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Back to Basics: Perfect making Czech Soft Pretzels before the big game
Score points making your own homemade pretzels that are easier than you think
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Soft pretzels are enjoyed globally, but many people may not consider making them and opt to purchase them instead. However, pretzels are best enjoyed warm, and if you make them yourself, serving them fresh from the oven is easily achievable. They also are fun to make, and your personal touch will make them even more appreciated by you, your family and your friends.
This article reveals how to make delicious Czech pretzels, perfect for any occasion, but especially suited for the upcoming Super Bowl. While pretzels are always popular, serving a batch of these warm, soft treats will truly elevate your game-day experience. Follow my tips and you'll be making Czech soft pretzels like a pro.
I also will share with you two irresistible dip recipes: a flavorful garlic dipping sauce and a classic mustard dipping sauce that will be a perfect complement to your pretzels. These warm, soft pretzels, fresh from your oven and paired with these delectable dips, are guaranteed to be a touchdown at your next gathering.
The first step is preparing the dough, which is a fairly easy and straightforward process. Simply combine all dry ingredients (bread flour or all-purpose flour, a little bit of powdered sugar, active dry yeast and salt), stir them briefly with a hand whisk, then add all wet ingredients (butter, milk and egg) and process until a dough is formed. Don't worry about the outcome — you technically can't overprocess the dough.
To make preparation of these pretzels as easy as possible, it's best to use a stand mixer with a dough hook for processing the dough after adding wet ingredients. If you do not have such a tool, you can prepare the dough by hand in a large mixing bowl. Yes, it will be messier, and it will take more time, but the result will be the same.
Recipes
Czech Pretzels — Soft
Makes: 4 large pretzels
Active Time: 30 min.
Total Time: 2 + hours
For the pretzels:
3 cups bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 teaspoon active dry yeasts
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of butter — soft, cut into small pieces (room temperature)
1 egg
1 cup lukewarm milk — about 90 to 100 degrees (preheat in the microwave or the stove)
For the brushing mixture:
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
Sprinkle with:
Salt crystals (do not use if you are going to freeze or refrigerate the pretzels or if you won't eat them soon; it will make them soggy)
Other options for sprinkling:
Black and/or white sesame seeds
Crushed pepper flakes
Poppy seeds
Sunflower seeds or any other kind of seeds
Directions
For the dough: Place into a stand mixer with a hook attachment: flour, powdered sugar, yeast and salt. Stir with a hand whisk just enough to combine all ingredients. Then add butter, egg, milk. Knead on low speed until all ingredients are partially incorporated (about 1 to 2 minutes). Then increase the speed to medium-high and knead until all ingredients are fully combined and the dough is formed (about 3 to 4 minutes).
Rising the dough: Remove bowl from the stand mixer and cover with a plate or plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until it has about doubled in size (about 1 to 2 1/2 hours). *(See tip below.)
Pre-shape the dough into compact balls: Place the dough on a surface without flour and separate into 4 even pieces using a bowl scraper, about 7.5 ounces each.
Notes: Using the scale is optional. Total weight of the dough is about 30 ounces. Form each piece of dough into compact dough balls with your hands.
Shape the pretzels: Cover the balls with a dish towel and let them rest for about 10 minutes before the next step.
Before you proceed: Shape pretzels one by one on a surface that does NOT have flour. Make sure that the surface is perfectly clean (no residue of food, ingredients, etc.). Since the dough includes butter, it will not stick to the surface. If it occasionally does, use your bowl scraper to release the dough.
Roll each piece into a strand — a long rope shape with a thickness of about 3/4 to 1 inch and a length of at least 30 inches. Take both ends of the strands and bring them close to yourself while creating the round shape. Twist both ends (about 1/6 length from both sides). Pinch both ends of the strands close to the center of the strand (but leave at least 1 1/2 inches space between) to create the famous pretzel shape.
Important: Press the strands in just enough for them to hold. Place fingers from both hands in the pretzel and gently stretch in all directions. Work gently, but if the pretzel is separated in any way, place it on the countertop, fix the broken connection by pinching it together, and repeat the remaining steps.
Place the pretzels on a baking sheet and form the remaining pretzels.
Set oven to preheat at 380 degrees.
Proofing: Prepare a brushing mixture by briefly hand-whisking 1 egg with 3 tablespoons milk in a measuring pitcher (for whisking, you also can use a silicone brush) to create a brushing mixture and then brush all pretzels (keep the rest for the second brushing). Allow it to proof on the countertop for about 15 minutes.
Final preparation: Gently brush all pretzels again with remaining brushing mixture right before baking. Generously sprinkle with salt crystals or optionally with sesame seeds, crushed pepper flakes, or poppy seeds. Bake in a preheated oven until a nice golden color is reached, which means the pretzels are done (usually about 15 to 20 minutes). Rotate the baking sheets in the middle of baking.
Serving & storing: Let cool on a cooling grate (at least partially) before serving. If you use salt crystals for sprinkling, try to eat the pretzels sooner, as the crystals will tend to melt in just a couple of days. An older pretzel can be heated in the microwave right before serving — it will give you a sense of freshness.
*Tip: Optionally, you can prepare dough in the morning to bake it in the evening. To do this, use cold milk straight from the refrigerator and allow the dough to rise on the countertop instead of in a warm place. This will slow down the entire process, and your dough should be ready by the evening for the next step.
Source: Tom Slepicka
Garlic Dipping Sauce for Pretzels
Makes: about 1 cup
Active Time: 10 min.
Total Time: 10 min.
Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup chives — finely chopped (or 2 tablespoon of dry)
2 cloves garlic — peeled and grated
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Pinch salt
Pinch ground pepper- ideally freshly ground
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a small mixing bowl:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup chives — finely chopped
2 cloves garlic — grated
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Pinch salt
Pinch ground pepper
Thoroughly stir with a whisk until nicely combined (about 30 seconds). Taste and add salt and/or pepper if needed.
Serve with any soft pretzels.
Source: Tom Slepicka
Mustard Dipping Sauce for Soft Pretzels
About 1 cup
Active Time: 5 min.
Total Time: 5 min.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
5 tablespoons country-style Dijon mustard
Optional: 2 tablespoons yellow mustard (for more mustard flavor)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Pinch salt
Pinch ground pepper — ideally freshly ground
Directions
Place all ingredients in a small mixing bowl: mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard and yellow mustard, if using. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper.
Thoroughly stir with a whisk until nicely combined (about 30 seconds). Taste and add salt and/or pepper if needed.
Serve with any soft pretzels.
Source: Tom Slepicka
After the dough is ready, take the bowl off the mixer and cover it with plastic wrap. Put the covered bowl in a warm place and let the dough rise until it's about doubled in size. This rising process should take approximately 1 to 2.5 hours.
For a warm spot, I prefer using my oven's bread proofing setting, which creates a cozy, sauna-like temperature (around 90 to 100 degrees). This makes rising the dough quick and effective. If your oven lacks this feature, slightly preheat it, turn it off, ensure it's a comfortable, warm temperature, then place the dough inside. The temperature will gradually decrease but still will work. Alternatively, use the warmth from a stovetop or fireplace. Rising at room temperature also is possible but may take longer.
When your dough has doubled in volume, begin by pre-shaping it into compact balls. First, place the dough on a clean surface without flour and divide it into four equal pieces using a bowl scraper. Each piece should weigh about 7.5 ounces. Using a scale is optional, but keep in mind that the total weight of the dough is about 30 ounces. Next, shape each piece of dough into a tight ball using your hands. Finally, cover the formed dough balls with a dish towel and let them rest for about 10 minutes before moving onto the next step. This resting period allows the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to shape later.
Next, it's time to shape the pretzels. Before starting, make sure your work surface is completely clean, without food residue, ingredients, or flour. The dough contains butter, so it shouldn't stick. If it does, use your bowl scraper to release it.
Working with one piece at a time, roll each piece of dough into a long rope, about 3/4 to 1 inch thick and at least 30 inches long. Make a circle with the rope by bringing both ends toward you, then twist the ends together about 1/6 of the way in from each end. Next, pinch both ends close to the center of the circle, leaving at least 1 1/2 inches of space between them to form the pretzel shape. Press the strands together just enough to hold. Finally, place both hands inside the pretzel and gently stretch it outward to refine its shape.
If the pretzel breaks apart at any point, don't worry. Simply place it back on the countertop, pinch the broken connection back together, and repeat the remaining steps. Once a pretzel is shaped, place it on a baking sheet and continue forming the remaining pretzels. Work gently but efficiently throughout the process.
Next, preheat your oven to 380 degrees. While the oven heats, whisk together 1 egg and 3 tablespoons of milk in a measuring pitcher to create a brushing mixture for the pretzels. A silicone brush can be used for whisking if desired. Brush each pretzel with the mixture, reserving the rest for a second brushing. After the first coat, let the pretzels sit on the countertop for about 15 minutes.
For the final step before baking, gently brush all the pretzels again with the remaining egg and milk mixture. Immediately after brushing, generously sprinkle them with salt crystals. Alternatively, sprinkle them with sesame seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, or poppy seeds, depending on your preference.
Put the prepared pretzels in the preheated oven and bake until they turn a beautiful golden color, which means they’re done. This usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes. For even baking, rotate the baking sheets halfway through.
After baking, move the pretzels to a cooling rack and let them cool slightly before serving. If you used salt crystals, it's best to eat the pretzels sooner rather than later, as the salt crystals tend to melt within a few days. If you have leftover pretzels, they can be reheated in the microwave just before serving to restore their freshness.
Pretzels are delicious on their own, but they’re truly exceptional when paired with a dipping sauce. Two excellent options are garlic dipping sauce and mustard dipping sauce.
Interesting information about soft pretzels
1. Brief history: The earliest records of pretzels date back to 7th century France and Italy, where monks used leftover bread dough to create this unique treat.
2. The shape of the pretzel had a practical reason. They were shaped that way to be easily hung or put on a stick. Another reason for its shape is also believed to be its resemblance to a prayer position — symbolized by praying hands. The three holes are said to represent the Holy Trinity.
3. While the Bavarian pretzel is perhaps the most famous — known for its distinctly darker color, a result of being dipped in a lye solution before baking — the Czech pretzel is equally delicious and boasts a faster, simpler preparation
4. Today, pretzels are a popular snack often enjoyed with beer. Soft pretzels are an essential part of Oktoberfest celebrations around the world.
To make the garlic dipping sauce, combine mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, finely chopped chives, grated garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk everything together for about 30 seconds until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and/or pepper if needed. This sauce is now ready to be served with soft pretzels.
To make the mustard dipping sauce, simply combine mayonnaise, sour cream, a generous amount of country-style Dijon mustard, and optionally, some yellow mustard in a small bowl. Add the juice from half a lemon, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of freshly ground pepper. Whisk everything together for about 30 seconds until well combined. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking. Your delicious mustard dipping sauce is now ready to be enjoyed with soft pretzels.
Tom Slepicka is the founder of www.cookinghub.com, and is a recipe creator, culinary instructor, chef, and a consultant. You can reach him at tom@cookinghub.com.
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