Southern Germany / lye-baked bakeries
Soft Pretzels
A mahogany knot with a chewy bite. Strong flour and an alkaline bath are non-negotiable.
Your loaf
Scaled to your flour, protein, and hydration.
Suggested hydration 56%. Mix protein 12.6% · after VWG 13% protein · 11% gluten. Effective liquid 55.5% (water + milk/eggs/etc).
Rest
10 min
Bulk / rise
45 min
Proof
20 min
Bake
16 min
Times follow this dough weight and hydration — wetter and whole-grain run faster; bigger loaves bake longer. Timers below match these numbers.
| Ingredient | Baker’s % | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Whole-grain flour | 100 | 500 g |
| Flour | 100 | |
| Vital wheat gluten | % | |
| Water | % | |
| Salt | % | |
| Yeast | % | |
| Oil | % | |
| Sugar | % | |
| Dough total | 826 g |
Same list as a classic baker’s % calculator: Flour and Water stay on. Check Milk, Yeast, Oil, Honey… then OK. Percents are of flour weight.
- Hard White Wheat can take a real knead and a higher hydration. Give it a windowpane if the style wants one.
- Fresh whole-grain flour ferments faster and drinks more water. Watch the dough, not the clock, and consider a slightly cooler bulk.
Hands, rest, heat
Knead
8–10 minutes to a stiff, smooth dough.
Rest
10 minutes after mixing so the bran (if whole-grain) can catch up. For this batch: about 10 min.
Rise / bulk
45–60 minutes — you want strength, not a huge puff. For this batch: about 45 min.
Proof
After shaping, 20–30 minutes, then a brief freezer rest (10 min) so they keep their arms in the bath. For this batch: about 20 min.
Bake
Dip in baked-soda bath (or food-grade lye if you know the ritual). 450°F 14–18 minutes. For this batch: about 16 min.
Home alkaline bath: bake baking soda at 250°F for 1 hour, then 1/3 cup per 2 qt water. Lye is traditional and caustic.
Method
- Mix a stiff dough. Knead smooth. Rise 45 minutes.
- Divide 80–100 g. Roll ropes, shape pretzels.
- Rest, then chill 10 minutes.
- Dip 10–15 seconds in the alkaline bath. Salt. Bake until deep mahogany.
Ratings
No community ratings yet — yours stay on this phone.
Your bake
Upload a snapshot of your loaf. Photos stay on this phone (and with your account if you sign in).