Whole Wheat Pretzel Recipe

Have you tried making homemade pretzels yet? What about Whole Wheat Pretzel Recipe? Let me tell you, you are going to love how simple these whole wheat soft pretzels are to make.

Why Make These Pretzels?

There are a lot of pretzel recipes out there, but let me tell you, this is one of the very best!

The chewy texture and flavor are what I love the most about these pretzels. They are the perfect soft pretzel that can be dipped or eaten on its own.

Don't let this worry you if you aren't familiar with whole wheat baking, these pretzels are just like the originals and no one ever notices they are made with whole wheat.

Pretzels are some of our family's favorite snacks. We are carb lovers, and these are just that.

Soft pretzels are actually really simple to make. Let me break down the process- mix the dough, let it rise, form the pretzels, boil, brush with egg wash, sprinkle with salt, and bake. Simple, right?

Ingredients

• Whole Wheat Flour- I used Kamut wheat flour for these I photographed. I also really like to use rye flour, spelt, white whole wheat flour, etc.
• All-Purpose Flour- My family prefers a blend of whole wheat and white flour. If you want to go 100% whole wheat, you can easily do it with this recipe. Some people use bread flour here, but I don't think it is necessary.
• Warm water- This activates the yeast quickly.
• Yeast- I used instant yeast, but you can also use active dry if you want. The measurements are the same. I know some people think this really matters, and in some recipes, it does, not this one though.
• Sugar- it only uses a touch and you can use honey or brown sugar if you prefer.
• Salt- I used kosher salt in the dough and flake salt for the top. They have pretzel salt (coarse salt) for topping, but I didn't have any on hand.
• Butter- This recipe doesn't use much, but it is worth it! You could also use olive oil if you like.
• Baking soda- this is needed in the water.
• Egg- for the egg wash
• Milk- for the egg wash.

How To Make

Start by adding your ingredients to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. I used my Bosch Mixer as I didn't want to knead this by hand. An electric mixer is easier, but either way works though. Make sure and use the dough hook attachment.

Start mixing on low speed for about 30 seconds, then increase to medium speed. Mix for at least 6 minutes until it forms a soft dough.

Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it is doubled in a warm place.

Now, let's start forming. Place a large pot of water to a boil while you are working and preheat your oven. Also, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. I used 2 sheet pans for this recipe, as this gives them ample room to expand in the oven.

On your work surface, divide your dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope about 24 inches long.

To form the pretzel shape, a horseshoe shape facing up. Twist the ends several times and bring them back down. This is hard to describe, so hopefully, the video will help.

Repeat until all the pretzels are done.

Add the baking soda to your boiling water. Then carefully, add pretzels to the water. I was able to fit 6 in at a time. Boil them for 30 seconds, then with a slotted spoon turn them over and boil on the other side.

Again with the slotted spoon, remove and place on your prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all are boiled, this process will go quickly.

Brush the pretzels with your egg wash and topping of choice. I only did salt as that is what our family likes. I will list more options below.

Move the pretzels to the preheated oven and bake until they are golden brown.

That is it! They are ready to serve. I like these plain or dipped in cheese sauce, but there are a million possibilities.

Notes

1. The baking soda in the water is necessary for the traditional-looking and tasting pretzel. It is what helps give it its golden brown and shiny color. Don't skip the baking soda bath.
2. Boiling the pretzels gives them an instant rise, but that isn't all. It also is what will give the pretzels that chewy texture and beautiful color. Don't skip this step!!
3. I only used salt for my topping, as that is what my family prefers, this is not the only topping you can use. Cinnamon sugar is really good for a sweeter pretzel. Or what about topping with sesame seeds or even poppy seeds? Just make sure to brush with the egg wash first, this will help the topping to stay.
4. The pretzel dough needs to be doubled before working with it. Depending on how warm your house is, this can be anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours. The warmer your room temperature, the quicker the dough rises.
5. If you love to dip your pretzels, so do we. I like a cheese dip or spinach dip. The sauce in my photos is not homemade though, it is white cheddar and jalapeno I bought. Beer cheese dip is really good too and such a classic for soft pretzels.

Can you make these into pretzel bites?

You sure can! Cut them into small pieces, then boil, brush, sprinkle, and bake just like the formed pretzels. These small bites are perfect for appetizers.

How long will the pretzels hold after they are baked?

This whole wheat pretzel recipe will stay good for at least 3 days! Although, I really feel they are at their best the first 24 hours.

Other Whole Wheat Recipes

• Vegan Graham Crackers
• Simple Snickerdoodle Bars
• Ancient Grain Salad
• Strawberry Sugar Cookie Bars
• Carrot Cake Cookies
• Honey Oatmeal Bread
• Apple Cider Coffee Cake

• Appetizers
• Yeasted Breads
• Kamut Flour