzels or 12 smaller ones, whatever you’re in the mood for.
- Grams and cups included. Weigh it if you have a scale, measure it if you don’t.
Tips for Success
- Give the yeast the full 15 minutes. You want a foamy top before adding the rest. If nothing happens, your milk may have been too hot or your yeast too old. Start over rather than pushing ahead.
- Knead until smooth, not just combined. About 8 minutes on medium-low. The dough should look smooth and feel slightly tacky, not sticky.
- Shape on a clean, unfloured counter. A little grip on the counter actually helps you roll long, even ropes. Too much flour and the dough just slides around.
- Add the baking soda to the water slowly. It fizzes up when it hits hot water, so give yourself room in the pot.
- Don’t over-boil. Pull them as soon as they float, 30 seconds or less. Longer can make the crust taste metallic.
- Watch your kitchen temperature. My kitchen sits around 75°F. If yours runs cooler, the yeast will take longer to foam and the dough will be slower during its rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use active starter instead of discard?
Yes. Since the yeast does the rising, active starter and discard both work here. The discard is mostly for flavor.
Why do pretzels need a baking soda bath?
The alkaline water changes how the surface browns in the oven. It’s what gives pretzels their dark, shiny crust and that distinct pretzel taste.
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?
Yes. Bread flour gives a slightly chewier bite, but all-purpose makes a great pretzel too.
Do I need a stand mixer?
No. A hand mixer with dough hooks kneads this dough in about 8 minutes, and you can knead by hand if you don’t have either.
How big should I make them?
Divide the dough into 8 pieces for large, bakery-style pretzels or 12 for smaller snack-size ones.
If you make these, tag me @thattablefortwo, I’d love to see your twists!
Sourdough Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
Method
- Activate the yeast. In the bowl you’ll knead in, whisk together the yeast, room-temperature milk, and brown sugar. Let sit for 15 minutes, until foamy on top.
- Mix the dough. Add the sourdough discard, flour, and sea salt. Mix with a hand mixer fitted with dough hooks until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead in the butter. Add the softened butter and knead on medium-low speed for about 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky.
- Divide and rest. Divide the dough into 8 to 12 equal pieces, depending on how large you want your pretzels. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Preheat and prep the bath. While the dough rests, preheat your oven to 425°F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Bring the 8 cups of water to a boil in a large pot, then slowly add the baking soda. It will foam up.
- Shape. On a clean, unfloured counter, roll each piece into a long, even rope. Form a U shape, cross the ends over each other twice, then fold the twisted ends down and press them onto the bottom of the U.
- Boil. Working a few at a time, lower the pretzels into the simmering baking soda bath with a slotted spoon or spider. Remove as soon as they float, 30 seconds or less. Place on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until deep golden brown.
- Top and serve. Brush the warm pretzels with melted butter and sprinkle with salt. Best served warm.
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