Name: Best Homemade Soft Pretzels (vegan)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1.5 cups water (warm); 1 tbsp sugar; 2 tsp salt; 1/4 ounce active dry yeast (one packet); 1 tbsp vegan butter (melted); 4 cups flour (all-purpose); 1/3 cup baking soda; 2 tbsp non-dairy milk; 1 tbsp maple syrup; 2 tsp coarse sea salt

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Best Homemade Soft Pretzels (vegan) 🥨 Soft & chewy pretzels with a crisp, salty golden glazed crust. This easy recipe is perfect for Oktoberfest, game day events or any day!

Vegan homemade soft pretzels with mustard and salt on a cutting board.

I was never a fan of pretzels. I'm not sure why, but they didn't appeal to me. My husband and daughter on the other hand, love them. They'll munch on the hard snack bag varieties like Rold Gold or shopping mall kiosk brands like Auntie Anne's or Wetzel's, and of course, good ol' ballpark pretzels. But their favorites are freshly baked, plump Philly style soft pretzels with mustard or vegan cheese sauce.

When my daughter announced one morning that she would be making homemade soft pretzels, I'll admit, I wasn't enthused. Then these came out of the oven.

Homemade soft pretzels cooling on a rack.

Table of Contents

Why you should try this recipe
🥨 Ingredient Notes
🥨 Instructions
🥨 Equipment
🥨 How to serve soft pretzels
Recipe
Food Safety
Comments

Out of curiosity, I tore a piece off one and took a bite. OMG. It was wunderbar! Lightly salty with a perfect crispiness on the outside and the softest, chewiest center. I didn't like it, I LOVED it. Frankly, I couldn't believe just how much I enjoyed it. I couldn't stop nibbling, well, more like devouring it.

Why you should try this recipe

Soft, chewy & delish!
No eggs or dairy
Fun to make
Perfect for an Oktoberfest celebration
Kids love them!
A great snack or party starter
They freeze well
Use the same dough to make other treats, like cinnamon pretzel bites

🥨 Ingredient Notes

Ingredients for making the best vegan homemade soft pretzels, including flour, salt, sugar, yeast, vegan butter, vegan milk, baking soda, maple syrup and water.

🥕See the printable recipe card below for quantities & details

Water - spring or filtered water preferred (not tap unless that is what you are used to drinking, as the water you use can affect the flavor of the pretzels).

Sugar - granulated

Salt - fine and coarse sea salt

Yeast - active dry

Butter - vegan

Flour - we use unbleached organic all-purpose flour

Baking soda (used when boiling the pretzels)

Non-dairy milk - your choice of vegan milk such as soy, almond, oat, or rice. I don't recommend coconut milk as it could affect the flavor of the pretzels.

Maple syrup

🥨 Instructions

These homemade vegan pretzels are made in three basic easy-to-follow steps: 1. Dough 2. Shape 3. Bake

Step One - Prepare the pretzel dough

A stainless steel mixing with warm water and yeast for preparing soft pretzel dough.

1. In a large bowl, combine warm water, sugar and salt. Sprinkle in a package of active dry yeast. Allow to sit about 5 minutes, until foaming.

Sifted flour poured into a stainless steel mixing bowl.

2. Using an electric mixer with a dough hook or by hand with a silicone spatula, mix in 1 tablespoon melted butter. Gradually add 4 cups of flour, a small amount at a time.

A ball of soft pretzel dough on a cutting board before proofing.

3. Form dough into a ball. Place in an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap.

Proofed soft pretzel dough in a stainless steel bowl.

4. Set aside to proof (rise) for one hour or until dough doubles in volume.

Step Two - Shape dough into pretzels

Proofed soft pretzel dough on a cutting board.

Place dough onto cutting board.

Soft pretzel dough cut in half with kitchen shears.

2. Divide the dough in two sections.

Vegan soft pretzel dough rolled into a long strip.

3. Form into long ropes roughly one inch in diameter.

Long rolled strips of soft pretzel dough on a cutting board.

4. Cut ropes into a total of 8 equal pieces, about 24 inches long.

Soft pretzel dough being formed into a pretzel shape on a cutting board.

5. Begin forming each rope into a pretzel shape, creating a loop.

6. Twist the crossed ends once.

Soft pretzel dough formed into a pretzel shape on a cutting board.

7. Finish shaping by bringing the crossed ends up and over the loop. Press the ends down lightly to adhere to the dough.

Step Three - Boil, brush, & bake

Submerging an uncooked soft pretzel in boiling water.

1. Pour 9 cups of water into a large, deep pot. Once boiling, gradually add baking soda. Place pretzels, one at a time onto a slotted spoon or handled strainer and lower into boiling water.

Au unbaked soft pretzel lifted from boiling water.

2. Boil for 15 seconds, then flip pretzel over and boil another 15 seconds. Remove from water and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat process for each pretzel.

Unbaked soft pretzels brushed with glaze.

3. Place pretzels on baking sheets. Combine non-dairy milk with maple syrup. Lightly brush tops of each pretzel with the milk & syrup wash.

An unbaked soft pretzel being sprinkled with salt.

4. Sprinkle with coarse salt.

Unbaked pretzels lined on baking sheets, being snipped with kitchen shears.

5. Use the tips of a pair of scissors or the end of a sharp knife and lightly score the sides of each pretzel in one or two places.

6. The pretzels are ready for baking!

Unbaked soft pretzels on pans being placed into an oven.

7. Place pretzels into a pre-heated 425℉/218℃ oven for 12-15 minutes, until browned.

Freshly baked homemade vegan soft pretzels cooling on a wire rack.

8. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Enjoy while warm!

Homemade vegan soft pretzels with mustard and salt on a cutting board.

