Pretzels

It took me years to figure out the perfect brezel recipe, and this is it. I cried a few happy tears when I took my first bite because they taste just like home. Brezeln are an instant hug from Germany. In fact, I even founded German Pretzel School, where I teach pretzel enthusiasts how to master authentic German Brezeln. That’s how transformative real brezeln are, and I can’t wait for you to experience that transformation too. This recipe uses lye, which makes all the difference, and is nothing to be afraid of. To save yourself time, especially if you’re making a large batch for a party (like I do!), you can make these ahead of time, stopping before baking (see Notes). Enjoy them with butter, cream cheese, or Obatzda (Bavarian Beer Cheese Spread). They are also amazing dipped in Käsefondue (Cheese Fondue) — but never with mustard (Germans would never!).

Ingredients

Dough

• Lukewarm Water 10 ounces (300 ml)
• Active Dry Yeast 1 tsp (3 g) (½ packet)
• Brown Sugar 3½ tsp
• All-Purpose Flour 4 cups (500 g) plus more for dusting
• Unsalted Butter 2 Tbs, at room temperature
• Salt 1½ tsp
• Avocado Oil for greasing

Lye Solution

• Cold Water 10 ounces (300 ml)
• Food-Grade Lye (100% sodium hydroxide granules) 1½ level tsp (12 g), be very precise when measuring this

Toppings

• Pretzel Salt
• Seeds such as Sesame, Pumpkin or Sunflower (optional)
• Shredded Cheese of choice, such as Gruyère or Cheddar (optional)

Cook It

1. To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the water, yeast, and sugar and stir. Set aside to activate, about 5 minutes until bubbly. Add the flour, butter, and salt; mix at low speed until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rest for about 5 minutes.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper greased with a thin layer of avocado oil to prevent sticking. (Skipping this step will result in sticking — trust me.)
3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a long log of even thickness (this step is just for dividing the dough evenly). Using a bench scraper or a sharp knife, divide the dough into 10 equal pieces, each weighing 2.8 ounces (80 g) if you want them to be exact. Line up the pieces so they’re cuddling each other and cover with a clean kitchen towel to prevent a skin from forming.
4. To shape the pretzels, keep a small bowl of avocado oil close by to grease your hands as needed. On a clean surface, working one at a time, use your hands to roll each piece into a log with a thicker middle (“the belly”), about 22 inches (55 cm) long. Taper the ends (“the legs”) slightly by rolling them at an angle, using a back-and-forth motion. With the belly in the middle, cross the legs over twice, then attach them to the left and right of the belly to form the classic pretzel shape.
5. Transfer the pretzels to the prepared baking sheets. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
6. Stretch each pretzel slightly to open the three peek holes. Transfer to the fridge or freezer, wherever you can fit them (I freeze mine), until they are stiff and barely pliable, 15 to 30 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 355°F (180° C) on convection (umluft) or to 380°F (195° C) for a non-convection oven.
8. In a well-ventilated area (such as outside or under a vent hood on high), prepare the lye solution: In a medium metal or glass bowl, add the cold water, then the lye granules; always add lye to water, never the reverse. Step back for about 20 seconds to let any fumes dissipate. With a wire whisk, carefully whisk the solution until clear.
9. Using a steel skimmer, two pairs of tongs, or two forks, dip each pretzel into the lye solution until coated, 5 to 10 seconds. Transfer back to the prepared baking sheets.
10. You can score the belly, or the fat part of the pretzel, to control where it expands. To make your cut, take a small, sharp knife and cut along the belly to encourage expansion in that spot while baking. If you want to make Bavarian-style pretzels, don’t make any cuts and let your pretzels crack open wherever they wish. Lightly sprinkle the pretzel salt over the bellies (or, if you prefer, the whole pretzel). Add any other toppings you like.
11. Bake until medium brown, about 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through to ensure even browning. If you like darker pretzels, bake for an extra 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the baking sheets to cooling racks and let the pretzels cool for about 10 minutes.

Notes

• • If you have leftovers, you probably did something wrong. Joking aside, German pretzels are best enjoyed within a couple of hours of baking. However, if you must store them, place them in an airtight container for up to 2 days. (The salt will dissolve into the pretzels, and they won’t look as pretty, but they’ll still taste great.) That said, if you anticipate not eating them all, freeze some before baking to bake fresh later.
  • To make pretzels ahead of time, after dipping them in the lye solution (and, if desired, scoring the bellies), arrange them on a baking sheet and freeze for one hour. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to bake, arrange the desired number of frozen pretzels on a baking sheet, prepared as instructed, and let them thaw for 15 minutes. This will help the exteriors to get sticky again. Then you can add the toppings and bake as directed in the recipe.

Text and images excerpted with permission from German Home Kitchen by Sophie Sadler, published by Rock Point, (c) 2025.