Amish Pretzel Recipe (Homemade Soft Pretzels) - Amish Heritage (2024)

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Pennsylvania Dutch Soft Pretzel Recipe

Today I am sharing the best Amish pretzel recipe!

Amish soft pretzels are one of the most delicious snacks and are perfect for any occasion. These homemade buttery soft pretzels are simply irresistible, especially when they're freshly baked and warm. They're soft and chewy in the middle, golden brown on the outside, and have a delightful pretzel flavor.

Amish Pretzel Recipe (Homemade Soft Pretzels) - Amish Heritage (1)

Dutch Country Soft Pretzels Are Similar to Auntie Anne's

Have you ever walked into the mall and had an amazing smell greet you? Our local mall has an Auntie Anne's pretzel stand right inside the main entrance. And every time I walk in there, the smell of fresh warm soft pretzels tickles my senses. The smell is so delightful, and I already know that the taste is equally as delightful. So it beckons me to indulge in a fresh pretzel.

But, the good news here is that you don't have to go to the mall or PA Dutch country to enjoy a soft pretzel. They are actually quite easy to make at home and are very similar to Auntie Anne's pretzels.

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How to Make Amish Pretzels

I hope you don't get intimidated by looking at this recipe, and thinking that you won't be able to do this. Because trust me, Amish pretzels are easy to make!

They are especially easy to make if you have a Kitchen Aid or any stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. But you can easily mix these by hand as well. They don't require as much kneading as making homemade bread.

Add the lukewarm water, active dry yeast, and brown sugar to a mixing bowl. Mix and let it rest for about five minutes until it looks frothy.

Add the oil or lukewarm melted butter and salt to the yeast mixture, and mix.

Then add three cups of flour and knead for a couple of minutes. In your mixer, let the dough hook do the work for you. Start on low speed until the flour is mixed in a bit, then knead on speed 2 until the dough is springy. I normally knead the dough for about 3 - 4 minutes. Add more flour as needed until the sides of the bowl are cleaned.

Drizzle a bit of oil into the side of the bowl. Allow the mixer to spread the oil. Cover the bowl with a dry dish towel and let the dough rest in a warm place for 30 - 45 minutes.

Amish Pretzel Recipe (Homemade Soft Pretzels) - Amish Heritage (2)

Shaping Amish Soft Pretzels

After the dough has risen, knead it with your hands for a minute. Then divide the dough into approximately 15 equal pieces (you can divide it into fewer pieces if you want larger pretzels).

Roll each piece into a long thin rope (about 18 -22"). I do this by shaping each piece into a long rectangle, placing it onto a clean countertop, and using both hands to roll the dough back and forth across the countertop, applying light pressure as I roll outward (the same way you create a snake with playdough 🙂 lol).

Now you'll want to create a twist and bring the ends down to create a traditional pretzel shape. (My kids have always enjoyed helping me make these, and they have created all kinds of fun shapes, initials, etc.) So, you can create any shape you want, just make sure you allow a bit of room for the dough to rise and expand.

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Grab the pretzel at the two points where it's connected and dip it into the baking soda solution. Submerge completely, then place it onto a parchment paper-lined or greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with a bit of coarse pretzel salt or kosher salt. I don't use a lot, just a few sprinkles over the top are good.

Bake until the pretzels are golden brown. Then brush the tops with melted butter, or you can melt butter in a skillet and give the pretzels a quick dip.

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Dip for Soft Pretzels

Soft pretzels are good on their own. But they are AMAZING with dip!

Cheese sauce with soft pretzels is our family favorite, and this easy recipe for homemade cheese spread (Amish shmear cheese) works great as a dip.

For a quick option, you can also melt some cheese in the microwave. Put about a half cup of milk in a glass bowl, add 1 Tbs. butter and about 10 slices of American or Velveeta cheese. Microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring in between until the cheese is melted and creamy.

Soft pretzels are also yummy with honey mustard. Ken's Honey Mustard is one of my favorites.

Amish Pretzel Recipe (Homemade Soft Pretzels) - Amish Heritage (9)

Cinnamon Soft Pretzels

These Amish homemade soft pretzels are also very tasty as a dessert pretzel. Make them the same way as the regular pretzels, only don't bother sprinkling them with coarse salt.

Mix sugar and cinnamon. After basting the pretzels with butter, immediately dip them into your cinnamon/sugar mixture bowl, covering completely.

Whenever I make a batch of these pretzels, I make about three-fourths of them into regular pretzels to serve with dip, and then I make some cinnamon sugar sweet pretzels as well. They are so yummy!!

Amish Pretzel Recipe (Homemade Soft Pretzels) - Amish Heritage (10)

Easy Pretzel Dogs Recipe

Another treat that you can make with this Amish pretzel recipe is Pretzel Dogs. These are a great idea for lunch.

