The Best Sourdough Pretzels With Starter
Making sourdough pretzels with starter is not only delicious but it is also healthy. With a golden crust, coarse salt, and the dense chewy inside, nothing but pure satisfaction. These pretzels are one of my favorites, and they are really fun to make! I have always enjoyed pretzels, hard, soft, crunchy, chewy…whatever. The taste is different than regular bread, and I wanted to try to make them myself at home. Making sourdough pretzels with starter turned out to be just the trick. These pretzels are delicious and relatively healthy because they are made with zero oils and have very little fat. I hope you enjoy this pretzel recipe as much as I do.
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I enjoy cooking in the kitchen but that wasn’t always the case. Learning to slow down and enjoy the process, and also learning to be okay when mistakes happen. Sometimes that is where the glory is!
I tried making these pretzels a couple of different ways, eventually discovering that using my sourdough starter makes this pretzel recipe outstanding. There really is nothing like a fresh, homemade, soft, sourdough pretzel.
Recipe Tips
- When mixing the pretzel dough, I like to use the windowpane test. Basically you stretch the dough out with your fingers, and if you can see light shining through, then the dough is ready.
- I find when you are at the process of rolling and shaping the pretzels, rolling all of the dough into ropes first helps to keep the ropes from shrinking back too quickly. It allows the gluten to rest a bit before shaping into the pretzel rounds.
- I made a YouTube video (see below) on how to make these sourdough pretzels but here are written directions for shaping the dough into pretzel rounds.
- TWIST DIRECTIONS: First make a large U-shape with your rope. Next take each end and twist them together twice. Now, bring those ends down to the bottom part of your U-shape and press the ends lightly onto the bottom part of the dough. Repeat for each pretzel round.
- This pretzel dough can also be shaped into small bite-sized rounds, or other shapes as well. Use your imagination and be creative.
Making homemade soft pretzels is really quite easy, and FUN. Take your time with it, and enjoy the process. Learn to make cooking and baking in your kitchen a meditative and calming practice.
Handy Kitchen Tools For This Recipe
- Strong Stand Mixer – the mixer I have is pretty old but I still love it. This is the same model only a newer version.
- Food storage container with lid – this is what I use, and it is perfect to use for any rising and resting dough recipe.
- wooden spoon or spatula
- measuring spoons – I love these, and am slowly trying to switch all of my kitchen utensils over to either wood or glass.
- measuring cups – the same goes for these. Love.
- baking sheets – mine aren’t anything fancy because I always cover them with unbleached parchment paper.
Sourdough Pretzel Ingredients
- all-purpose flour – I like to use an organic all-purpose flour whenever I am baking.
- sea salt
- sourdough starter – using fresh starter is a game changer when making soft pretzels.
- pure maple syrup – good to help the dough ferment while resting.
- baking soda – this is what does the magic, and gives pretzels their golden color.
optional ingredients you may want to consider
- honey – if you prefer, you can easily swap out the maple syrup for honey.
- coarse salt – to sprinkle on the top of the pretzels. This is optional (I don’t use it) but feel free if you desire.
Sourdough Pretzels With Starter Preparation
Make sure your sourdough starter is fresh. I usually pull mine out of the fridge the day before, feed it, and then let it sit on my counter for a day before using it for any recipe.
Know that you need to let the pretzel dough rest for 10-12 hours, so I like to start the process the evening before. I will prepare the pretzel dough and then let it rest overnight. The next morning, I will roll, boil, and bake off the dough. Oh and then eat a couple afterwards. 😉
Sourdough Pretzels With Starter Directions
In the stand mixer bowl, add the all-purpose flour, salt, maple syrup, sourdough starter, and water.
Attach the bowl to the stand mixer, and begin blending using the bread attachment. Start low and slow.
Continue to blend, periodically scraping down the sides of the bowl, until the pretzel dough is very smooth and pliable. Use the windowpane test (See Recipe Notes below). NOTE: All together, the blending took me about 8-10 minutes.
Place the dough in your food storage container, put on the lid, and set aside to rest for 10-12 hours.
