Enjoy the taste of Auntie Anne’s Pretzels at home with this easy copycat pretzel recipe. These soft pretzels are made to perfection, you’ll love every chewy bite of the best pretzel recipe ever!
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Why we love Auntie Annes Pretzels
Auntie Annes Pretzels can be found in shopping malls and airports everywhere. I don’t know about you, but I find Auntie Anne’s Pretzels to be irresistible. It really is the best pretzel recipe ever! With just one bite, these soft pretzels transport you back in time to those Saturdays at the mall with your friends.
Now you can make these timeless Auntie Annes pretzels at home with this copycat soft pretzel recipe. Many, many thanks to Adrienne for this one!
Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Active dry yeast
- Water
- Brown sugar
- Table salt
- Bread flour
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Coarse salt
- Butter
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Do I Have to Use Bread Flour?
Bread flour really does work better than all-purpose flour. I should add, I use King Arthur Bread Flour and King Arthur All-Purpose Flour for the regular flour. I think I have been using King Arthur now for about thirteen years and I love this flour. It’s definitely amazing stuff, and once you’ve started using King Arthur you won’t go back.
How to Make Auntie Anne’s Pretzels:
Making homemade pretzels is easier than you think. Follow these simple instructions:
- Start with mixing the yeast with the water.
- Add the remainder of the dough ingredients and knead until smooth.
- Let rise for at least 1/2 hour.
- While the dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath.
- After the dough has risen, pinch off bits of the dough and roll into a long rope.
- Shape dough rope into a pretzel.
- Dip the pretzel into the soda water bath and place on a greased baking sheet.
- Let dough rise again.
- Bake and brush with melted butter.
See how easy that is!
Notes
- When working with the dough, sometimes flour needs to be added. The amount required can vary quite a bit depending on the type of flour and the humidity. Just add enough flour to make the dough work well.
- The baking soda water bath gives the pretzels that smooth, glossy finish. It’s just enough to get the outsides to have that delightful sheen on them, but not enough to cook them all the way through. So once you bake them, you get a soft middle with a wonderful chewy exterior. It’s the same step that gives bagels their smooth, shiny surface.
Variations
- If you would like to try Auntie Anne’s famous Cinnamon Sugar pretzels, try melting a stick of butter in a shallow bowl (big enough to fit the entire pretzel). In another shallow bowl, make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Dip the pretzel into the butter, coating both sides generously. Then dip again into the cinnamon mixture.
- If you want salted pretzels, salt the pretzels before baking and they will be amazing. Shake on the salt right after dipping and before you put them in the oven. The salt sticks much better this way. Sea salt tastes just as great as pretzel salt and is much better for you. When they’re done, take them out and butter them to death!
Recommended Special Equipment
- Pastry Brush – for brushing on the butter
- Kosher Salt – to sprinkle on the pretzel
- SAF Gold Yeast – will give you a much sweeter bread, this is typically not found in most grocery stores.
Can’t get enough pretzels? Try these recipes!
- Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels
- Ranch Pretzels
- Beer Cheese Dip for Pretzels
- Pretzel Brats
- Chocolate Pretzel McFlurry
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Did you make and love this recipe? Give your review below and make sure you share your creations by tagging me on Instagram!
Auntie Annes Pretzels
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/8 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup bread flour
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups warm water
- 2 tablespoon baking soda
- To taste, coarse salt
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise at least 1/2 hour.
- While the dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 tbsp baking soda. Be certain to stir often.
- After the dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Allow pretzels to rise again. Bake in the oven at 450 for about 10 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted butter and enjoy!
Jasmine McDowell
Turned out amazing. My sister is obsessed with Auntie Anne’s and they deliver but because of pandemic we aren’t eating out or ordering in anything. I luckily bought some yeast randomly on our very last shopping trip. We made a similiar recipe before but they turned out pretty horribly (it was our first time making anything with yeast and we aren’t really great cooks/bakers either). Long story short after kneading we found out it hadn’t risen because it has to be in small bowl (needs something to push against to rise) and covered with a clean towel. When it rose we followed the rest of the directions and got some super pretty and amazing tasting pretzels. It actually helped her out of a depressive episode. So thank you for the recipe! Give it a shot if you have the ingredients.
Stephanie
I am so glad you enjoyed this!
Rachel
Do I have to use bread flour? Can I use just regular flour completely? And does regular flour mean non self rising?
Stephanie
Bread flour does work better than all-purpose flour.
Mike
Yeast measurements are incorrect. I measured 1 1/8 teaspoons using measuring spoons and it was not even one full package of yeast. The dough did not rise nearly as much as it should have and the dough was very dry and hard to work with. I used to make these pretzels many years ago but don’t recall how much yeast I used at that time. Clearly, 1 1/8 teaspoons is not enough.
Stephanie
I think there was a typo, I am sorry, it should have been 1 1/8 tablespoons. It sounds like if it was dry, you needed to have added some water. I am sorry I made a typo.
Tin
Why not edit the recipe then to fix the typo?
Stephanie
You are right I will do that now.
Amy Hope
Pretzels are my boyfriend’s favorite so I made these this weekend and they were delicious. We ate 3 immediately. 🙂 It’s the first time I’ve made pretzels…they came out so well I won’t have to try any other recipes. I made them a bit smaller I guess…my batch produced about 8 pretzels.
I got tired of rolling so the last two I just made into little bun shapes with a couple of scores on the top and they cooked just as well as the pretzel shape on the same pan.
