Sourdough Discard Soft Pretzels

Really good soft pretzels, made using sourdough discard. These are so easy (and fun!) to make, you might not be able to stop.

I have been making Alton Brown's soft pretzels for years. They are the best! Here, they are adapted to use discard.

Since these use commercial yeast for the rise, you can have them made in just about 2 hours. And while they use a substantial amount of discard, they taste so distinctly pretzel-y that it's hard to make out the sourdough flavor specifically.

These feel substantial as a hearty appetizer or snack, but are also great with all manner of cheesy soups, and I would not be mad about a meal consisting of just these and a good salad.

My favorite way to eat these soft pretzels though is fresh from the oven with a good mustard and a good beer cheese dip. They are sublime!

The Dough

This dough is quite stiff and is very easy to work with. You won't even need flour when shaping it!

I use my stand mixer for this, but you can certainly mix and knead it by hand if you prefer!

It does a quick 1 - 1 ½ hour rise, then you're ready to move on to shaping it. Keep in mind this dough won't double, but it will look puffed up and slightly airier when it's ready.

Shaping Pretzels

Shaping pretzels is so fun once you get the hang of it! It's definitely something you'll want a visual of if you've never done it before, so here are some step-by-step photos.

Start by dividing the risen dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a roughly 20-inch rope.

Taking one rope at a time, form it into a U on your work surface.

Turn the ends downward toward the base of the U, and cross them over one another.

You can be done here, but I like to do an extra twist of the ends.

Then, press the ends to the base of the U to seal.

As a pretzel fun fact, I learned from an episode of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood years ago that the shape of pretzels is supposed to look like a person folding their hands in prayer, and soft pretzels were given out to children during Lent in Germany as a treat for learning their prayers. I am always thinking about that when shaping pretzels, and I do find myself making these more during the lenten season!

Boiling + Baking

Pretzels get their distinct flavor, thin shiny crust, and deep brown color from being briefly boiled in a basic solution before being baked. This is a crucial step that you cannot skip when making pretzels! Otherwise, you'll have pale pretzels with an off flavor and texture.

Traditionally, pretzels are boiled in a solution of lye, but baking soda is typically used in home settings since it's much safer and you probably already own it. You'll use ⅔ cups in 10 cups of water for this recipe, boil them together, and boil 2-3 pretzels at a time for 30 seconds.

Then, brush the pretzels with an egg wash, sprinkle with salt, and bake until they're cooked through and deep brown. I use regular kosher salt for these, but a good flakey salt would be good as well!

These are best fresh from the oven, but are also great at room temperature the day they're baked.