Shaping soft pretzels seems complicated, but if you do it step-by-step it’s easier than pie!

Divide the dough up evenly, making sure to keep the dough you’re not working with covered so it doesn’t dry out
Roll each piece of dough out into a log
Roll each log out into a rope about 12-16 inches long, let it rest for a short bit, then roll it out into a rope 24-28 inches long
Put the dough rope into a U-shape with the ends pointing up. Cross the ends once or twice, then bring them down towards the bottom of the U at 4 and 8 o’clock. Press down lightly. That’s it!

Soft pretzel ingredients
If you’ve made bread before, you can make pretzels! The dough is made out of the same ingredients, plus a little special addition: beer. For these pretzels, you’ll need: instant yeast, water, brown sugar, bread flour, beer, butter, salt, baking soda, and an egg yolk. Easy peasy. I bet you have everything in your pantry right now. The beer adds an extra malty flavor, but if you don’t want to use it, just substitute water.

Pretzels are a traditional German bread shaped into a pretzel knot made from a long loop of dough that’s twisted back onto itself. All pretzels are given a lye/alkaline water bath that gives pretzels their signature shiny chewy crust and undeniable pretzel flavor. Pretzels come in hard (snacking pretzels) and soft, like these ones and the ones you find at the mall at Auntie Anne’s.
What makes a pretzel a pretzel?
While there are many pretzel shaped foods out there (I’m looking at you tiny pretzel-shaped Danish butter cookies), what makes a pretzel a pretzel is the alkaline bath the unbaked pretzel takes before it is baked.
But then I kind of sabotaged us by popping an extra one into a paper bag and putting it into my giant cardigan sweater pocket. Let me tell you, the smell of a fresh pretzel in your pocket will drive you crazy, in a good way. Thankfully, we were able to put ourselves out of our pretzel craving torture, by eating the pretzel, of course. There was something especially celebratory and fall-ish, walking around sharing a soft pretzel in that crisp autumn air.

2.25 tsp active dry yeast 7g (1 standard packet)
1/2 cup warm water ~100º-115ºF
1 tbsp tightly packed dark brown sugar 12.5g
1/2 cup pilsner beer or lager/beer of choice
2 tbsp unsalted butter room temp
3.25 cups bread flour 420g
2 tsp fine sea salt 12g
1/4 cup baked baking soda see notes
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp water
coarse salt to finish

Instructions
Activate your yeast: Stir together water, yeast and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer, then let stand for 5-7 minutes. The mixture should be foamy and bubbly.
Add the beer, butter, flour, and salt then knead using the dough hook on low speed until combined. Continue to knead on medium low until your dough is smooth and elastic, 5-7 minutes. The dough should be slightly tacky but not at all sticky. Place dough in a lightly greased large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in the fridge for 8-24 hours.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Turn the dough out on an unfloured work surface. For the next few steps, always keep the dough covered and work with 1 portion at a time.

2.25 tsp active dry yeast 7g (1 standard packet)
1/2 cup warm water ~100º-115ºF
1 tbsp tightly packed dark brown sugar 12.5g
1/2 cup pilsner beer or lager/beer of choice
2 tbsp unsalted butter room temp
3.25 cups bread flour 420g
2 tsp fine sea salt 12g
1/4 cup baked baking soda see notes
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp water
coarse salt to finish

Instructions
Activate your yeast: Stir together water, yeast and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer, then let stand for 5-7 minutes. The mixture should be foamy and bubbly.
Add the beer, butter, flour, and salt then knead using the dough hook on low speed until combined. Continue to knead on medium low until your dough is smooth and elastic, 5-7 minutes. The dough should be slightly tacky but not at all sticky. Place dough in a lightly greased large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in the fridge for 8-24 hours.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Turn the dough out on an unfloured work surface. For the next few steps, always keep the dough covered and work with 1 portion at a time.

Shaping soft pretzels seems complicated, but if you do it step-by-step it’s easier than pie!

Divide the dough up evenly, making sure to keep the dough you’re not working with covered so it doesn’t dry out
Roll each piece of dough out into a log
Roll each log out into a rope about 12-16 inches long, let it rest for a short bit, then roll it out into a rope 24-28 inches long
Put the dough rope into a U-shape with the ends pointing up. Cross the ends once or twice, then bring them down towards the bottom of the U at 4 and 8 o’clock. Press down lightly. That’s it!

Soft pretzel ingredients
If you’ve made bread before, you can make pretzels! The dough is made out of the same ingredients, plus a little special addition: beer. For these pretzels, you’ll need: instant yeast, water, brown sugar, bread flour, beer, butter, salt, baking soda, and an egg yolk. Easy peasy. I bet you have everything in your pantry right now. The beer adds an extra malty flavor, but if you don’t want to use it, just substitute water.

Pretzels are a traditional German bread shaped into a pretzel knot made from a long loop of dough that’s twisted back onto itself. All pretzels are given a lye/alkaline water bath that gives pretzels their signature shiny chewy crust and undeniable pretzel flavor. Pretzels come in hard (snacking pretzels) and soft, like these ones and the ones you find at the mall at Auntie Anne’s.
What makes a pretzel a pretzel?
While there are many pretzel shaped foods out there (I’m looking at you tiny pretzel-shaped Danish butter cookies), what makes a pretzel a pretzel is the alkaline bath the unbaked pretzel takes before it is baked.
But then I kind of sabotaged us by popping an extra one into a paper bag and putting it into my giant cardigan sweater pocket. Let me tell you, the smell of a fresh pretzel in your pocket will drive you crazy, in a good way. Thankfully, we were able to put ourselves out of our pretzel craving torture, by eating the pretzel, of course. There was something especially celebratory and fall-ish, walking around sharing a soft pretzel in that crisp autumn air.