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Authentic Bavarian Pretzels

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PREP TIME
45 min
COOKING TIME
15 min
TOTAL TIME
710 min
SERVINGS
8 servings
Dinner German
Authentic Bavarian Pretzels
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup lager-style beer
  • 3 1/3 cups bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon butter, softened
  • nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 pinch flaked sea salt, or to taste
  • 1/3 cup baking soda
  • 2 1/2 cups hot water
Instructions
1
Gather all necessary ingredients for the recipe.
2
Combine brown sugar and warm water in a bowl until they are fully dissolved. Sprinkle yeast over the top of the mixture and let it sit for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
3
Add melted butter, beer, and bread flour to the yeast mixture. Whisk everything together until it's well combined.
4
Gradually add salt and bread flour to the mixture, mixing until a dough ball forms. You can use your hands or an electric mixer to knead the dough for a few minutes.
5
Grease a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of butter. Place the dough in the bowl, cover it, and let it rise until it has doubled in size, which should take around 8 hours or overnight.
6
Once the dough has risen, punch it down and knead it for about 1 minute to form a smooth ball of dough. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover it again, and let it rise for another 2 to 3 hours.
7
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Place an oven-safe dish containing baking soda in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Let it cool down before whisking it into a shallow bowl of 2 1/2 cups hot water until the baking soda is fully dissolved.
8
Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball, letting it sit for 5 minutes to relax.
9
To shape the pretzels, roll each dough ball into a sausage shape and then press it into a small rectangle using your fingers. Fold the outside third of the dough over to the center and press it flat with your fingertips, repeating the process with the edge closest to you.
10
Roll each pretzel into a rope that's 15 to 18 inches long, with the center being twice as thick as the ends. Cross the ends once or twice and fold them back over the pretzel, making sure they're just past the belly. Repeat this process to form the remaining pretzels.
11
Put on some thin, food-safe gloves and transfer a pretzel to the baking soda bath. Soak it for 20 to 30 seconds, gently splashing liquid over the top of the pretzel to coat it evenly. Transfer the pretzel to a parchment-lined baking sheet that's been greased with cooking spray. Sprinkle it with large-grain sea salt, repeating the process with the remaining pretzels. Let them rise for 30 minutes.
12
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Use a razor or sharp knife to make a slash across the "belly" of each pretzel. If desired, you can also make smaller cuts on other sides of the pretzel.
13
Bake the pretzels in the preheated oven until they're well browned, about 12 minutes. Transfer them to a cooling rack and let them sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
14
Serve the freshly baked pretzels and enjoy your delicious creations!