The Best Fluffy Pancakes recipe you will fall in love with. Full of tips and tricks to help you make the best pancakes.
Why You’ll Love these Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels
Whether you’re managing celiac disease or just cutting back on gluten, these soft pretzels deliver all the chewy, salty satisfaction you’ve been craving.
I’m not kidding when I say they taste exactly like mall pretzels — that perfect golden crust with a tender, pillowy center.
The secret’s in the baking soda bath, which creates that signature pretzel flavor and gorgeous mahogany color.
No weird aftertaste or crumbly texture here. Just pure pretzel perfection that’ll fool anyone into thinking you grabbed them from a bakery.
Trust me, you won’t miss the gluten one bit.
Ingredients for Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels
Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make these amazing gluten-free soft pretzels from scratch. The ingredient list is invigoratingly simple — no fancy specialty items or hard-to-find additions. Just pantry staples that come together to create something truly special.
For the Pretzel Dough:
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum
- 2 tbsp (25 g) dark brown sugar
- 2 tsp (6 g) instant yeast
- 1 tsp (4 g) baking powder
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) warm water (~100°F / 40°C)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
For the Baking Soda Bath:
- 2 quarts (1.9 L) water
- 1/4 cup (65 g) baking soda
- 1 tbsp (15 g) honey (optional)
- Coarse salt for topping
The flour blend is absolutely essential here — make sure it includes xanthan gum, or your pretzels will fall apart faster than you can say “oops.”
I always check that my yeast is fresh by giving it a quick sniff test (it should smell yeasty, not musty), and room temperature ingredients mix much better than cold ones.
The honey in the baking soda bath is technically optional, but it adds a subtle sweetness and helps with that gorgeous golden-brown color.
Don’t skip the coarse salt on top — it’s not just decoration, it’s pure flavor magic.
How to Make these Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels
Making these gluten-free soft pretzels is surprisingly straightforward once you get the rhythm down. Start by whisking together 3 cups (360 g) of all-purpose gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum, 2 tbsp (25 g) of dark brown sugar, 2 tsp (6 g) of instant yeast, 1 tsp (4 g) of baking powder, and 1 tsp (5 g) of salt in a large bowl — I like to really get in there with the whisk to make sure everything’s evenly distributed.
Then add 1 cup (240 ml) of warm water (around 100°F/40°C), 1 large room-temperature egg, and 1 tbsp (14 g) of room-temperature unsalted butter. Mix everything together until you’ve got a firm dough that holds together nicely. The texture might feel a bit different from regular wheat dough, but that’s totally normal.
Cover the bowl and let it rise for about an hour — this is when the magic happens and your dough gets all puffy and alive. If you find yourself making gluten-free baked goods regularly, investing in a gluten free bread machine can streamline your dough preparation process significantly.
After the rise, divide your dough into portions and shape them into those classic pretzel twists. Don’t stress if they’re not perfect — wonky pretzels have character.
Let them rest for 10 minutes while you get your baking soda bath ready by bringing 2 quarts (1.9 L) of water to a boil with 1/4 cup (65 g) of baking soda and 1 tbsp (15 g) of honey if you’re using it. This step is essential — boiling each pretzel for 30 seconds on each side gives them that signature chewy texture and deep golden color.
I use a slotted spoon to carefully lower them in and flip them over. Once they’re boiled, place them on a parchment-lined baking tray, sprinkle with coarse salt (don’t be shy here), and bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 20 minutes until they’re gorgeously bronzed. The smell alone will have everyone hovering around the kitchen.
Substitutions & Variations
While this recipe works beautifully as written, I totally get that everyone’s pantry situation is different — and honestly, that’s where the fun experimentation begins.
You can swap the brown sugar for white sugar or even maple syrup (just reduce the water slightly). No instant yeast? Active dry yeast works fine — just proof it first in the warm water with a pinch of sugar.
For dairy-free pretzels, use plant-based butter or even olive oil.
Want cinnamon sugar pretzels? Skip the salt topping and roll the hot pretzels in cinnamon-sugar instead. Pure magic.
What to Serve with Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels
Now that you’ve got these gorgeous golden pretzels coming out of your oven, the real question becomes what you’re dunking them into — because let’s be honest, a naked pretzel is good, but a pretzel with the right sidekick is absolutely transcendent.
I’m partial to classic yellow mustard or honey mustard for that tangy kick. Cheese sauce never disappoints, especially warm queso or beer cheese.
For something sweeter, try cinnamon butter or cream cheese icing. Hummus works surprisingly well too.
Really, anything creamy or zippy complements that chewy, salty exterior perfectly.
Final Thoughts
Since gluten-free baking can feel like maneuvering through a minefield sometimes, I hope this recipe gives you the confidence to leap in headfirst.
These pretzels prove you don’t need to sacrifice texture or flavor when going gluten-free. The boiling step might seem fussy, but it’s what creates that perfect chewy exterior we’re after.
I love how forgiving this dough becomes once you get the hang of it.
Sure, it’s stickier than regular pretzel dough, but that’s totally normal. Trust the process, embrace the mess, and enjoy every salty, warm bite of your homemade success.
