Rye Soft Pretzels

These Rye Soft Pretzels are an easy, tasty side for your fall and winter soups! 

Soup season has roared in like a lion around here my friends!

Temps are dipping quickly (I’m in heaven!) and soup is a regular on our weekly menu. Bring it on!

Our usual MO at least twice a week during the fall and winter is soup, a side salad and some crusty bread of some sort.

And every once in a while I step up my game and treat us to something special on the side like these Rye Soft Pretzels!

I’ve always been a fan of rye bread. Growing up after church on Sundays, we’d always stop at our favorite little local bakery in town and pick up a large loaf of seeded rye. We’d enjoy it for breakfast with eggs and bacon, or for lunch with sandwiches.

So my love for all things rye runs deep.

I’m also a huge pretzel lover, so today’s rye soft pretzels push all my buttons!

You know I’m always a bit challenged when it comes to yeast recipes, but honestly, these are super simple. I have yet to bake a batch that hasn’t turned out perfectly.

Bundle up for the fall season guys! It’s time to put on a big pot of soup or chili and get baking! These will be a family fave, I guarantee!

Rye Soft Pretzels

Author: MaryAnn Dwyer

Servings: 12 pretzels

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These Rye Soft Pretzels are an easy, tasty side for your fall and winter soups! 

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Rising Time 1 day d 3 hours hrs

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Ingredients  

• 2 cups warm water, about 110 degrees
• 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. honey
• 1 tsp. active dry yeast
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups rye flour
• 1 Tbsp. coarse kosher salt
• 2 tsp. butter, melted
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 2 tsp. water
• pretzel or coarse salt, caraway seeds or everything bagel seasoning for sprinkling

Instructions 

• Add warm water and honey to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle in the yeast and let it stand until it begins to look foamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flours and the salt. Add one cup of the flour mixture to the yeast mixture and mix  on low until combined. Add 4 more cups, one at a time, and knead until combined, about 30-45 seconds. Knead on medium-low until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 1-2 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup flour and continue to knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. 
• Pour the melted butter into a large bowl and coat all sides. Transfer the dough to the bowl, tossing to coat all sides in butter. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size, about 1-3 hours.
• Butter two large baking sheets or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Punch down dough. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface. Pat dough into a rectangle and cut into 12 equal pieces, about 3 1/2 ounces each.
• Working with one piece at a time while others are covered with a damp towel or plastic wrap, roll the dough into an 18-inch long rope. Make a U shape with the rope and cross over the ends at the bottom of the U to form a pretzel. Transfer to the prepared sheets and cover with a towel. Repeat with remaining dough. Let pretzels rise for 15 minutes on trays before baking.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Fill a large, wide pot with water. Bring to a boil. Slowly add baking soda.
• Reduce the water to a simmer and slowly add 3-4 pretzels to the simmering water. Poach for 30 seconds, and then remove with a slotted spoon to prepared sheets. Repeat with remaining pretzels. Brush pretzels with beaten egg and water mixture. Sprinkle with salt, caraway or everything bagel seasoning.
• Bake until golden brown, about 12-15 minutes, rotating trays halfway through baking. Remove from oven. Let cool for a few minutes. Enjoy while still warm.

Keyword: honey, pretzels, rye, yeast

Cuisine: American

Course: Snacks

Adapted from A New Way to Bake by Martha Stewart Living