A batch of the best homemade vegan soft pretzels hot out of the oven! Enjoy them with your favorite mustards and toppings.

🥨 Equipment

These are the kitchen tools we use to prepare this recipe

Large mixing bowl
Electric mixer or stand mixer (with dough hook) – optional
Silicone spatula
Measuring cup
Measuring spoons
5 qt stovetop pot
Large slotted spoon or handled strainer.
Silicone pastry mat or flat surface for rolling dough
Pastry or basting brush
Kitchen knife or scissors
Baking pans
Parchment paper

🥨 How to serve soft pretzels

Soft pretzels make a great anytime snack or perfect appetizer for game day events, barbecues, patio parties and of course, Oktoberfest. You can serve these with the obvious choice - mustard - but why limit yourself? They're just as amazing with:

Variations

With this basic recipe, you can have a lot of fun creating your own spin on savory and sweet pretzels - like vegan pigs in a blanket and who doesn't love mini pretzel bites sprinkled with cinnamon & sugar?

I sliced a pretzel in half and turned it into the best vegan brat & sauerkraut sandwich. It was fantastic! Now I know what we're serving during Oktoberfest!

A vegan soft pretzel bun with sauerkraut, vegan brats, and mustard.

Who knew that a soft pretzel could be the perfect sandwich bun? Want to make your own delicious homemade vegan breakfast sausage? Check out this recipe courtesy of Teresa Clendenin Sklenicka from A Plantiful Path.

🥨 FAQ's

Are soft pretzels vegan?

They should be, but not all soft pretzels are vegan. While most pretzels are made of basic vegan ingredients such as flour, salt, and yeast, many recipes include dairy products and/or eggs. Some store and franchise brands contain butter, cheese, or other dairy products. Always be sure to check labels and nutritional information on commercial pretzels.

Are pretzels cooked with lye?

Traditional pretzels are typically submersed in an alkali "bath" before baking, which produces the glossy browned smooth surface on pretzels. Home bakers often opt for baking soda and water as an alkali bath, which is what we use in this recipe. Commercial bakers and some die-hard pretzel fans use lye, a caustic alkali that can be dangerous if used incorrectly. I prefer to error on the side of caution and stick with baking soda.

This article on the King Arthur Baking Company website offers tips on making homemade pretzels with and without lye.

Can I freeze homemade pretzels?

Yes, absolutely! If you know in advance that you will be freezing them, I suggest not sprinkling them with coarse salt before baking. Instead, I would place the cooled baked pretzels in freezer proof bags or airtight containers and store frozen up to 3 months. You can add a sprinkle of salt before re-heating the pretzels.

How do I re-heat pretzels?

Fresh pretzels can be reheated by placing in a microwave and heating in 10-12 second increments.
Frozen pretzels are best heated in an oven - Preheat oven to 425℉. Place frozen pretzels on a baking pan. Sprinkle with a small amount of water and coarse salt. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until pretzel is crisp on the outside and feels soft inside when lightly pressed.

If you love this recipe ★★★★★ please be sure to rate it below! Sharing your experience lets me know that you enjoyed it and will help other readers decide if they should give the recipe a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕

Recipe

Best Homemade Soft Pretzels (vegan)

5 from 5 votes

by Connie🥕

Best Homemade Soft Pretzels (vegan) 🥨 Soft & chewy with a crisp, salty golden glazed crust. Enjoy them hot out of the oven with your favorite mustards and toppings. This easy vegan pretzel recipe is perfect for Oktoberfest, game day, or any day!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Proofing/Rising Time 1

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine german, Vegan

Servings

Calories 255 kcal

Equipment

Large mixing bowl
Electric stand mixer with dough hook - optional
silicone spatula
Measuring cup
Measuring spoons
5 qt stovetop pot
Large slotted spoon or handled strainer.
Silicone pastry mat or flat surface for rolling dough
Pastry or basting brush
Kitchen knife or scissors
Baking sheets
Parchment paper

Ingredients

1.5 cups water warm
1 tbsp sugar
2 teaspoon salt
¼ ounce active dry yeast one packet
1 tablespoon vegan butter melted
4 cups flour all-purpose
⅓ cup baking soda
2 tablespoon non-dairy milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine 1-½ cups warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspoon salt.
Sprinkle over top - 1 package of active dry yeast. Allow to sit about 5 minutes, until foaming.
Using an electric mixer with a dough hook, or by hand with a silicone spatula - mix in 1 tablespoon melted butter and 4 cups flour. Gradually add the flour a small amount at a time.
Form dough into a ball. Place in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside to proof (rise) for one hour or until dough doubles in volume.
Once dough has proofed, begin boiling 9 cups of water in large pot. Once boiling, gradually add baking soda.
Preheat oven to 425°F
Meanwhile, roll dough into ropes. Cut into 8 even pieces about 24" long. Twist into pretzel shapes.
Place pretzels, one at a time onto slotted spoon or handled strainer and lower into boiling water. Let boil for 15 seconds, flip pretzel over and boil another 15 seconds. Remove from water and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat process for each pretzel.
Combine 2 tablespoon non-dairy milk with 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Lightly brush tops of each pretzel with wash.
Sprinkle with sea salt
Use tips of scissors or end of sharp knife and lightly score the sides of each pretzel in one or two places.
Bake for 12 - 15 minutes at 425° until golden brown.

Notes

🥕Enjoy these pretzels hot from the oven or store them in an airtight container and reheat in a microwave for about 10-12 seconds. Serve them with a variety of mustards and our easy vegan cheese sauce as a dip.

Nutrition

Calories: 255kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 7gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 2548mgPotassium: 87mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 82IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 3mg

These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

Best Homemade Soft Pretzels (vegan)

Why you should try this recipe

🥨 Ingredient Notes