Celebrate National Pretzel Day with these easy recipes to enjoy

With today being National Pretzel Day, we wouldn’t be surprised if you suddenly had a craving for this salty, fluffy snack. From baseball games to carnivals, pretzels are one of the best snacks for those who love the savory & salty. 

While they’re easy to find, making them at home is. . . sometimes another issue. Pretzels usually require a lot of ingredients & patience, with recipes often containing nothing but a lot of steps and complex techniques. 

But what if that wasn’t the case? We twisted our way through the internet and found the best easy pretzel recipes to help you celebrate National Pretzel Day! Grab your yeast and let’s get cooking! 

Easy Pretzel Bites

This first addition to our list of easy pretzel recipes is for those lovely, bite sized pods of salty goodness! This recipe is easy to follow and will leave you craving more (just like the pretzel bites!) 

Ingredients 

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 7/8 to 1 cup warm water
• 4 cups water, bring it to boil
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt or coarse salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• For the cheddar cheese sauce: 
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions 

1. Place the flour, salt, sugar, instant yeast, and warm water into a stand mixer bowl, beat with the dough hook until well-combined.
2. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth & elastic, about six to eight minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about one hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F (207°C). In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups of water and baking soda to a boil. Divide the dough into four portions.
4. Roll each dough into a log and then cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1-inch length).
5. Add to the boiling water, in batches, for thirty seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.
6. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and top them with the salt. Bake the bites for twelve to fifteen minutes, until golden brown.
7. While the bites are in the oven, make the Cheddar Cheese Sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir. Add the milk to the saucepan and whisk. Add the cheese, whisking constantly until it is melted. Turn off the heat and transfer the sauce to a dipping bowl.
8. Remove the pretzel bites from the oven, roll them in the melted butter. Serve immediately with the Cheddar Cheese Sauce.

Homemade Soft Pretzels 

Need something a bit bigger to kick that salty craving? This next addition to our list of easy pretzel recipes is for you! 

Ingredients

• 1 ⅓ cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1 ½ tablespoons white sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 4 cups water
• 1 ½ tablespoons baking soda
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt

Instructions 

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast & sugar in the warm water. Proof for five minutes.
2. Mix in butter or margarine, flour, and salt. Cut dough into short strips, roll into ropes, and shape into pretzels. Cover, and let rise on a greased baking sheet for about forty-five minutes.
3. In a cast iron or other non aluminum pan, bring water and baking soda almost to a boil. Gently lower pretzels into water for about 1 minute, turning once. Do not let water come to a full boil. Remove pretzels, and return to the greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
4. Bake at 475 degrees F (245 degrees C) for about twelve minutes.

Baked Soft Pretzel Sticks 

This last addition to our list of easy pretzel recipes puts a new twist on the classic pretzel. 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 1 Tbsp egg yolk beaten with 1 water
• Sea salt
• For butter sauce: 3 Tbsp salted butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• A pinch of minced fresh parsley

Instructions 

1. Combine the water, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let to sit for five minutes or until it foams slightly and smells “yeasty”.
2. Add the flour and melted butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low until well combined. Switch to medium speed and knead about four minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic and pulls away from the side of the bowl.
3. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for one hour.
4. Bring a large stockpot of water mixed with baking soda to a boil.
5. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray.
6. Spray a cutting board or your counter with cooking spray and shape dough into a ball. Cut dough in half, and cut each half into eight pieces (for a total of sixteen pieces). Roll each piece into a 10-12″ rope.
7. Beat egg yolk with a tablespoon of water and set aside.
8. Boil each stick one by one, for thirty seconds each. Remove them from the water with a strainer or large spatula. Place on prepared baking sheets, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, about fourteen minutes (flipping over after about eight to nine minutes). Let cool for five minutes before serving.
9. If desired, combine garlic butter ingredients and brush onto cooked pretzels.

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Have any other great easy pretzel recipes? Drop them below in the comments so we can keep the salt party going!