A warm, soft, chewy pretzels is a special treat at our house. they are a favorite to make for a weekend evening meal. These sourdough pretzels can even be made into hard crunchy one. And what’s not to like about that!
You will find many more recipes in the spiral bound 600+ page Around the Family Table Cookbook and the hard cover spiral bound(preorder) It’s all About Sourdough. All recipes are sugar-free and label with the correct fuel. Books can be purchased using this link. We have now added additional items to our store… Sourdough Starter Kits and more. Buy It Now. Follow my blog, Facebook, and Instagram pages.
Sourdough Soft/hard Pretzels THM-E
- 2 cups active starter
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
- 1 tablespoon malt powder
- 3 1/2 – 4 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- pretzel salt
- Mix starter, water, vital wheat gluten, malt powder, and 2 cups flour in mixer bowl until smooth. Add remaining flour in 1/4 cup increments until dough pulls away from the side of the mixer bowl. Allow the dough to rest for about 20 minutes. After rest, knead dough for about 8 minutes. If dough is too sticky, add slightly more flour but dough should be soft and not dry and stiff. Place in oiled bowl turning dough to coat it with oil. Cover and allow dough to rise for 6 hours. Refrigerate overnight or up tp 2 days. Remove from the fridge and roll into pretzel shapes. Place on parchment paper covered baking sheets. Let warm to room temperature for 1 hour. Combine hot water and baking soda. Brush on soft pretzels. Sprinkle with salt. Bake at 425* until browned. Spray lightly with Pam Spray or brush with melted butter, being careful to use less than 1 teaspoon of butter per pretzel. DO NOT add salt to the dough or your pretzels will be too salty. 12-14 pretzels. The reason for using only 1 teaspoon of butter per pretzel is to keep it in the carb category.
To make hard pretzels—after pretzels have been baked, reduce oven heat to 250 degrees F. Lay baked pretzels directly on oven rack. Bake for 4 hours or until totally dry inside. Delicious!! They will feel very light in weight when you pick them up.
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Sourdough Pretzels THM-E
Ingredients
- 2 cups active starter
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
- 1 tablespoon malt powder
- 3 1/2 – 4 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- pretzel salt
Instructions
-
Mix starter, water, dough enhancer, malt powder, and 2 cups flour until smooth. Add remaining flour in 1/4 cup increments until dough pulls away from the side of the mixer bowl. Allow the dough to rest for about 20 minutes. After rest, knead dough for about 8 minutes. If dough is too sticky, add slightly more flour but dough should be soft and not dry and stiff. Place in oiled bowl turning dough to coat it with oil. Cover and allow dough to rise for 6 hours. Refrigerate overnight or up tp 2 days. Remove from the fridge and roll into pretzel shapes. Place on parchment paper covered baking sheets. Let warm to room temperature for 1 hour. Combine hot water and baking soda. Brush on soft pretzels. Sprinkle with salt. Bake at 425* till lightly browned. Spray lightly with Pam Spray or brush with melted butter, being careful to use less than 1 teaspoon of butter per pretzel. DO NOT add salt to the dough or your pretzels will be too salty. 12-14 pretzels. The reason for using only 1 teaspoon of butter per pretzel is to keep it in the carb category.
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To make hard pretzels—after pretzels have been baked, reduce oven heat to 250 degrees F. Lay baked pretzels directly on oven rack. Bake for 4 hours or until totally dry inside. Delicious!! They will feel very light in weight when you pick them up.
You will find many more recipes in the spiral bound 600+ page Around the Family Table Cookbook and the hard cover spiral bound(preorder) It’s all About Sourdough. All recipes are sugar-free and label with the correct fuel. Books can be purchased using this link. We have now added additional items to our store… Sourdough Starter Kits and more. Buy It Now. Follow my blog, Facebook, and Instagram pages.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/349451252336542560
“Bake pretzels till lightly browned”..how long is that roughly?
ovens vary…I would say 10 -12 minutes
I don’t have malt powder on hand – will this recipe work okay without it?
you can make it without.
Are you using diastatic or nondiastatic malt? I’ve really been wanting to make hard pretzels.
When I clicked on the malt powder in your recipe it took me to an amazon link with diastatic malt. but in your comment you said you use nondiastatic malt. Can you please clarify? I’d like to place an order, but want to make sure I’m ordering the right thing 🙂
I use non-diastatic malt powder. The only place I can find it is King Arthur Baking company. I use it to get a nice brown color in the pretzels. I have edited the blog post with the new information. You can omit it but it helps give a nice brown color.
Thank you!
I don’t have white whole wheat flour, just the whole wheat. Is there an adjustment in the recipe?
not it should take the same amount
I am trying this recipe today! Does this have to ferment in the fridge overnight, or can it be shaped the same day after the 6 hour rise time?
it can be shaped 6 hours after mixing.
I made this and… they look good but taste funny, like baking soda. Are you sure 2T and not 2 teaspoons? It seemed like way too much and didn’t ever dissolve at bottom of bowl. I’d make this again, but I’d definitely go back to the boiling water, baking soda bath from other recipes, rather than brushing with baking soda water. Besides that, they rose well and are beautiful!