Bavarian Pretzels

Bavarians are passionate about their pretzels! Perfectly soft on the inside, golden and crisp on the outside, these pretzels are a delightful treat for any occasion. With this recipe, you can bring the iconic taste of Bavaria right to your kitchen.

Prep-Time: 30 min (+ 1 hour cooling)
Cook-Time: 15 min


INGREDIENTS (12-16  Brezen)

For the dough:

• 500g all-purpose flour

• 10g fine salt

• 1 tsp sugar

• 250ml lukewarm water
  (between 90°F and 100°F; hot water can harm the yeast)

• 1 package of dry yeast (or adjust to 500g flour)
  I recommend Dr. Oetker or another German or Austrian brand.

• 40g butter

  For the Dipping Solution:

• 50g baking soda

• 1 liter water
  

  For Sprinkling:

• Coarse salt

• Optional toppings: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds
  

UTENSILS

• Baking sheets with parchment paper

• Spider skimmer

• Large mixing bowl

• Clean dish towel

Food-prepping Tip

Slightly underbake, cool completely, and freeze Brezen flat in a plastic bag. For a quick, crispy snack, defrost them directly in the toaster (better than the microwave, which can make them chewy). Ideal for toddlers! Avoid toasting Brezen with cheese to prevent burning.

Bavarians love Brezen—crunchy outside, soft inside, and enjoyed all day long. Whether on the way to work, at a beer garden, or for dinner, Brezen are a staple. They come in various shapes and sizes, from classic pretzels to large “Oktoberfest Brezen,” though the smaller ones are most common. Traditionally topped with coarse salt, they’re also popular with cheese, sesame, or pumpkin seeds. Freshly baked Brezen are irresistible, especially with a spread of German butter or cream cheese and chives (but never mustard, as with American pretzels!). Here’s my go-to recipe for baking authentic Brezen at home.

01

Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, and yeast. I recommend metric measurements to be precise. Melt the butter, and let cool down until lukewarm. Add lukewarm water and melted butter (for both ensure it's cooled to 85-90°F (29-32°C) to avoid killing the yeast or hindering its activity), kneading for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should pull away from the bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel, and let it rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

02

Shape the Brezen: Prepare 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide dough into 12-16 pieces (12 for regular size pretzels or 16 smaller ones), form them to a ball. Make one pretzel at a time and keep the rest of the dough covered with a clean dish towel to prevent drying.

With two hands, roll each piece into a thin rope (15” if you have divided the dough into16 pieces, and 20” if you have 12 pieces). The ropes should be slightly thicker in the middle and thinning out at the ends, then form the classic pretzel shape. Therefore, take the outer edges of the Breze together so that the overall shape looks like a large rain drop. Then cross the ends twice so that there is a little knot. Then stick the ends on to the Breze. There should be now 3 holes and a knot. With a sharp knife, carefully score the thicker part with a sharp knife. The pretzels might look thin, but they will rise in the oven. Feel free to play around with other shapes like hearts or buns. Place on baking sheets and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

Shaping the pretzels

03 

Prepare the Dipping Solution: In the last 10-15 minutes of chilling the Brezen, bring water and baking soda to a simmer. Preheat oven to 390°F (convection).

04

Now dip the Brezen. Therefore, use a spider skimmer to dip each Breze in the baking soda solution for 10 seconds, then return to the baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt or optional seeds. (You can play around with the amount of seconds you dip the pretzels. They get browner, but taste will be more tangy the longer you dip them. )

05

Bake Brezen for 15-20 minutes until they the desired color. While baking prepare a basked with a dish towel and put the Brezen inside. Let cool down and enjoy!

Important: When baked, make sure that the Brezen get air so they stay nice and crunchy. If you would put them in a closed container, the Brezen pull the water from the salt and get soggy and chewy.

Tip

You can reuse the dipping solution for next time to save a step. Put the solution in a large mason jar and store in the fridge. Reheat for the next use.