Pretzels

Name: Pretzels (Brezeln)
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 1 h 42 min
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 10 ounces (300 ml) lukewarm water; 1 teaspoon (3 g) active dry yeast (½ packet); 3½ teaspoons brown sugar; 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature; 1½ teaspoons salt; Avocado oil, for greasing; 10 ounces (300 ml) cold water; 1½ level teaspoons (12 g) food-grade lye (100% sodium hydroxide granules), be very precise when measuring this; Pretzel salt; Seeds, such as sesame, pumpkin, or sunflower seeds (optional); Seeds, such as sesame, pumpkin, or sunflower seeds (optional); Seeds, such as sesame, pumpkin, or sunflower seeds (optional); Seeds, such as sesame, pumpkin, or sunflower seeds (optional); Shredded cheese of choice, such as Gruyère or Cheddar (optional); Shredded cheese of choice, such as Gruyère or Cheddar (optional); Shredded cheese of choice, such as Gruyère or Cheddar (optional)

Brezeln

Preparation info

Yield:
10
pretzels

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
1 hr 45

Appears in

German Home Kitchen

By Sophie Sadler

Published 2025

About

It took me years to figure out the perfect brezel recipe, and this is it. I cried a few happy tears when I took my first bite because they taste just like home. Brezeln are an instant hug from Germany. In fact, I even founded German Pretzel School, where I teach pretzel enthusiasts how to master authentic German Brezeln. That’s how transformative real brezeln are, and I can’t wait for you to experience that transformation too. This recipe uses lye, which makes all the difference, and is not

Ingredients

Europe
Germany
Snack
Vegetarian

Ingredients

Method