My sister Samantha, aka “Sam” made these for family holidays and gatherings for many years. When we moved to Georgia, I realized I needed to get this recipe and continue serving it during these occasions. This is our adaptation to make it allergy-friendly and we serve it on many holidays.
When you approach healthy eating with an abundance mindset, you’ll learn there’s nothing you can’t enjoy. You just have to make a few savvy ingredient swaps. These pretzels will be a staple at your table for years to come.
Table of Contents:
The 411 on Grains
Grains are a hot topic, and it seems like everyone has a differing opinion. Many health enthusiasts suggest eliminating grains from your diet. Grains were created by God, leading me to believe that He intended we consume them! Here’s some must-know information to help you navigate this area with wisdom.
Growing Processes Have Evolved
Grains have been consumed since Bible times, but those grains would be unrecognizable to us. The people living in that time had a standard of purity that we don’t have today. There were no pesticides, the air was unpolluted, and there certainly wasn’t the technology to modify food.
Because their harvesting processes were so basic, they could eat grains with fewer health issues. This doesn’t mean that present-day grains are off-limits, but we need to be aware of what we are consuming.
Grains Used to Be Sprouted
Sprouted or soaked grains benefit your body in many ways. Historically, this was a natural occurrence because storage procedures were different. Instead of sealing grains away, they would get left in the elements, which would cause them to sprout.
These days, sprouted grains aren’t the default option, but you can still find many products, including sprouted bread. Sprouting lowers the carb count in grains by eliminating starches, which makes it a popular choice for many low-glycemic diets (1). Sprouted grains are easier for the body to digest as they contain lower levels of gluten (2).
Balance is Key
Though we encourage healthy grains, there is such a thing as gluten overload. If you find you have sensitivities to gluten found in the standard American diet (white flour, white rice, etc.), you may be able to enjoy these things in a new way.
You should note that sensitivities are entirely different than life-threatening allergies, which you should always take seriously.
If regular rice upsets your stomach, try brown or basmati rice. If white flour is the issue, purchase a high-quality gluten-free or spelt flour. Ancient grains such as quinoa and oats are fantastic options as well.
Get creative. There are many recipes (including this one!) that use healthy flours.
Allergy-Friendly Pretzel Ingredients
These tasty pretzels don’t require any fancy ingredients. In fact, if you’ve started implementing the changes we mention in the Essential Oils Diet, you already have many of these things! Here’s what you need to add to your shopping cart.
Gluten-Free Flour: A high-quality flour makes healthy baking a breeze! I recommend using a cup-for-cup blend because it’s specially formulated for baking pretzels, bread, etc. Some brands require you to add an additional ingredient that you might not be comfortable with, so be sure to check your label!
Coconut Sugar: Every soft pretzel recipe needs a hint of sweetness. I love adding coconut sugar to my baked goods because it has a deep flavor that mimics brown sugar. This low-glycemic sweetener is readily available at most well-stocked grocery stores.
Sea Salt: Traditional table salt undergoes a rigorous harvesting process that strips it of necessary nutrients. I recommend using Colima sea salt as it’s hand-harvested, which leaves the good stuff intact. Plus, it tastes great and adds a gourmet flair to any recipe.
I also have used pink Himilayan salt or flaked sea salt or Kosher salt so you have some options when it comes to your salt preferences.
Baking Soda: Every great pretzel is chewy on the inside and crisp outside. Poaching the pretzel makes this happen! This simple step is vital to the process. Adding baking soda to your poaching water creates the softest pretzels.
Butter: In years past, diet culture eliminated butter in favor of margarine. Recent studies have shown that it’s actually margarine that you should avoid! (3) In moderation, butter is good for your body.
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!
- Unrefined (no propellant) coconut 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 dry active yeast
- 5 ½-6 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground pink Himalayan salt or sea salt
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- 3 large pasture-raised organic eggs OR 1 ½ tablespoon egg replacer PLUS 6 tablespoons purified or distilled water
- 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter, melted OR 2 tablespoons raw organic coconut oil AND 1 pinch freshly ground pink Himalayan salt or sea salt
- Coarse sea salt for topping pretzels
- Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- Mixing bowl
- Plastic wrap
- Shallow pans (I use two at a time and use my largest fry pans so you can get more done.)
- Slotted tuner (metal)
- Wire rack
- Place the warm water and coconut sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, 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 my hands 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 dough with plastic wrap.
