I'm pretty sure I have an addition to pretzels. Over the last two months I have made pretzel buns, homemade soft pretzels, and now pretzel bread. Just like the name states this is a loaf bread made in the pretzel style. The loaf itself is medium sized, has a chewy salty outside, and an incredibly soft and fluffy texture inside. If you love pretzels you will not be disappointed!
You'll be surprised how easy this bread is to make. I made it earlier this week while I had four toddlers in the house and there was no issues. My kids love baking bread! They get so excited every time I pull the stand mixer down. They're also getting really good at pouring the ingredients into the bow,l and every time we bake we have fewer and fewer messes.
How to Make Pretzel Bread
Making the Dough
Start by activating the yeast. Do this by measuring out 1 and 1/4 cup of warm water (bath temperature) and mix in the yeast and sugar. Let this sit for 10 minutes, you will see a layer of foam form when activated.
While the yeast is activating, mix together flour and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook on. You can mix and knead by hand for this recipe as well, I just prefer my stand mixer.
When the yeast has been activated add it to the flour along with the melted butter. Start on a low speed setting and mix until the dough begins to form. Check the doughs consistency, you want it to be only slightly sticky and pull alway from the sides of the bowl to come together into one large piece.
After dough has come together continue on medium high speed kneading for 5 minutes. Remove the dough, grease the bowl, and add the dough back in. Spin it around a few times to grease the top of the dough ball. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise for an hour or until doubled in size.
Shaping the Bread
After rising, gently punch the dough down, remove from the bowl, and place onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand for a minute and form into a round ball. Do this by pulling at the sides and tucking the access dough under. Once the ball is formed place on the counter with the tucked side down. Cup the dough with both hands and turn the ball in one direction. This will help tighten the shape. Keep doing this for about a minute or until you feel some tension in the dough.
Place the dough ball on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and place somewhere warm to rise for an additional 30 minutes.
Boiling and Baking
Preheat your oven to 425 F. In a large pot bring water and baking soda to a boil. You want to use a large pot because the baking soda water makes lots of bubbles.
Once water reaches a rapid boil lower in the pretzel top side down. Boil for 30 seconds then flip and boil the other side for 30 seconds. Carefully remove the bread and place on the parchment paper.
Using a sharp knife score an X patter on the top and generously sprinkle with course sea salt.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a dark golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Bake them on your own or bake them with your kids, either way I’m sure you’ll love with this Pretzel Bead!
If you make this bread you can tag me on Instagram @jessiebakestreats and leave me a review below. I’d love to hear from you!
For more ideas you can follow me on Pinterest.
More Bread Recipes to Try
Pretzel Bread
Ingredients
Pretzel Bread Dough
- 1 & 1/4 C warm water
- 2 & 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1/4 C butter melted and cooled to room temperature
- 3 & 1/2 C all purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil for greasing the bowl
Boiling the Pretzel Bread
- 2/3 C baking soda
- 10 C water
- Coarse sea salt for sprinkling on top
Instructions
Making the Pretzel Dough
- In a small measuring cup add warm water, yeast, and sugar. Gently stir and set aside for 10 minutes. This will activate the yeast and you will see and you will see a foam form.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, add in the flour and the salt, mix together. After yeast has activated add the yeast mixture into the flour and the melted butter.
- Using your dough hook mix on a low speed until dough is formed. You want to dough to form one cohesive ball that is not sticky and manageable to touch, and no flour/dough sticking to the sides or bottom. .Once dough is formed continue kneading for another 5 minutes on medium high speed.
- Remove dough from bowl and add about 1/2 tbsp of oil (olive/vegetable) to grease the bowl. Once greased add dough back in the bowl. Flip dough over a few times to grease to top of the ball. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and place somewhere warm to rise. Let rise for an hour or until dough has doubled in size.
Shaping the Pretzel Bread
- Once dough has doubled in size gently punch it down, remove from bowl, and place on a lightly floured work surface.
- Knead dough by hand for a minute.
- Form dough into a round loaf ball. Do this by pulling at the dough to form a ball and tucking the extra dough underneath. Once the ball is formed place on the counter with the tucked end side down. Cup the dough with both hands and turn the ball in one direction. This will help tighten the shape. Keep doing this for about a minute or until you feel some tension in the dough.
- Place the dough ball on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and place somewhere warm to rise for an additional 30 minutes.
Boiling the Bead
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- In a large pot bring water and baking soda to a boil. You want to use a large pot because the baking soda water makes lots of bubbles.
- Once water reaches a rapid boil lower in the pretzel top side down. Boil for 30 seconds then flip and boil the other side for 30 seconds. Carefully remove the bread and place on the parchment paper.
- Using a sharp knife score an X patter on the top and generously sprinkle with course sea salt.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until a dark golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Enjoy!
Alison
I had no idea it was this easy to make pretzel bread! Sooo good, fluffy and flavourful!