QUICK SUMMARY
This gluten-free soft pretzels recipe makes warm, chewy, mall-style pretzels with a soft center and salty crust using gluten-free flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, sea salt, and grass-fed organic butter.
The baking-soda poach creates the classic pretzel texture, so do not skip it. Gluten-free dough is naturally sticky, so oil your hands and work surface instead of adding too much extra flour.
For celiac disease or a serious gluten reaction, use gluten-free ingredients throughout and skip the spelt variation.
My Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels remind me of the warm pretzels from the shopping mall, only made with ingredients I feel better serving my family.
My sister Samantha, aka “Sam,” made soft pretzels for family holidays and gatherings for years. When we moved to Georgia, I knew I needed her recipe so we could keep that tradition going.
Homemade pretzels look impressive, but they are surprisingly doable. Get the kids involved with shaping the dough, and do not worry if a few become pretzel nuggets instead!
Table of Contents:
Make Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels
Homemade pretzels look gourmet but aren’t hard to make. I like to get the kids involved with creating the pretzel shapes. It’s always fun to see their creations!
Sam’s Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels (With Gluten-Friendly Option)
Servings
Ingredients
- Unrefined (non propellant) coconut oil, avocado oil OR olive oil cooking spray for greasing the pan, hands, and other working surfaces to prevent sticking throughout
- 2 cups purified OR distilled warm water (about 110ºF)
- 1 tablespoon organic coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 5½-6 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour*
- 1 tablespoon pink Himalayan salt OR sea salt, ground
- Purified OR distilled water
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- 3 large pasture-raised organic eggs, whisked OR 2 tablespoons grass-fed organic sea-salted butter OR 2 tablespoons coconut oil, extra-virgin AND unrefined AND a pinch pink Himalayan salt or sea salt, ground, melted
- Coarse sea salt, for topping pretzels
Supplies
- Shallow pans (I use two at a time and use my largest fry pans, so you can get more done)
- Slotted tuner (metal)
Instructions
- Place the warm water and coconut sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, and stir to dissolve. Sprinkle with yeast; let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy. Using the dough hook attachment, beat 1 cup of flour into the yeast mixture at low speed until combined. Add 4 more cups of flour; mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Raise speed to medium-low; continue beating until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 1½ minutes. Add ½ cup flour; knead on low speed 1 minute more. If the dough is still wet and sticky, add ½ cup more flour; knead until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly oiled and floured work surface, and knead until smooth, about 10 times. I also oil my hands to keep them from getting covered in the sticky gluten-free dough! Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Lightly coat two baking sheets with cooking spray; set aside. Punch down the dough to remove air pockets. Turn out onto a lightly oiled and floured work surface. Oil your hands if needed to prevent sticking. Knead once or twice and divide into 16 equal pieces (use a dough cutter to help make even divisions). Cover the dough with plastic wrap.
- Thoroughly oil your dough piles and cookie sheets/jelly roll pans so the pretzels will hold their shape. Roll out dough, one piece at a time, into 12-18-inch long strips. Twist into pretzel shapes and place on greased parchment paper covered baking sheets. Cover with a kitchen towel. Place on top of the preheating oven and let rise for 15 minutes. Spray each pretzel with unrefined (non propellant) coconut oil, avocado oil OR olive oil cooking spray to prevent cracking, and if cracks begin to appear, compress the dough to minimize cracking.
- Meanwhile, fill a large shallow pan with 2 inches of water, and bring to a boil. I like to use two of my widest, shallow pans so I can cook two per pan at a time and do four at a time. Add baking soda to each pan. Reduce to a simmer, and carefully drop two pretzels per pan into the water. Poach for 1 minute. I use two kitchen timers, one for one pan and one for the other. Use a slotted spoon to return the pretzels to the baking sheet. Continue until all pretzels are poached.
- Brush pretzels with the whisked eggs or melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake pretzels until golden brown, 12-15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Pretzels will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days. Do not store them in a covered container. Serve warm or at room temperature. This is a great make-ahead recipe. Simply cook and cool completely, store in the freezer in a 9 x 13-inch pan layered with greased parchment paper or a large Ziploc bag layered with greased parchment paper. I prefer flash-freezing the pretzels on greased parchment paper so they lie flat, then transferring them to containers. Thaw the night before, and warm them up (covered) before serving.
Step One: Make Pretzel Dough
Place the warm water and coconut sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, and stir to dissolve. Sprinkle with yeast; let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy. Using the dough hook attachment, beat 1 cup of flour into the yeast mixture at low speed until combined. Add 4 more cups of flour; mix until combined, about 30 seconds.
Raise speed to medium-low; continue beating until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 1½ minutes. Add ½ cup flour; knead on low speed 1 minute more. If the dough is still wet and sticky, add ½ cup more flour; knead until combined, about 30 seconds.
