Description
Learn how to make homemade pretzel buns that are soft, chewy, and irresistibly delicious. These buns feature a classic pretzel crust achieved by boiling in a baking soda solution before baking to golden perfection, perfect for sandwiches or burgers with a rich, slightly sweet flavor and satisfying texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 3.5 cups bread flour
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
- 0.5 cup warm water
- 0.5 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Boiling Solution
- 2 quarts water
- 6 tablespoons baking soda
Instructions
- Mix Dough: In a large bowl, combine the bread flour, salt, yeast, warm water, milk, and honey. Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix for 3-4 minutes until a cohesive dough forms.
- Add Butter: Gradually incorporate the room temperature unsalted butter into the dough while kneading on low speed until fully integrated, adding richness and improving texture.
- Knead Dough: Increase mixer speed to medium-high and knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth, soft, and passes the windowpane test without tearing.
- Initial Rest: Lightly spray a straight-sided container with oil, roll the dough into a ball, place it inside, turn to coat with oil, cover, and let rest at room temperature for 10-20 minutes.
- Cold Fermentation: Cover and refrigerate the dough for 8-12 hours to slow fermentation and develop flavor.
- Warm Dough: Remove dough from refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 45-60 minutes to relax and rise slightly.
- Shape Buns: Remove dough from container and shape it into a square. Divide into 8 equal pieces, then roll each piece into a tight ball with tension and place seam-side down.
- Final Proof: Cover dough balls with a damp paper towel and let them rise for about 30 minutes until increased in size by about 50%.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Boil Buns: Bring 2 quarts of water and 6 tablespoons of baking soda to a rolling boil in a large pot. Carefully drop buns into the boiling solution and boil for 30 seconds on each side.
- Score Buns: Using a razor blade or sharp knife, score a large X on top of each bun, cutting ⅛ to ¼ inch deep to allow expansion while baking.
- Bake Buns: Transfer boiled buns to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 16-19 minutes, until deep brown and crusty.
- Cool: Remove buns from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Store: Store cooled buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Use bread flour for the ideal chewy texture; all-purpose flour will not yield the same result.
- Warm water activates the yeast better, helping dough rise.
- If desired, substitute non-dairy milk to make recipe dairy-free.
- Boiling the dough in baking soda solution is essential for the characteristic pretzel crust and flavor.
- The scoring (X cut) on top helps buns expand properly without cracking in unwanted ways.
- Allow buns to cool completely before storing to prevent sogginess.
- These buns are best eaten within 2 days or can be frozen for longer storage.
