Sourdough Soft Pretzels
Today we had some alligator tears from one of my daycare kiddos.
She was missing her Momma pretty bad. And the nice thing about having an in home daycare is that we are just that.
A home.
I have the time and atmosphere to be able to give the love and attention that the kids would receive in their own homes!
This page may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission when you make a purchase, but it does not effect your cost. Thank you so much for your support of A Chick And Her Garden! ~ Staci
Plans can change, and I can do what I need to make their day better.
So how did we turn our day around? We got to baking of course!
I’ve been itching to use my sourdough starter this week, so we decided to try out some homemade soft pretzels!
Honestly, I didn’t have very high hopes for us. Maybe I was just having a doubtful day.
But, after playing around a bit, they turned out to be amazing!
So much so, that if I hadn’t boxed them up and put them away, Nick might not have been able to have any when he got home!
Aside from how delicious these turned out, they were extremely easy!
My 4 year old, cutie of an assistant was rolling these out almost as quickly as I was!
She took her time watching what I was doing and picked it up right away! “It’s just like Playdough Ms. Staci!”
So, let’s make ’em!
Pin Me For Later!!
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons sugar, divided (1 in the dough and 1 in your boiling water)
1 cup hot water
1 1/2 cup sourdough starter
3-4 cups flour (I use unbleached, all-purpose)
1 Tablespoon baking soda
1 egg
Sea/Kosher Salt for sprinkling
Directions for Sourdough Pretzels
Melt and dissolve butter and sugar with hot water in a mixing bowl. I used my KitchenAid Mixer.
When the butter and sugar are dissolved, add your sourdough starter.
Gradually mix in 3-4 cups of flour.
Turn out onto a well floured surface.
Knead in the flour and continue adding flour until you have a firm ball of dough.
Place the dough in a well greased bowl.
Put the bowl in a warm place and allow it to rise for 2 hours.
After the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 450°F.
Punch the dough down and turn it back out onto a floured surface.
Knead a few times, and roll out into a log.
Cut into 16 equal pieces.
Roll each piece out (“like playdough snakes”) and tie into a pretzel shape.
Boil a pot of water and add remaining sugar and baking soda.
Poach each pretzel until they float (make sure they’re not stuck to the bottom of the pot). I was able to fit 3-4 in the pot at a time.
Remove from the water to a wire rack to drain.
Brush the tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with salt.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Serve with a dipping sauce of your choice. I heard through the grapevine that there’s a hot mustard recipe in my family that I’m going to have to hunt down!
Looking for more Sourdough Recipes??
Check these out!
How to Make Artisan Sourdough Bread
Dangerously Addicting Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Sinful Sourdough Pretzels
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons sugar, divided
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 1/2 cup sourdough starter
- 3-4 cups flour (I use unbleached, all-purpose)
- 1 Tablespoon baking soda
- 1 egg
- Sea/Kosher Salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Melt and dissolve butter and sugar with hot water in a mixing bowl. I used my KitchenAid Mixer.
- When the butter and sugar are dissolved, add your sourdough starter.
- Gradually mix in 3-4 cups of flour.
- Turn out onto a well floured surface.
- Knead in the flour and continue adding flour until you have a firm ball of dough.
- Place the dough in a well greased bowl.
- Put the bowl in a warm place and allow it to rise for 2 hours.
- After the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Punch the dough down and turn it back out onto a floured surface.
- Knead a few times, and roll out into a log.
- Cut into 16 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece out ("like playdough snakes") and tie into a pretzel shape.
- Boil a pot of water and add remaining sugar and baking soda.
- Poach each pretzel until it floats to the top (make sure they don't stick to the bottom). I was able to fit 3-4 in the pot at a time.
- Remove from the water to a wire rack to drain.
- Brush the tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with salt.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Serve with a dipping sauce of your choice.
Do you have a favorite way to use sourdough starter? Tell me in the comments!
This post was shared on some of my favorite Blog Hops & Link Ups.
Natalie
Friday 26th of June 2020
My second time trying, this one came out even better than the first. I was heavy handed with the salt before baking and they came out perfect! Thank you for sharing!
Patti Muth Ryan
Tuesday 9th of June 2020
Finished
Patti Muth Ryan
Tuesday 9th of June 2020
I used 1 tbsp sugar in the dough as well as a tsp of instant yeast. More than 4 cups of bread flour. Dipping in pub style mustard cheese
Patti Muth Ryan
Tuesday 9th of June 2020
You say to divide the sugar but not when or how much... was attempting to make this but ya ..
Staci
Tuesday 9th of June 2020
Sorry Patti! I updated a bit ago but maybe I need to reread and see where else it needs editing. 1 tablespoon goes in the dough. 1 tablespoon going in your boiling water.
Sara Kilman
Thursday 28th of May 2020
I've never baked with sourdough before, mine is just starting to look mature, and I'm really excited to try this out! But I'm a little confused. At what point in the feeding process do you use the starter? What do recipes mean by "fed starter" versus "discard"?
Patti Muth Ryan
Tuesday 9th of June 2020
I made them the next morning before I fed my start. I also added a bit of instant yeast. Only 1 tbsp of sugar
Annina Sigrist-Aubert
Friday 29th of May 2020
I found this page helpful, because it has pictures of the stages. Fed starter means right after adding water and flour, discard is right before, when the starter is 'hungry' (see the link for that). I had tried and failed to make sourdough before, but this one is great! https://www.feastingathome.com/sourdough-starter/
Staci
Thursday 28th of May 2020
Discard is the extra starter that you get rid of when you are feeding the starter. Fed starter is bubbly and active. I use fed starter in this recipe. 😊