Mama Z Tip: Gluten-free dough often feels stickier than traditional wheat dough. Don’t panic and don’t keep dumping in flour until it feels like conventional bread dough. Add just enough flour to make it workable.
Step Two: Begin the Rising Process
Turn out the dough onto a lightly oiled and floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 10 times. I also oil my hands to prevent them from getting covered in the sticky gluten-free dough! Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Step Three: Form the Pretzel Shapes
Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Lightly coat two baking sheets with cooking spray; set aside. Punch down the dough to remove air pockets. Turn out onto a lightly oiled and floured work surface. Oil your hands if needed to prevent sticking. Knead once or twice and divide into 16 equal pieces (use a dough cutter to help make even divisions). Cover the dough with plastic wrap.
Thoroughly oil your dough piles and cookie sheets/jelly roll pans so the pretzels will hold their shape. Roll out dough, one piece at a time, into 12-18-inch long strips. Twist into pretzel shapes and place on greased parchment paper covered baking sheets. Cover with a kitchen towel. Place on top of the preheating oven and let rise for 15 minutes.
Spray each pretzel with unrefined (non propellant) coconut oil, avocado oil OR olive oil cooking spray to prevent cracking, and if cracks begin to appear, compress the dough to minimize cracking.
Ultimately, if you end up with pretzel pieces, cook them as they will still taste delicious. Consider them pretzel nuggets!
Step Four: Poach the Pretzels
Meanwhile, fill a large shallow pan with 2 inches of water, and bring to a boil. I like to use two of my widest, shallow pans so I can cook two per pan at a time and do four at a time. Add baking soda to each pan. Reduce to a simmer, and carefully drop two pretzels per pan into the water. Poach for 1 minute.
I use two kitchen timers, one for one pan and one for the other. Use a slotted spoon to return the pretzels to the baking sheet. Continue until all pretzels are poached.
Step Five: Add Toppings
Brush pretzels with the whisked eggs or melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake pretzels until golden brown, 12-15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Pretzels will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days. Do not store them in a covered container. Serve warm or at room temperature. This is a great make-ahead recipe. Simply cook and cool completely, store in the freezer in a 9 x 13-inch pan layered with greased parchment paper or a large Ziploc bag layered with greased parchment paper. I prefer flash-freezing the pretzels on greased parchment paper so they lie flat, then transferring them to containers. Thaw the night before, and warm them up (covered) before serving.
Best Ingredients for Gluten-Free Pretzels
You do not need fancy ingredients beyond a dependable flour blend. If you follow the swaps we share in the Essential Oils Diet, you may already have many of these staples.
Gluten-Free Flour: Use a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour that works well in yeast dough. For celiac disease, use ingredients labeled gluten-free and avoid cross-contact.
Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar adds mild sweetness and helps activate the yeast.
Salt: We use Colima sea salt, but pink Himalayan salt, flaked sea salt, or Kosher salt can work too.
Baking Soda: The baking soda bath is what gives pretzels their chewy exterior and golden crust.
Butter: We prefer real butter for a rich finish. Industrial trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils raise cardiovascular risk, which is one reason we avoid old-style processed fats. (4)
Gluten-Friendly Spelt Variation
For a slightly more traditional texture, use 3 cups organic spelt flour AND 2½-3 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Spelt contains gluten. This variation is not gluten-free and is not appropriate for celiac disease, wheat allergy, or anyone who needs strict gluten avoidance.
A Biblical Health Approach to Grains
Biblical health is not about fear-based eating. It is about stewardship: looking at what God created, understanding modern processing, and making wise choices for your family.
Sprouting can change nutrient availability, starch composition, and digestibility in grains. (1, 2) But sprouting does not make wheat, barley, rye, or spelt gluten-free.
If you tolerate grains, choose quality options and keep heavily processed foods in their proper place. That can mean gluten-free flour in this recipe, brown or basmati rice, quinoa, or oats.
The goal is thoughtful choices, joyful food, and gratitude.
Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels FAQs
Why do you boil gluten-free pretzels before baking?
Poaching them in baking-soda water creates the classic chewy exterior and soft center.
Why is my gluten-free pretzel dough sticky?
That is normal. Oil your hands and work surface, add flour gradually, and avoid over-flouring the dough.
How do I keep the pretzels from cracking?
Follow the recipe, oil the dough and pans well, and use the unrefined coconut, avocado, or olive oil cooking spray specified above.
Can I make them ahead?
Yes. Cool completely, freeze flat with greased parchment between layers, thaw before serving, and warm them before eating.
Can I use spelt flour?
Only for the gluten-friendly variation. Spelt contains gluten.
How should I serve them?
Serve warm with grass-fed butter, mustard, or an allergy-friendly dip for holidays, game days, and family gatherings.
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6413227/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28317775/
- https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/celiac-disease/definition-facts
- https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/trans-fat
