The Best Soft Pretzels Made With Fresh Milled Flour

These soft pretzels made with fresh milled flour are so amazing, you just have to try them! Whether you prefer sweet or salty, these heavenly snacks will not disappoint. They also come together pretty quickly, and ready to eat hot and fresh in no time!

This recipe calls for Barley Malt Syrup, which we used together in our NY Style Bagel Recipe. You can watch me make those HERE. They are made in a similar fashion with boiling, then baking. However, if you don’t have the Barley Malt Syrup, then you can just substitute brown sugar in it’s place.

Do You Prefer Salty Or Sweet Soft Pretzels?

Well, either way you are in luck, because these amazing soft pretzels can be made either way! I will walk you through the process of making each kind, and then you can decide to make half of each variety, or all of one kind or the other. Also, you could go rouge, and make a flavor completely different as well!

Other Soft Pretzel Flavors

Soft pretzels come in a variety of flavors, often achieved by adding different seasonings or ingredients to the dough. So, here are some popular soft pretzel flavors to get your mind thinking. Also, if you do try one, let me know down in the comments which is your favorite!

1. Salted: Classic soft pretzels are often sprinkled with coarse salt, giving them a salty and savory flavor. These are commonly served with mustard or cheese sauce.
2. Cinnamon Sugar: These pretzels are sweet and delicious, coated in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. They’re often served with cream cheese frosting or icing for dipping.
3. Garlic Parmesan: Garlic powder and grated Parmesan cheese are often added to the dough or sprinkled on top of the pretzels, giving them a savory and cheesy taste.
4. Everything Bagel: These pretzels are covered in a mixture of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, onion, and salt, creating a flavor reminiscent of an everything bagel.
5. Jalapeño Cheddar: Chopped jalapeños and shredded cheddar cheese are added to the dough to create a mildly spicy and cheesy pretzel.
6. Pretzel Dogs: These are pretzels with a hot dog or sausage baked inside, adding a savory and meaty flavor to the pretzel.
7. Ranch: Ranch seasoning can be mixed into the dough or sprinkled on top to create a zesty and herby flavor.

These are just a few examples, and creative variations continue to emerge. Soft pretzels are quite versatile, and you can experiment with different flavor combinations by adding various seasonings, spices, or toppings to suit your taste preferences.

What Can I Dip These Fresh Milled Flour Pretzels In?

Honestly, these fresh milled flour pretzels stand tall all on their own, and they don’t actually *need* anything else. But, if you love a good dip, well then, who am I to judge. So, Grab your favorite dip or try one of these options below!

1. Mustard: Classic yellow mustard and honey mustard are traditional choices for dipping soft pretzels. Yellow mustard offers a tangy and slightly spicy kick, while honey mustard is sweeter and milder.
2. Cheese Sauce: Warm cheese sauce, often made with cheddar or a combination of cheeses, is a beloved dip for soft pretzels. It provides a creamy and rich flavor that complements the pretzel’s savory taste.
3. Ranch Dressing: Ranch dressing, with its creamy and herby flavor, is a great dip for soft pretzels. It adds a zesty element to the pretzel experience.
4. Beer Cheese Dip: This dip combines beer with cheese and sometimes spices to create a flavorful, slightly tangy, and mildly hoppy sauce.
5. Hummus: Hummus, with its creamy and garlicky flavor, is a healthy option for dipping soft pretzels. It offers a contrasting yet delicious taste.
6. Peanut Butter: For a sweet twist, try dipping a cinnamon sugar or dessert-style soft pretzel in peanut butter. Also, the nutty and creamy peanut butter complements the sweetness of the pretzel.
7. Cream Cheese Frosting: If you have sweet pretzels, like cinnamon sugar pretzels, a cream cheese frosting dip is a delectable choice. It’s rich, sweet, and pairs perfectly with dessert pretzels.
8. Nutella: For a hazelnut-chocolate twist, consider dipping pretzels in Nutella or a similar hazelnut spread.

These are just a few of the many options available for dipping soft pretzels. Feel free to get creative and experiment with different combinations to find your favorite dip. Let me know in the comments below what your favorite dip is!

