Recipes and Cooking Classic Soft Pretzels 4.0 (21) 1 Reviews An egg wash gives our doughy pretzels the perfect crispy exterior. Dunk in cheese sauce or mustard for a snack that's better than the ballpark version. By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on October 7, 2014 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Blaine Moats Prep Time: 35 mins Stand Time: 5 mins Rise Time: 60 mins Bake Time: 10 mins Total Time: 110 mins Servings: 8 Yield: 8 pretzels Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients ¾ cup milk ¼ cup water 1 ½ tablespoon sugar 1 package active dry yeast 2 ⅓ - 2 ½ cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoon butter, softened 1 ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt 3 cup hot water ½ cup baking soda 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon cold water Coarse salt* (optional) Directions In a small saucepan heat and stir milk, the 1/4 cup water, and the sugar over low heat until warm (110°F to 115°F). Pour into the large bowl of an electric mixer that has a dough hook. Sprinkle with yeast; let stand about 5 minutes or until foamy. Add 2 1/3 cups of the flour, the butter, and the 1 1/4 teaspoons salt. Using the electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, beat on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat on medium-low speed for 8 to 10 minutes or until a soft dough forms. (The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl but still be slightly sticky. If it is too sticky, beat in the additional flour.) Turn out dough onto a clean, dry work surface. Knead a few times by folding and pressing dough, turning dough to knead uniformly; shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface of dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 1 hour). Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet; set aside. Punch down dough. Turn out onto a clean, dry work surface. Divide dough into eight portions. Roll and stretch each portion into a 30-inch-long rope. (If the dough seems tight and does not want to stretch, cover and let rest about 10 minutes or until it relaxes.) To shape each pretzel, form each rope into a U-shape. Cross the ends over each other twice, then lift the ends across to the bottom of the U-shape (to form a pretzel shape); press to seal. In a deep bowl or pot slightly larger than each pretzel stir together the 3 cups hot water and the baking soda. Using a slotted spoon, lower pretzels, one at a time, into baking soda mixture for 10 seconds. Remove pretzels and place on paper towels to blot the bottoms dry. Arrange pretzels 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl combine egg yolk and the 1 tablespoon cold water. Brush pretzels with egg yolk mixture. If desired, sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool slightly on a wire rack; serve warm. *Tip: You can order salt for pretzels from online sources such as amazon.com. Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 191 Calories 4g Fat 32g Carbs 6g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 8 Calories 191 % Daily Value * Total Fat 4g 5% Saturated Fat 2g 10% Cholesterol 33mg 11% Sodium 862mg 37% Total Carbohydrate 32g 12% Total Sugars 4g Protein 6g Calcium 38mg 3% Iron 1.8mg 10% Potassium 89mg 2% Folate, total 91.7mcg Vitamin B-12 0.2mcg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.