Soft Pretzel Recipe (Annies Pretzels Copycat)
These soft, buttery pretzels bring the iconic mall favorite right into your kitchen. With a golden crust, chewy interior, and endless topping options, they’re perfect for snacks, parties, or family gatherings.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 14
- Total Time: 1 hour 34 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (plus extra for brushing)
- ⅓ cup baking soda (for water bath)
- Coarse salt, for topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add flour, salt, and melted butter to the yeast mixture. Stir until a rough dough forms.
- Knead on a floured surface for 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water to a simmer. Add baking soda and stir until dissolved.
- Punch down dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each into a 20-inch rope. Shape into a U, twist the ends twice, and fold them down to form the pretzel shape. Press ends to seal.
- Using a slotted spoon, dip each pretzel into the simmering baking soda water for 20–30 seconds. Remove and place on prepared baking sheets.
- Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake for 12–14 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from oven, brush again with melted butter, and serve warm.
Notes
For sweet pretzels, skip the salt topping and coat with cinnamon sugar after baking.
Pretzel bites can be made by cutting the dough ropes into small pieces before dipping and baking.
Store baked pretzels in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.