Soft pretzels are an all-time favorite at our house, but if you add a little German beer to the batter? Even better! And it's the perfect game day treat! These German Beer Soft Pretzels are sure to steal the show. Pretzels are also very easy to make and great for a crowd or for baking with kids -- they're very forgiving!
As always, I do include a few affiliate links in this post for products I truly use and love. This just means that if you make a purchase after clicking one of those links, I'll earn a little money (at no cost to you) to keep the kitchen up and running, which I promise to use to create more fun content like this! One of those affiliates is with Amazon, which requires a very clear disclosure: as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you have any questions about affiliates, please reach out!
This recipe is an adaptation based on Alton Brown's Soft Pretzels recipe.
Ingredients you'll need
- German beer: you guessed it! I like to use a whitbier, but a lager, kölsch, or an amber ale will also work well. A good rule of thumb: if you like to drink it, it's good to cook with (if you don't want to drink it, don't cook with it). Also, you'll want this to be room temperature - you need some warmth to help the yeast activate.
- Active dry yeast: since you're letting the dough rise, you'll want to use active dry yeast (rather than instant yeast)
- Dark brown sugar: to feed the yeast. You could also substitute this with granulated sugar, or honey, but the dark brown sugar gives a nice flavor that pairs well with the beer.
- All-purpose flour: the base of our pretzel dough
- Unsalted butter: butter in the dough helps the pretzels become crispy
- Water and baking soda for boiling the pretzels before they're baked (to make a nice crust)
- Egg wash and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt (Maldon Salt is my favorite to use here) for finishing the pretzels
- Mustard, or another dipping sauce of your choice!
Equipment you'll need to get started
You'll likely have everything you need, but a few things I like to use:
- KitchenAid Stand Mixer from Amazon
- Dutch Baby from Great Jones (for boiling the pretzels)
- Nordic Ware Sheet Pans from Amazon
- Silpat Mats from Amazon (you can also use parchment paper)
- Cooling Racks from Amazon
Shaping the pretzels
Shaping the pretzels is very easy, but you can also get creative here! To make a standard pretzel shape, roll your dough to approximately 24in. long. Create a U shape, then cross the ends over each other (as if you're making a heart). Twist the two ends and use your thumbs to push into the bottom of the U. You can push quite hard here - this is what will help your pretzels keep their shape. Remember: they do not have to be perfect! Part of the beauty of pretzels is when they're a little irregular, so don't worry if they aren't all exactly the same.
If you want to get creative with the shaping, you can always make a twist, a braid, a knot, or anything you want to try! Just remember if the dough is thicker (like a knot, where the dough is more so in a ball), it may need to bake for a longer time).
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of beer should I use for these pretzels?
I like to use a witbier, but a lager, kölsch, or an amber ale will also work well. As I mentioned, if you like to drink it, it's good to cook with. If you wouldn't want to drink with it, then don't cook with it.
What is the purpose of boiling the pretzels with baking soda?
Don't skip this step! This helps to give the pretzels its crispy crust. The longer they boil, the thicker the crust will be.
What if I don't have flaky sea salt?
You can use pretzel salt, too, but if you don't have any coarse or flaky salt options, you're in a bit of a tough spot. Regular kosher salt or table salt is too fine and will melt right into the dough. It won't taste bad, but it won't give you that salty pretzel flavor that everyone knows and loves.
My pretzels are looking a little craggy / shaggy - what happened?
If your dough isn't completely smooth, it just means you didn't knead it long enough. They'll still taste good, but it's just for aesthetics!
My pretzels unraveled -- help!
If your pretzels are unraveling when you boil them, you didn't press the ends into the bottom of the U enough when shaping them (you can press quite hard!). Don't worry, you can still save them! After they're boiled, you can still shape them back and press them together. Regardless, they'll still taste good even if they're not a perfect shape.
How should I store German Beer Soft Pretzels?
They're best fresh, but if you have any left over, there are a few options. If you're going to eat them quickly (the next day or so), you can keep them in a paper bag at room temperature. If they harden, you can put them in the microwave for 30 seconds to make them soft and warm again.
Alternatively, you can put them in a ziplock bag and freeze them. When you're ready to reheat, place them in the microwave for roughly 1 minute or until they're soft and warm.
My recipe for German Beer Soft Pretzels is below -- leave a comment and let me know what you think!
German Beer Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
- 12 ounces German beer about 1 ½ cups, room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 22 ounces all-purpose flour about 4 ½ cups
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 10 cups water
- ⅔ cup baking soda
- 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 Tablespoon water to make an egg wash
- Flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Combine the beer, sugar, and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit for 5 minutes or until the yeast begins to foam (the beer will be foamy as well).
- Add the flour and butter and mix using the dough hook attachment until well-combined. Change to medium speed and continue to knead until the dough is smooth, 4-5 minutes.
- Oil a large bowl and transfer the dough in a ball to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line 2 half-sheet baking trays with parchment paper and set aside. Bring 10 cups of water and ⅔ cup baking soda to a boil in a large pot.
- In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a smooth, dry work surface (no need to flour or oil, you'll want some traction). Divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, then cross the ends of the rope over each other like a heart. Twist the ends together and push down at the bottom of the U. Place on the parchment-lined baking pan.
- Place the pretzels in the boiling water, one by one, for 30 seconds each. Remove them from the water using a slotted spatula and return to the baking sheet. Brush each pretzel with the egg wash and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Bake until golden brown, approximately 13-15 minutes. If your oven heats unevenly (like mine!) you may want to rotate and switch the pans halfway through so they all get even color. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool. Serve with a mustard or your favorite dipping sauce.
Beth says
This has become our family signature recipe, no matter the occasion as long as there is a crowd… Oktoberfest, Super Bowl, Beach Bonfires, you name it!