Whenever we go to Walmart and my kids see that Auntie Annies Pretzel shop they start begging.
“Mama, can we have a pretzel?”
Occasionally I cave and buy that $3 pretzel, but mostly I promise to make this homemade version that is just as tasty yet much less expensive. Since I let the kids form their own pretzels it is also much more fun. It just tastes better when you’ve made it yourself!
Recipe: Homemade Soft Pretzels (BreadMachine)
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 C Water
- 3 1/2 C Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 Egg, separated
- 1 TBS Oil
- 1tsp Lemon Juice
- 2 TBS Sugar
- 1/8 tsp White Pepper
- 1 TBS Active Dry Yeast
- 1 TBS Water
Instructions
- -Place water, flour, salt, egg YOLK, oil, lemon juice, sugar, pepper & yeast into your bread machine.
- -Run on "Dough" cycle.
- -Remove dough when complete and place on floured countertop.
- -Cut dough into 16 equal pieces.
- -Roll each into a rope (approx 14" long)
- -Shape each rope into a pretzel
- -Place on greased cookie sheet about 1" apart.
- -Whisk together egg white & 1TBS water.
- -Brush each pretzel w/egg mixture
- -sprinkle with Salt, Kosher salt, or sesame seeds.
- -Bake at 375 for 15-20 min.
- -Pretzels will be golden brown.
- -Leave off the Salt, after baking brush with butter and sprinkle with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar.
- -Add 1/2 C Parmesan Cheese to dough, after baking brush with butter and sprinkle with more cheese
Variations:
Oh, you are going to make me go get a bread machine yet! I’d love to try the recipe, but for now I need non bread machine recipes. Any idea on how to adapt them? Thanks! (Oh, and at what point could I freeze them as I wouldn’t need a full recipe at a time. 🙂 ).
I would love to know how to do it without a bread machine too? Anyone know? OHhh I bet they are delicious
Those look like very BIG pretzels. I kinda like them razor thin like those AuntieAnnes.
Melissa & Carmen-Good point, I’ll post something next week on how to convert bread machine recipes for those who don’t have one. Basically the machine just does the mixing, kneading & rising part. . . so you could just use the basic directions for any other pretzel recipe. Personally I would guess that you could freeze them in the pretzel shape, then defrost them in the fridge/on a counter and pop them in the oven. I haven’t tried it though.
Mike-I would have rolled them out much thinner myself-but when you have a 6 & 8yr old doing the work, they come out much thicker. Princess used about 4 pretzels worth to make her one giant pretzel.
I may have to try this noe. my kids love doing rolls, and cookies, I think this would be a lot of fun.
You have an Aunt Annie’s in your Walmart? We only have those in the mall!
I think your Model Chef is beautiful. I’m just sayin’
Oh am I thrilled to have found you! Not only am I digging out my bread machine, your German cucumber salad is just as I remembered my Mom Mom making! Thanks & I’ll be around for sure!
Linda-I’m so glad that you found me as well 🙂
i have made about 3 batches of these and they have been absolutely amazing.Thank you so much and sorry about commenting late
I am so glad you enjoy the recipe Natalie! And I’m just happy you took the time to come back and tell me that it worked well for you 🙂
Im going to make some this afternoon because like you my 2 yo is always begging for pretzels. Do you think I could freeze them? And think I should do it before or after cooking? Tia!
Anna-I’ve never tried freezing them-but most bread products and dough do freeze fine. I would actually experiment-freeze half the dough (tightly wrapped in plastic to prevent freezer burn) and then bake a few, wrap those tightly to keep the air out and freeze those as well. If you get back with me and let me know how it goes I’ll write a post about it!
Sounds good. Im about to pull them out of the bread machine. Ill lyk in a few days how it goes. 🙂
check out the goodwill when looking for a bread machine. they tend to carry them a lot. I bought mine for 8 bucks!!!! and it works perfectly…and if it didn’t, oh well, it was only 8 bucks! I think i got my moneys worth already. OAN: Im making these for my sons 3rd bday…its a carnival themed!!
Stacey-you are right, the thriftstore is the best place to pick up one, especially if you are really just using it as a “kneading/rising” machine.
Hope the kiddos really enjoy the pretzels at the Carnival party!
I work on a University Campus in the Seattle Area and we have been snowed in since Monday. A batch of these is currently in my bread machine as we speak, and I am having some residential students over to eat these later. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Haley-I hope you guys enjoy them as much as we do! Have fun with the students tonight, and you all stay safe and warm.
Thanks! fun recipe, but I stink at rolling dough long enough or thin enough to make a decent pretzel shape. I think the kids (ages 5 and 4) had even more fun though rolling smaller lengths of dough to shape into the letters in their name, and other fun shapes. fun, and very tasty with homemade cheese sauce.
Making your own shapes IS the best part! Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Getting out my bread machine now as well. Recently moved to a small town with NO Auntie Anne’s. I mean seriously, is that even legal?!?! I have been craving some pretzels so I can’t wait to try this out!
Brittany-well apparently it is legal 😉 I hope that you enjoy this recipe as much as the kiddos and I do–and that it both satisfies your craving AND saves you some money!
I just made them! My 2 year old has had 4 already and she keeps asking for more. I added mozzarella cheese and flax-seed meal. They are super delicious!
So glad you enjoyed them!
Thank you so much for the recipes, especially the pretzels. I am a bread nut. I can never turn down bread.
You are very welcome Beverly
Baking this up right now!!
Hope yours came out as yummy as mine do!
Do I use bread flour or regular all purpose? Thanks!!
I always just use plain old all purpose flour.
I make these all the time. I have two hungry teenage boys. These are really good and inexpensive. I top them with cheese like the mall version.
Glad everyone enjoys them.
Just found these – we live in the UK and after vacationing in the US I became addicted to pretzels, but don’t find them often here. Will be making these later today. Thanks, already smelling the cinnamon & sugar, yum!
Glad to enable your pretzel fix 🙂
These are so delicious. We topped them with parmesan cheese and some with just salt. Absolutely wonderful! I have already made many batches!
So glad you enjoy them!