Ingredients To Make Fresh Milled Flour Soft Pretzels

Dough Ingredients

• 4&1/2 – 5 cups Fresh Milled Flour 540g (I milled 180g Kamut and 360g hard white wheat) (You may need slightly more or less flour, check the video for the consistency of the dough.)
• 1&3/4 cup warm water 400g
• 2 TBSP Softened Butter 28g (room temperature)
• 1&3/4 tsp salt
• 1&1/2 tsp instant yeast
• 1/2 tsp barley malt syrup (can substitute brown sugar)
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar (or 1 tsp if subbing for barley malt syrup)

Boiling Solution Ingredients

• 16 cups of water (1 gallon 3,785g)
• 1/2 cup baking soda 130g

Topping Ingredients

• 2 TBSP Coarse Pretzel Salt 6g (or 1/2 cup sugar 100g & 2 TBSP cinnamon)
• 5 TBSP melted Butter 71g

Instructions How To Make Fresh Milled Flour Soft Pretzels

Make The Dough

1. Firstly, mill the flour.
2. In a stand mixer, add the warm water, softened butter, salt, and barley malt syrup. Mix until combined.
3. Then, add the freshly flour to the wet ingredients. You may need more or less flour, I have a video linked below that shows the consistency of the dough. Mix until there is no dry flour left.
4. Once, all the ingredients are mixed together, except the yeast. Cover, and let the dough sit for 15 minutes to allow time for the freshly milled flour to absorb the liquids.
5. Now, after the dough has had time to rest, add in the yeast, and mix together. Start the kneading process.
6. Depending on your stand mixer, kneading times may vary. But, you want to knead until the dough appears smooth, and stretchy without tearing. Check for window pane, this may take anywhere from 12-25 minutes. Try to resist adding any more flour.
7. Once kneaded, cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 30-40 minutes. (We are not looking to double the dough.)

To Shape The Soft Pretzels

1. Once the dough has risen, take to a clean surface, and add a little olive oil to it. Then, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces.
2. Pre-shape each piece into a cylinder or log. Cover each piece and move on to the next piece. Let each log sit for 5-10 minutes before final shaping.
3. Then, once each piece has rested a bit, roll out to about a 24 inch long log. The center should be slightly thicker than the ends. If the dough keeps fighting with you and springing back, the logs just need to rest a bit longer before rolling them out.
4. To make the pretzel shape, take each end of the log or rope of dough, and twist it twice. Then, take the ends down over the loop part. Press the ends into the dough to make sure they don’t release during boiling. (See video for shaping.)
5. Place the soft pretzel dough shapes on a parchment lined baking sheet. Once they are all shaped, cover and let rise for 30 minutes at room temperature.
6. Then, place the covered pretzels in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes. This will help the dough firm up and make them hold their shape better during boiling.

Boil, Bake, and Toppings

1. Preheat the oven to 400*F.
2. While the pretzels are chilling, prepare the boiling solution.
3. Combine water & baking soda in a large pot, and bring it to a gentle boil.
4. Once the pretzels have had time to chill and are more firm, then boil each one for 10-15 seconds on each side. Don’t over crowd the pan, just do one or two at a time.
5. Use a large slotted spoon, skimmer, or strainer to flip, and remove from the water bath. Then, place them back onto the lined baking sheet.
6. If using salt, sprinkle with the coarse pretzel salt while they are still wet, before baking. If using cinnamon and sugar, then that will go on after baking.
7. Bake Pretzels for 14-18 minutes, they should turn a beautiful golden brown.
8. After baking, while they are still warm, brush with melted butter. If making the cinnamon and sugar ones, roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture after brushing with butter.
9. Lastly, enjoy!

Alterations To The Recipe:

*How To Use Active Dry Yeast in place of instant yeast- On step 4. use 2 TBSP of the water from the recipe and a pinch of the brown sugar, and mix it with the active dry yeast. Let is sit while the dough sits. Then, it should be foamy, and you can add it into the dough at the time the recipe says to add the instant yeast. (If the yeast is not foamy, then it is dead.) Then proceed with the recipe. (The rise time may be slightly longer with active dry yeast. Also, make sure the water is not too hot, it will kill the yeast.

*Flour type- you can use all hard white or all hard red. Or you can replace the Kamut with spelt or emmer.

How To Store These Fresh Milled Flour Soft Pretzels

To store these fresh milled flour soft pretzels, place in an airtight bag at room temperature for 1-2 days. Of course, they are best served fresh! If you wish to store for a longer period of time, then let them cool completely, then place in a freezer safe bag or container and freeze for up to 4 months. Let thaw at room temperature.

Shop This Post

Nutrimill Harvest Grain Mill – Use Coupon Code : Grainy for $20 OFF yours

Ankarsrum Mixer

Every Day Grain Storage Bins

Digital Kitchen Scale

Barley Malt Syrup

Kamut – Bulk

Hard White Wheat – Bulk

Checkout Some Of My Other Fresh Milled Flour Recipes

English Muffins

NY Style Bagels

Pizza Dough

Apple Cider Donuts

Honey Oat Bread

Hamburger & Hot Dog Buns

Tortillas

Pasta with Kamut

Sub Buns

Cheese Crackers

Fresh Milled Flour Recipe Index

Sourdough Recipe Index

Soft Pretzels Made With Fresh Milled Flour Printable Recipe

*This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. But, I will only suggest items I actually Love and Have Used!