After the dough has rested, and while you are shaping the pretzels, bring a large pot of filtered water to a boil.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Take the pretzel dough out of the storage container and place it on a lightly floured surface. Using a bread cutter, divide the dough equally into 8 pieces.
Next, roll each piece of dough into approximately 20-24″ ropes.
Line each baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
Twist each rope into a pretzel shape, and place on baking sheet.
TWIST DIRECTIONS: First make a large U-shape with your rope. Next take each end and twist them together twice. Now, bring those ends down to the bottom part of your U-shape and press the ends lightly onto the bottom part of the dough. Repeat for each pretzel round. (See YouTube Video below for a visual demonstration)
Cover each baking sheet with a damp towel, and allow pretzel dough to rest for 1 hour.
Add 2Tb of baking soda to the boiling water.
Dip each pretzel round into the boiling water for approximately 30 seconds on each side. Gently lift out of the water and place back onto the parchment lined baking sheet.
Sprinkle each pretzel with coarse salt, or regular sea salt. (Optional)
Place baking sheets in the oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until dark golden brown.
Once baked, take out of the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool. ENJOY!
How To Store
These pretzels are best when stored in an airtight container. They will last 3-4 days on your kitchen counter.
You can also freeze them, and they will last in your freezer 4-6 months.
for more DIY recipes, check out this sauerkraut recipe. filled with lots of healthy probiotics for gut health
Making A Simple Sauerkraut In A Fermentation Crock
If you make these pretzels, I would be so grateful if you give it 5 stars and comment below.
You can also follow me and my life on Cape Cod on my Instagram page @dawndunkin
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Video: Step by step directions on how to make the best Sourdough Pretzels
Printable Recipe For You To Enjoy
The Best Soft Sourdough Pretzels
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer – strong My mixer is old but I love it. This is the newer version.
- 1 Food Storage Container with Lid This is what I use. It is perfect for any kind of rising dough recipe.
- measuring spoons I like these. I've been slowly trying to switch my kitchen supplies over to wood.
- 2 baking sheets I like to always line my sheets with unbleached parchment paper.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour I like to use organic
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter make sure your starter has been fed prior, and is nice and bubbly.
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 cup filtered water
- 2 tbsp baking soda
- Coarse salt for top of pretzels Optional
Instructions
- In the stand mixer bowl, add the all-purpose flour, salt, maple syrup, sourdough starter, and water.
- Attach bowl to the stand mixer, and begin blending using the bread attachment. Start low and slow.
- Continue to blend, periodically scraping down the sides of the bowl, until the pretzel dough is very smooth and pliable. Use the windowpane test (See Recipe Notes below).NOTE: All together, the blending took me about 8-10 minutes.
- Place the dough in your food storage container, put on the lid, and set aside to rest for 10-12 hours.
- After the dough has rested, and while you are shaping the pretzels, bring a large pot of filtered water to a boil.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Take the pretzel dough out of the storage container, and place it on a lightly floured surface. Using a bread cutter, divide the dough equally into 8 pieces.
- Next, roll each piece of dough into approximately 20-24" ropes.
- Line each baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
- Twist each rope into a pretzel shape, and place on the baking sheet.
- Cover each baking sheet with a damp towel, and allow pretzel dough to rest for 1 hour.
- Add 2Tb of baking soda to the boiling water.
- Dip each pretzel into the boiling water for approximately 30 seconds on each side. Gently lift out of the water, and place it back onto the parchment lined baking sheet.
- Sprinkle each pretzel with coarse salt, or regular sea salt. (Optional)
- Place baking sheets in the oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until the pretzels are a dark golden brown.
- Take the pretzels out of the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool. ENJOY!
Notes
- Windowpane Test – stretch the dough out with your fingers and if you can see light shining through, then you are good to go.
- I found rolling all of the dough into ropes first helps to keep the ropes from shrinking too quickly. It allows the gluten to rest a bit before shaping into pretzel rounds.
- Please see Instruction Video on how to roll and twist your dough into a pretzel shape.
- TWIST DIRECTIONS: First make a large U-shape with your rope. Next take each end and twist them together twice. Now, bring those ends down to the bottom part of your U-shape and press the ends lightly onto the bottom part of the dough. Repeat for each pretzel round.
