German Breakfast Pretzels Brezeln Recipe
German Brezeln are distinctive twisted bread rolls, especially popular in Bavaria. They are often eaten in the morning with butter and jam or during the day with sausage and beer. They have a soft interior and a slightly crisp, darker crust sprinkled with coarse salt.
These homemade Brezeln recreate the authentic Bavarian bakery experience, with a characteristic soda-bath crust and soft, fluffy interior that’s perfect for both sweet and savoury toppings.
Chef's tips
Work quickly when shaping and dipping the pretzels so the dough doesn’t overproof. Make sure the soda bath is hot but not violently boiling to keep the pretzels from losing their shape.
How to serve
Serve in a bread basket lined with a cloth to keep them warm. Pair with butter, Obatzda (Bavarian cheese spread), sausages or simply with jam and coffee for breakfast.
Ingredients
- wheat flour type 550 or all-purpose - 500 g
- instant dry yeast 1 standard sachet - 7 g
- water lukewarm, not hot - 280 ml
- butter melted, cooled - 40 g
- sugar - 1 teaspoon
- salt for the dough - 1.5 teaspoons
- baking soda for the soda bath - 2 tablespoons
- water for the soda bath - 1 l
- coarse salt for sprinkling - 1 tablespoon
Preparation
- Put the flour, yeast, sugar and salt into a large bowl and mix. Add the lukewarm water and melted butter.
- Knead the dough by hand or with a dough hook attachment for 8–10 minutes, until smooth, elastic and no longer sticky. If it is too dry, add 1–2 tablespoons of water.
- Form the dough into a ball, cover the bowl with a cloth and leave in a warm place for about 45–60 minutes, until the dough has clearly risen and almost doubled in volume.
- After rising, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. From each piece form a rope about 50–60 cm long, thinner at the ends and thicker in the middle.
- Shape each rope into a pretzel: lay it in a U shape, cross the ends twice, then press them onto the lower part of the “belly”. Place the pretzels on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (top and bottom heat). In a pot bring 1 litre of water to the boil, add the baking soda and stir (be careful, the water will foam).
- Carefully dip each pretzel in the hot soda water for about 20–30 seconds, using a slotted spoon to help, then place it back on the tray.
- When all the pretzels have had their soda bath, sprinkle them with coarse salt.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, until they turn a deep golden colour and the surface cracks slightly.
- Cool on a wire rack. Serve still slightly warm or completely cooled.
Storage
Store cooled pretzels in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to 1–2 days. Refresh by briefly reheating in the oven so the crust becomes crisp again.
