Prep time 20 min.
Bake time 10–15 min.
Yield 12 pretzels.
Growing up in the Amish we often had soft pretzel night with fresh, buttery soft pretzels made in our propane ovens and then dipped in a creamy cheese sauce we call “shmear kaes” but also known as cup cheese. These fluffy pretzels are an original recipe from a combination of Amish cook books.
⦁ 2 tablespoons Active dry yeast
⦁ 1 1/2 cup warm water
⦁ 2 tablespoons brown sugar
⦁ 1 teaspoon salt
⦁ 2 cups bread flour
⦁ 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
Baking soda mixture
⦁ 3/4 cup water
⦁ 1 tablespoon baking soda
Toppings
⦁ 1/4 cup butter, melted.
⦁ Pretzel salt or coarse sea salt
Preheat oven to 400.
1 Whisk together yeast, 1 1/2 cup warm water and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Allow to rest for 5 minutes then stir in salt.
2 Transfer bowl to a stand mixer. Add 1 cup bread flour, mix for a few minutes until well incorporated then continue one cup at a time, with the next 2 cups flour( meaning the last cup of bread flour, then one cup all purpose flour), reserving the last 1/4 cup all purpose flour.
3 Sprinkle reserved flour onto a counter top then remove the dough from the mixer and knead, incorporating remaining flour if the dough is sticky. Once the dough is soft and pliable return it to a bowl, lightly greased with a butter wrapper or a teaspoon of olive oil, and cover with a tea towel. Allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes.
4 Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a log. Cut 12 sections and roll them into thin strips, then shape them into pretzels. Take 3/4 cup water and 1 Tablespoon baking soda and whisk them together is a large flat bottomed bowl (a 9 in. pie plate works as well). Dunk the soft pretzels in the baking soda mixture then transfer to greased cookie sheets and sprinkle with sea salt.
5 Bake for ten-15 minutes in preheated oven, or until tops and bottoms are golden brown, then remove and brush tops with butter.
Follow along for more great Recipes and Amish Recipes!
Optional but delicious:
Serve with cup cheese or honey mustard.
This Mom Cooks 
What is the difference between bread flour and all purpose flour ??
Bread flour has a higher protein content which produces more gluten and in essence, creates softer dough.
the recipe calls for 2 cups total of flour but in the instructions it reads like there are 3 1/4 cups of flour. ?????
That includes the 1 and 1/4 cup of all purpose flour so 2 cups bread flour and 1 and 1/4 cup bread flour.
So… I’m confused, which one are we supposed to use, the bread flour or the all purpose flour? That’s where the confusion is for me, because the ingredients list calls for both, but the instructions only show using the bread flour and if you substitute the bread flour with the all purpose, the measurements won’t add up…
Sorry for the confusion! It’s 2 cups bread flour and 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour.
I love them
Do they “keep” well or are they only best when fresh?
They are best when fresh but I keep them on the counter and we still eat them the day after. Sometimes I’ll reheat them in a frying pan with a little butter and that’s good!
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