Simply roll the dough into thin ropes and wrap them around hot dogs. Proceed to dip them into the soda solution, sprinkle with coarse salt, and place on greased trays with the ends of the dough tucked underneath. Bake them at 475 degrees for 10 - 13 minutes. They need to be baked a bit longer than regular pretzels since the dough is wrapped around a moist hot dog.

Brush the tops with butter, if desired. Serve the pretzel dogs with cheese dip, honey mustard, ketchup, or barbecue sauce.

Amish Pretzel Recipe (Homemade Soft Pretzels) - Amish Heritage (11)

Pretzel Buns

Homemade pretzel buns are also amazing! Make the dough the same as you would for making pretzels, but shape it into buns instead of pretzels. You can make them oblong for hot dog buns or round. Make them smaller than you want the finished buns because they will rise.

Bake the buns at 400 degrees until nicely browned.

I baked some of these savory pretzels the other day to use for chicken sandwiches. I shaped them into hot dog buns, baked them, and sliced the tops open. Then I filled them with cooked chicken breast, topped them with slices of cheese, and baked the sandwiches until the cheese was melted. It was so good! (I added sauce to the chicken breast. Made some with BBQ sauce, some with honey mustard, and some with buffalo sauce.)

Pretzel buns would also be great to use for Philly cheesesteak sandwiches.

More Amish Recipes

If you enjoy these Amish Pretzels, you may want to try more of my Amish Recipes...

Amish Apple Fritters Recipe

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Homemade Protein Balls Recipe

Meadow Tea

Buttermilk Pancakes

If you get to try these classic Amish homemade pretzels, I'd love it if you left a comment and star rating below.

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Amish Soft Pretzels Recipe

The best soft pretzel recipe!These pretzels are soft and chewy in the middle, golden brown on the outside, and have a delicious pretzel flavor. And they are super easy to make.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Resting time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American, Amish

Servings 15 pretzels

Calories 262 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 c. warm water (about 110°)
  • 1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
  • 1/4 c. brown sugar, loosely filled
  • 1 Tbsp. oil or melted butter
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 c. bread flour
  • 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
  • coarse pretzel salt

Baking Soda Solution:

  • 2 c. warm water
  • 2 Tbsp. baking soda

For brushing over the top of Pretzels:

  • 3 - 4 Tbsp. melted butter

Optional - only if you want to make sweet cinnamon pretzels:

  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Instructions

  • Add water, yeast, and brown sugar to a mixing bowl. Mix to combine and let it rest for about 5 minutes.

    1 1/4 c. warm water (about 110°), 1 Tbsp. active dry yeast, 1/4 c. brown sugar, loosely filled

  • Add oil and salt. Mix.

    3/4 tsp. salt, 1 Tbsp. oil or melted butter

  • Add 2 c. of bread flour and 1 c. all-purpose flour and knead for a couple of minutes, slowly adding more flour as needed until the sides of the bowl are cleaned, or it's no longer sticking to your hands (if kneading by hand).

    2 c. bread flour, 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour

  • Place the dough into a greased bowl and let it rise for about 30 minutes.

  • Preheat the oven to 475°.

  • Remove the dough and knead with your hands to remove air bubbles. Divide the dough into 15 pieces.

  • Roll each piece into a long thin rope (approx. 18" long). This doesn't have to be exact. It's ok if the pretzels are not all the same size.

  • Twist each rope into a pretzel shape.

  • Mix the baking soda and warm water until the soda is dissolved. Dip each pretzel into the soda solution and place them (at least an inch apart) onto a well-greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.

    2 c. warm water, 2 Tbsp. baking soda

  • Sprinkle the tops with a bit of coarse salt and let them rest for a couple of minutes.

    coarse pretzel salt

  • Bake for 8 - 10 minutes or until nicely browned.

  • Remove from the oven and generously brush the tops with melted butter.

    3 - 4 Tbsp. melted butter

  • Serve with warm cheese dip or honey mustard.

  • If you want sweet pretzels: mix the sugar and cinnamon then dip the freshly butter-basted pretzels into the sweet mixture until well coated.

    1/2 c. sugar, 1 Tbsp. cinnamon

  • These are the very best when freshly baked and still warm from the oven. But to enjoy them as leftovers, you can store them in an air-tight container and warm them for about 15 seconds in the microwave.

Notes

I have detailed instructions and photos in my post (above).

Sometimes you can find pretzel salt at Amish bulk food stores, but any coarse salt should work. If you are making cinnamon/sugar pretzels, omit the coarse salt.

If you don't have any bread flour, you can substitute it with all-purpose flour.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pretzelCalories: 262kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 7gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 276mgPotassium: 76mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 75IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 2mg

Keyword Amish Pretzel Recipe, Pennsylvania Dutch Soft Pretzels

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Amish Pretzel Recipe (Homemade Soft Pretzels) - Amish Heritage (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient which makes a pretzel taste like a pretzel? ›

Lye. The dough is simple; take a basic yeast-risen dough that can be readied in an afternoon. But the trick to great pretzels is dipping the pretzels in a liquid wash before baking — and not just any wash, but a combination of water and lye. That's what gives pretzels their terrific color, texture and flavor.

