Homemade bakery style pretzel buns can easily be made at home. These buns are perfect for burgers, sandwiches or just eating plain.
This recipe makes 12 regular sized buns or 18 mini sized buns.
Baking bread is such a rewarding task and making these homemade pretzel buns is not only rewarding but makes you feel like a professional baker!
These buns have a really nice bite and chewy pretzel texture, similar to a freshly baked pretzel, but the inside is soft and delicious. I love eating them just by themselves, without butter or anything, but they are just as delicious sliced in half and filled with sandwich fixings or your favorite burger.
The secret to making really delicious pretzel rolls is boiling the rolls before baking them. This is the same process you use when you make bagels, but the difference is the addition of baking soda to the boiling water.
The baking soda mimics the lye that is used in professional bakeries, but without all the hassle.
If you enjoy baking bread at home, you'll definitely want to make these pretzel rolls.
Key ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Water
- Butter
- Active dry yeast
- Sugar
- Salt
- Baking soda - for adding to the boiling water
- Coarse salt - sprinkling on the rolls
Step by step directions
- Place warm water in a mixing bowl
- Sprinkle yeast and sugar on top. Stir just lightly so the yeast is mixed in.
- Allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes, until it is bubbly
- Mix in two cups of the flour, melted butter and salt
- Continue stirring in flour until dough comes together to form a ball
- Knead dough for 8-10 minutes until dough is soft and supple
- Form dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl
- Cover and let rise until doubled - about 1 - 1 ½ hours
- Divide dough into 12 equal sized pieces and form into rounds. To form rolls, cup your hand over the dough and rotate quickly in a circular motion.
- Place on a lightly greased piece of parchment paper
- Cover with a clean towel and let rest for 30 minutes
- While the rolls are resting, preheat oven to 415°F and set water with baking soda on a burner and bring to a boil
- Gently place 2-4 rolls in boiling water. Boil for 30 seconds on each side.
- Remove with a strainer or large slotted spoon and place back on baking sheet
- Using a razor blade or a very sharp knife, slice the top of each roll with an X or with two parallel lines
- Repeat with remaining rolls
- Sprinkle with coarse salt, if desired
- Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes
- Remove from baking sheet and continue cooling a rack
Recipe tips
- Don't skip the baking soda bath! - This is what creates the pretzel like exterior on these buns.
- Do not overcrowd your pot when boiling the buns. Just boil a few at a time.
- Watch a clock when boiling. Just 30 seconds per side!
- Score the rolls! After you remove the rolls, make your mark! It needs to go deep enough to score through the skin that was formed from boiling. A razor blade works best, but a very sharp knife will work too. When using a knife, I usually make two parallel lines instead of crossed lines. The knife tends to catch when making the second cut, pulling the cross or X apart.
- The buns will look dimpled and slightly deflated after boiling. This is normal.
- Adding the coarse salt is optional. If adding, sprinkle on just before placing in the oven.
- If freezing or saving the buns to use for later, do not add the salt on top of the buns. The salt dissolves over time and causes the surface of the buns to become wet.
- When making mini sized buns, reduce cooking time to 12-15 minutes
Recipe Faqs
Yes, these buns can be frozen. Do not add the coarse salt on top of the buns. Once the buns are fully cool, place in a single layer in a freezer zip top bag and freeze.
Buns are best used within 30 days.
The buns will last for 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container or bag at room temperature.
Serving suggestions
- Slice in half and slather with a spicy mustard and layer with ham and cheese
- Use a basil mayonnaise and add bacon, lettuce and tomato
- Use as a hamburger bun and fill with your favorite burger
- Eat plain with a bit of butter or honey butter
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Be certain to check out all my homemade bread recipes!
Pretzel Buns
Ingredients
Dough
- 1¾ cups water (warm)
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 4 - 4¼ cups flour
- 3 tablespoons butter (melted and cooled)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Water Bath
- 2 quarts water
- ¼ cup baking soda
Topping
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
Instructions
- Place warm water in a mixing bowl1¾ cups water
- Sprinkle yeast and sugar on top. Stir just lightly so the yeast is mixed in. Allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes, until it is bubbly2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar
- Mix in two cups of the flour, melted butter and salt4 - 4¼ cups flour, 3 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt
- Continue stirring in flour until dough comes together to form a ball. You might not need all the flour.
- Knead dough for 8-10 minutes until dough is soft and supple
- Form dough into a large ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled - 1 - 1 ½ hours.
- Gently deflate dough and divide into 12 equal pieces
- Form each piece into a smooth ball and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper that has been lightly sprayed with a nonstick spray
- Cover with a clean dish towel and allow rolls to rise for 20-30 minutes
- While rolls are rising, preheat oven to 425°F and set up a pot with water and baking soda. You want the water at a rolling boil when the rolls have risen.2 quarts water, ¼ cup baking soda
- Place 2-4 rolls in the boiling water. Boil for 30 seconds on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place back on parchment lined baking sheet.
- Slice each roll with cross marks with a razor or very sharp knife
- Continue with remaining rolls
- Sprinkle with coarse salt just before baking, optional1 teaspoon coarse salt
- Bake in preheated 425°F oven for 18-20 minutes
- Remove rolls from oven and transfer to a baking rack
- Once buns are completely cool, place in an airtight container and store at room temperature
Notes
- Don't skip the baking soda bath! - This is what creates the pretzel like exterior on these buns.
- Do not overcrowd your pot when boiling the buns. Just boil a few at a time.
- Watch a clock when boiling. Just 30 seconds per side!
- Score the rolls! After you remove the rolls, make your mark! It needs to go deep enough to score through the skin that was formed from boiling. A razor blade works best, but a very sharp knife will work too. When using a knife, I usually make two parallel lines instead of crossed lines. The knife tends to catch when making the second cut, pulling the cross or X apart.
- After boiling, the buns will look dimpled and slightly deflated. This is normal.
- Adding the coarse salt is optional. If adding, sprinkle on just before placing in the oven.
- If freezing or saving the buns to use for later, do not add the salt on top of the buns. The salt dissolves over time and causes the surface of the buns to become wet.
- When making mini sized buns, reduce cooking time to 12-15 minutes
David @ Spiced says
The only problem with this recipe is that I'm pretty sure I would eat all of the rolls before they ever got turned into sandwiches. 🙂 I love this recipe, Kathy! Perfect way to mix things up a bit!
Kathy says
That's always a bit of a risk! Maybe make a double batch 😉