# Homemade Soft Pretzels

## Description
These authentic American soft pretzels are a labor of love, featuring a chewy interior and glossy, salt-studded exterior. Originally brought to America by German immigrants in the 1600s, soft pretzels have become an iconic street food, especially in Philadelphia and New York. This recipe requires advanced techniques including proper dough development, precise boiling in alkaline solution, and careful shaping to achieve that perfect pretzel texture and flavor.

## Quick Facts
- Calories: 298 per serving
- Prep Time: 90 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 115 minutes
- Servings: 2
- Difficulty: hard
- Cuisine: American
- Health Score: 4.5/10

## Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 298
- Protein: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 56g
- Fat: 5g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 1840mg

## Dietary Information
This recipe is: Vegetarian, Nut-Free

## Ingredients (2 servings)
- 1.5 cups bread flour (high protein content essential)
- 0.5 cup warm water (110-115°F)
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast (check expiration date)
- 0.5 tablespoon granulated sugar (for activating yeast)
- 0.5 teaspoon salt (fine table salt)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
- 2 tablespoons baking soda (for boiling solution)
- 5 cups water (for boiling)
- 1 tablespoon coarse pretzel salt (or coarse sea salt)
- 1 whole egg (beaten, for egg wash)

## Instructions
1. In a small bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Stir gently and let stand until foamy and doubled in size, about 8-10 minutes. If mixture doesn't foam, yeast is dead - start over with fresh yeast.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together bread flour and salt. Create a well in the center and pour in the activated yeast mixture and melted butter. Mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead vigorously for 8-10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. The dough should spring back when poked. Form into a ball.
4. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover with damp towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 60-70 minutes.
5. Punch down dough and divide into 2 equal portions. Working with one piece at a time, roll into a 24-inch rope, thicker in the middle and tapered at the ends. This requires patience and gentle, consistent pressure.
6. Shape into pretzel: Form a U-shape, cross the ends twice to create a twist, then fold down and press ends onto the bottom curve of the U. The shaping is crucial for authentic appearance.
7. Place shaped pretzels on parchment paper and freeze for 30 minutes. This helps them hold their shape during boiling.
8. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large pot, bring 5 cups water and baking soda to a rolling boil. Carefully lower one pretzel into boiling solution using a slotted spoon. Boil for 30 seconds, flipping once.
9. Remove pretzel with slotted spoon, allowing excess water to drain. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with second pretzel. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle generously with coarse salt.
10. Bake for 12-15 minutes until deep golden brown, rotating pan halfway through. The darker the color, the more flavor develops. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes before serving.

## Allergen Information
Contains: gluten, egg

## Tags
soft pretzels, american snack, street food, baking, yeast bread, advanced baking

## Source
Recipe by: CalorieGram AI

## Machine-Readable Data

### Recipe Metadata
```json
{
  "id": "91f410a1-980f-4eb4-bd05-5580a3e79a7a",
  "youtube_id": null,
  "title": "Homemade Soft Pretzels",
  "cuisine_type": "American",
  "meal_type": [
    "snack"
  ],
  "difficulty_level": "hard",
  "servings": 2,
  "prep_time_minutes": 90,
  "cook_time_minutes": 25,
  "total_time_minutes": 115,
  "health_score": 4.5,
  "created_at": "2025-06-24T14:37:48.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2025-06-24T14:37:48.000Z"
}
```

### Ingredients Data
```json
{
  "servings": 2,
  "ingredients": [
    {
      "name": "bread flour",
      "amount": 1.5,
      "unit": "cups",
      "notes": "high protein content essential"
    },
    {
      "name": "warm water",
      "amount": 0.5,
      "unit": "cup",
      "notes": "110-115°F"
    },
    {
      "name": "active dry yeast",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "teaspoon",
      "notes": "check expiration date"
    },
    {
      "name": "granulated sugar",
      "amount": 0.5,
      "unit": "tablespoon",
      "notes": "for activating yeast"
    },
    {
      "name": "salt",
      "amount": 0.5,
      "unit": "teaspoon",
      "notes": "fine table salt"
    },
    {
      "name": "unsalted butter",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "tablespoon",
      "notes": "melted and cooled"
    },
    {
      "name": "baking soda",
      "amount": 2,
      "unit": "tablespoons",
      "notes": "for boiling solution"
    },
    {
      "name": "water",
      "amount": 5,
      "unit": "cups",
      "notes": "for boiling"
    },
    {
      "name": "coarse pretzel salt",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "tablespoon",
      "notes": "or coarse sea salt"
    },
    {
      "name": "egg",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "whole",
      "notes": "beaten, for egg wash"
    }
  ]
}
```

### Nutrition Data (per serving)
```json
{
  "calories": 298,
  "macros": {
    "protein_g": 9,
    "carbs_g": 56,
    "fat_g": 5,
    "fiber_g": 2,
    "sugar_g": 2,
    "sodium_mg": 1840
  },
  "dietary_tags": {
    "vegan": false,
    "vegetarian": true,
    "gluten_free": false,
    "dairy_free": false,
    "nut_free": true
  }
}
```

---
This recipe is from CalorieGram Recipes - Your AI-powered healthy recipe discovery platform.
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