What's the difference between a pretzel and a soft pretzel? ›

Soft pretzels have a shorter baking time

Soft pretzels can usually be baked in 15 minutes; hard pretzels, meanwhile, must be baked for up to an hour. The longer baking time further dries out the pretzel. And, as we have discussed, the lack of moisture is what gives the hard pretzel its brittle texture.

What gives soft pretzels their flavor? ›

What Gives Pretzels Their Pretzel Flavor? You have baking soda to thank for that distinct pretzel flavor. Baking soda is highly alkaline and imparts that subtly metallic taste onto the dough before your pretzels go into the oven. Some recipes call for a lye bath, which does the same thing.

How do you keep soft pretzels from getting soggy? ›

For storage, your best option is probably to allow them to cool completely (15-30 minutes) then place them in a sealed container at room temperature. Placing them in a sealed container before they are cool fills the container with humidity, which then coalesces and makes the crust soggy.

What is the secret ingredient in pretzels? ›

Traditional Bavarian pretzels are dipped in a lye solution before they are baked. Lye, also known as sodium hydroxide, is essentially the same stuff that's used to make soap and clean drains. It can even dissolve glass.

What is the lie for making pretzels? ›

Lye is primarily used to make pretzels, and it's the reason for their unmistakable shiny, mahogany color. To prepare, shaped pretzels are dipped in a lye bath, then baked in the oven. This method can also be used with rolls or buns. Once lye-dipped pretzels are baked, they're totally safe (and delicious!) to eat.

What city is known for soft pretzels? ›

On the culinary front, Philadelphia might be best known for cheese steaks, cream cheese, scrapple (don't ask what's in it though) and the soft pretzel. In Philadelphia, pretzels are peddled from food carts at major intersections and hawked by roadside hucksters at traffic lights.

Are soft pretzels healthier than hard pretzels? ›

As you can see in the table above, one soft pretzel could contain 2.5 times more calories and carbs than one serving of hard pretzels. A soft pretzel also has twice as much salt per serving. Still, one soft pretzel contains more vitamins and minerals than a serving of hard pretzels.

What makes Auntie Anne's pretzels different? ›

Our Original Pretzel only contains 5 grams of fat, and, yes, it is lightly dipped in butter. Since Auntie Anne's Pretzels are made fresh in our stores, you can request your pretzel without butter for a lower calorie option or order your pretzel without salt.

What is the best flour for pretzels? ›

Bread flour provides more structure

Gluten helps provide structure, allowing a baked good to have more body and sturdiness. As a result, bread flour will make it easier for a pretzel to hold its shape. This can be an advantage to beginner bakers, especially since the shape of a pretzel is so important.

What is the salt on soft pretzels called? ›

Pretzel salt is a type of coarse long-grained salt. It is typically uniform in size with a flat, rectangular shape. These characteristics are what make them so good for pretzels as well as other types of baked goods.

What does baking soda do for soft pretzels? ›

Furthermore, we've introduced the baking soda bath. While it sounds strange, this step is what gives pretzels that iconic flavor, chewy texture, helps deepen their golden color in the oven, and locks in the super soft interior.

Can you leave soft pretzels out overnight? ›

Note, however, that storing soft pretzels on the counter at room temperature is not an indefinite solution. Even when stored properly, the pretzels will no longer be fresh after 1 to 2 days and may become spoiled and unsafe to eat thereafter.

How long do homemade soft pretzels last? ›

How long do soft pretzels last? Soft Pretzels are best eaten the same day and even better when still slightly warm. If you do have leftovers, then you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Why are my soft pretzels bitter? ›

If your pretzels have any sort of a metallic, bitter taste, it all comes down to the baking soda bath.

What is the secret solution for Auntie Anne's pretzels? ›

While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 tbsp baking soda. Be certain to stir often. After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet.

What makes pretzels smell like pretzels? ›

After removing other scent molecules individually, the researchers found two molecules that are essential to the unique pretzel scent: 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, which has a roasted smell, and 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone, which has a caramel smell.

What makes pretzel dough unique? ›

Soft pretzels are just a yeast bread is that formed into a pretzel shape. The one big difference in pretzel making, as opposed to a regular bread, is that pretzels are boiled and then baked. It is the boiling that gives the outside of the pretzel its beautiful golden brown color and uniquely crisp and chewy texture.

What gives pretzels their texture? ›

But what gives them their distinctive texture and color is that they are boiled in an alkaline solution prior to being baked. Traditionally, bakers use lye (you know, the caustic chemical used in soap and Drano), and some bakers still use a food-grade lye solution.

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