As I was kneading, I thought I needed more liquid so was making a note to add more next time. However, they tasted perfect so I will not alter the recipe at all. I tend to make a recipe exactly the way is written the first time before deciding if it needs adjustments. This one is perfect for me and it will be used on a regular basis in my house! I will even change the shape and make some pretzel buns for my burgers!
So happy I tired it. Oh, and they were super easy! It was the easiest baking I’ve done in awhile. Another fabulous plus!
Amy Hope
I should add, I used King Arthur’s Bread Flour & King Arthur’s All Purpose Flour for the regular flour. Once I’ve started using King Arthur (after Stephanie suggested) I haven’t gone back.
stephaniemanley
I think King Arthur Flour is definitely amazing stuff. A Co-worker who used to bake all of the time would only use this flour, and it made a very large difference. I think I have been using it now for about 13 years. Love this flour.
Jjsbi
If using a standing mixer with a dough hook for kneading, about how long should I knead it/
Andrea
I just bought an Auntie Ann’s at home kit and the ingredients has wheat flour and barley four…I wonder if that’s where the flour gets it’s sweetness too?…I will try to compare recipes and post results next week:)
Anonymous
I think some of it is also the type of yeast that they use. If you can find SAF gold, it gives you a much sweeter bread. Kingarthurflour.com sells this brand online.
Sarah
This recipe is very good! Closest I’ve found to AA. I will say that I know AA’s uses clarified, unsalted butter. They also use more baking soda in the dipping mixture, it should be cloudy when mixed up. This dipping solution gives the pretzels their crispy golden crust. I made the recipe exactly as stated here and my pretzels weren’t as golden brown. Had I cooked them longer to achieve the darker color, they would have been hard.
Also, for salted pretzels, shake on the salt right after dipping and before baking. The salt sticks much better this way.
Amy Hope
When I pulled mine out of the oven, the were a dark golden. I thought I had cooked them too long and they were going to be hard but they weren’t…they were cripsy on the outside & soft in the middle.
I’m going to try your tip with the salt next time!
Jeff
Do these really rise a second time after dipping in the baking soda solution? I’ve seen other, similar recipes and they go right in the oven after the dip.
Boobolal
We made this recipe and added raisins in our new breadmaker and boy, it was delicious!!!
Tree
This is by far one of the best recipe for the aunt annes type pretzel. i have been using this recipe every couple of months or so with my kids. they absolutly love the pretzels that come out of the oven with this recipe. I use sea salt instead of pretzel salt. its much better for you and tastes just as great. and don’t forget LOTS of butter is required for that authentic aunt annes flavor. thanks again for sharing this wonderful recipe!!
chipretzel
Great recipe. Very easy too. Mine were not as pretty as auntie annes. Next time I will portion out dough maybe 3oz each and then roll out to approx 24in before shaping. I only had 1pkg of yeast and the pretzels turned out fine.
Stephanie
Did you put any special toppings on your pretzel
Moserhouse
Fantastic! Just made a batch with the kids – another website suggested using ‘sweet butter’ (a little known secret) to cover all flavors of the pretzels. Tastes just like the real deal.
Thanks for the tip about the Sweet Butter
Peggy
what actually is “sweet” butter?
Stephanie
It is another way of saying unsalted butter.
Jacki
I’m making these, and I’m having problems kneading the dough. It seems like it needs a lot of flour for kneading, yet the recipe doesn’t say anything about extra flour for kneading. Also, how long should the pretzels be when you roll out the dough? Thanks 🙂
When working with dough, sometimes flour needs to be added, it isn’t a specific amount it often depends upon humidity, the flour its self, and mother nature, it can vary quite a bit. I can’t give answers on this, just add enough to make the dough work well. Roll out your pretzels about 8 to 10 inches and they should be fine. ~Stephanie
Jacki
Update to update: actually they turned out fine. Sorry for my overdramaticnes!
Courtney
If you salt the pretzels before, it’s amazing. When they’re done, take them out and butter them to death. They taste JUST like Auntie Ann’s.
Brooke F.
The baking soda water gives the pretzels that smooth, glossy outside. It’s just enough to get the outsides to have that sheen on them, but not enough to cook them all the way through. So once you bake them, you get a soft middle with the chewy exterior.. absolutely necessary! It’s the same step that gives bagels their smooth, shiny exterior.
Gardenwife
I’m curious about the baking soda water’s role, too. anyone?
Sheree
the soda water is suppose to give it the crispiness on the outside.
Sherri
It seems the baking soda water sets the pretzel, it seems like it molds them, I made these with the kit and it was awesome. After I baked them I put the pretzel in butter ( i had melted about 1 cup) and then rolled it in cinnamon, put it back in the butter and then in cinnamon again, oh it was GREAT!!!!
DSch eer
I made these pretzels with my my Granddaughters and they are delicious. The dough is a very nice consistency and easy to work with. I am wondering what purpose the baking soda water bath serves but since the results were so good, it is a step I would not skip. Enjoy!
Diane
I tried this recipe for the pretzels… I have to say they are delicious! Oh YUM! I also made some stuffed with cream cheese and Schwans makes. When I rolled the dough into strips, I flated it, put long skinny slivers of cream cheese in, then I folded dough back over and pinched wides and then continued rolling into long log. This is a really good recipe. I am curious though, was the purpose of dipping them in the baking soda water prior to baking?
shanell
thiz lookz delicious bout to make iyt
Santiago
Hey, i want to know if i can fridge or freeze the spare dough. Thanks!
admin
I believe you can refrigerate the dough for later, but I am not sure how this would work out if you froze it.
shanay
I LOVE AUNTIE ANEES PRETZEL STICKS! T HEY ARE AHHHHHH-MAZING!!!!!! I COULD EAT THEM ALL!