Pretzel Buns
Soft, chewy buns shaped, dipped briefly in a baking soda bath and baked for 20 minutes to a dark, glossy crust.
Don't Make These Mistakes
Use a stainless steel or enamel pan for the bath, not aluminium.
Wear gloves; the bath is alkaline and can irritate skin.
Slash the tops deeply so the buns open as they bake.
Cooking Pretzel Buns
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Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the warm milk and butter and mix to a dough. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth.
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Cover and leave to rise for 1 hour until doubled. Divide into 8 pieces and shape into tight rounds. Rest for 20 minutes.
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Heat the oven to 220°C / 430°F. Bring the water and bicarbonate of soda to a simmer in a wide pan.
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Lower the buns in, 2 or 3 at a time, for 30 seconds on each side. Lift out onto a lined tray.
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Slash the tops, brush with the egg, scatter with salt and bake for 20 minutes until deep brown.
Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.
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Why It Works
The baking soda bath, not the shape, is what makes a pretzel a pretzel. A short dip in boiling water with bicarbonate of soda sets the surface of the dough and, in the oven, turns it deep brown with the chewy skin and sharp flavour that plain bread never has. Alkali is the secret.
The dough is a simple enriched one: flour, yeast, milk, butter and a little sugar. Knead until smooth and let it rise until doubled. Divide, shape into tight rounds and rest them again for twenty minutes. Work in small batches at the bath, because the buns turn slack if left to soak. Speed matters at the bath.
Lower each bun into the simmering bath for 30 seconds per side, lift it out with a slotted spoon and set it on the tray. Slash the top, brush with egg and scatter with coarse salt. Bake until dark mahogany. Always wear gloves when handling the bath, as the liquid is caustic enough to irritate skin.
Storage and Reheating
Best on the day. Keeps for 2 days wrapped; freeze for 2 months.
What to Serve Alongside
- Burgers
- Bratwurst
- Pulled pork
- Mustard
Common Questions About Pretzel Buns
How long does Pretzel Buns take to make?
30 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour 20 minutes of Rising, so allow 2 hours 10 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 8.
The Numbers per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.
Your notes on this recipe
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Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked. Found a mistake? Tell us.
First published .
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