- Thoroughly oil your dough piles and your 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 oiled baking sheets. Cover with a kitchen towel. Place on top of the pre-heating oven and let rise for 15 minutes. You may need to spray each of these pretzels with the cooking oil to prevent cracking and if cracks begin to appear, compress the dough to minimize the cracks.
- 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 1 minute. I use two kitchen timers, one for one pan, and one for the other. Use a slotted spoon to return pretzels to the baking sheet. Continue until all pretzels have been poached.
- Brush pretzels with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake pretzels until golden brown, 12-15 minutes.
- Remove from 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, thaw the night before, and warm them up before serving.
Step One: Make Pretzel Dough
Place the warm water and coconut sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir to dissolve. Sprinkle the mixture with yeast; let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy.
Use the dough hook attachment to beat 1 cup of flour into the yeast mixture on low until combined. Add 4 more cups of flour and mix again for about 30 seconds.
Raise the speed to medium-low and continue kneading the dough until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 1½ more minutes. Add the last ½ cup of flour, and knead on low for 1 more minute. If your dough is still wet and sticky, add ½ cup of flour and knead until combined.
Step Two: Begin the Rising Process
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 10 times. Transfer the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a kitchen towel.
Let the pretzel dough rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled.
Step Three: Form the Pretzel Shapes
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly coat two baking sheets with cooking spray and set aside.
Turn out the dough onto an oiled and lightly floured surface and knead once or twice. Spray your hands with the unrefined cooking oil to prevent sticking. Divide into 16 equal pieces. I like to use a dough cutter. Cover the dough with plastic wrap after spraying the piles with your cooking spray.
To make the pretzel shapes:
- Roll out the dough, one piece at a time, into 12-18-inch strips.
- Join the two ends of your strip in a “U” shape.
- Take each pretzel end and twist it together one or two times.
- Last, bring both ends down towards you and pinch to seal. Voila!
Place the pretzels on an oiled baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel. Place the pretzels on top of the preheating stove and let rise for 15 minutes. If your pretzels start to crack apart, compress the dough to minimize cracking at this stage.
Ultimately, if you end up with pretzel pieces, go ahead and cook them as they will still taste delicious. Consider them pretzel nuggets!
Step Four: Poach the Pretzels
While the pretzels are rising, fill two shallow pans with 2-inches of water and bring to a boil. Add the baking soda to each pan and stir to dissolve.
Carefully drop two pretzels in the water per pan and poach for 1 minute. I use two kitchen timers, one for each pan. Using a slotter turner or slotted spoon, remove the treats from the water and return them to a baking sheet. Continue this process until all the gluten-free soft pretzels are poached.
Respray your pans between each set of pretzels while you’re poaching so your pans don’t get scorched or marked.
Step Five: Add Toppings
Brush the gluten-free soft pretzels with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
You can keep the pretzels at room temperature for up to 2 days. Do not store them in a covered container. You can also make them ahead and freeze them to save yourself time. Cook and cool completely, store them in freezer Ziploc bags, and then thaw the day before you want to use them. Warm them up right before you serve.
Serve as is, or add some homemade honey mustard for dipping delight!
Gluten-Friendly Variation
Want more healthy pretzel options? Try our Gluten-Friendly Soft Pretzels. They’re made with spelt flour and are heavenly. They are a perfect choice for those who want to include more healthy grains in their diet!
- 2 cups purified or distilled warm water (about 110ºF)
- 1 tablespoon organic coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon dry active yeast
- 3 cups organic spelt flour, sifted
- 2½ to 3 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground pink Himalayan saltor sea salt
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- 1 large cage-free organic egg
- 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter, melted
- Coarse sea salt for topping pretzels
- Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- Mixing bowl
- Plastic wrap
- Shallow pan
- Slotted spoon
- Wire rack
- Place the warm water and coconut sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, 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 1 ½ 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 floured work surface, and knead until smooth, about 10 times. 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 floured work surface. Knead once or twice and divide into 16 equal pieces. Cover dough with plastic wrap.
- Roll out dough, one piece at a time, into 18 inch long strips. Twist into pretzel shapes. Cover with a kitchen towel. Place on top of the pre-heating oven and let rise for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, fill a large shallow pan with 2 inches of water, and bring to a boil. Add baking soda. Reduce to a simmer, and carefully drop three to four pretzels into the water. Poach 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to return pretzels to the baking sheet. Continue until all pretzels have been poached.
- Brush pretzels with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake pretzels until golden brown, 12-15 minutes.
- Remove from 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.
