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America’s Beloved Auntie Anne’s Soft Pretzels Recipe, They’re So Addictive!

Many will agree that there’s no pretzel that compares to Auntie Anne’s. No one. These hand-rolled, soft-pretzels that’s freshly baked and handed right into your eager hands to bite into…there’s nothing like it. And now you can make them right at home!

You could always recognize and follow the aroma of Auntie Anne’s freshly baked pretzels in the mall. They’re buttery, warm, chewy, soft, salty or sweet – and delicious! They’re very addicting that leaves me wanting more. A lot more!

This recipe is very easy to follow with some secrets to what makes them THE BEST. The baking soda wash helps give that nice golden brown crust and adds to the puffiness. While dipping them in butter at the end after baking is what gives it that delicious golden buttery flavor. It’s so good!

What began as a small stand at a Pennsylvania Farmer’s Market in 1988, Auntie Anne’s ‘masterpiece’ became a well-loved snack loved by so many that’s become a nationwide sensation that keeps people coming back for more. Nothing compares.

Now you can make these delicious soft baked pretzels right at home!

“This seriously has made my day, hahaha! You cannot believe how ecstatic I am that I found this recipe!”

HOW TO MAKE AUNTIE ANNE’S ORIGINAL SOFT PRETZELS

Cook time: 10-12 minutes
Servings: 12


Ingredients:

Pretzel Dough

  • 2 Cups milk
  • 1 1/2 Tbs active dry yeast (2 packets)
  • 4 Tbs butter, room temperature
  • 4 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour, plus an up to an additional 1/2 cup as needed
  • 2 Tsp fine salt
  • 6 Tbs packed light-brown sugar, optional

Baking Soda Wash

  • 1/3 Cup baking soda
  • 3 Cups warm water
  • coarse salt, to taste
  • kosher salt/coarse salt for sprinkling

Finishing

  • 8 Tbs of melted butter

Directions:

Pretzel Dough

  1. Combine milk, instant yeast and sugar in the mixing bowl and using a dough hook, whisk until well mixed.
  2. Stir in the 4 Tbs of melted butter. Using low speed, gradually mix in the flour and salt. Increase the speed and let it knead till the dough is smooth. Shape into a ball and transfer the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic and let it rise for 1 hour in a moist, warm place until almost double its size. *If you don’t have a mixer, just mix and knead by hand.
  3. Preheat the oven to 450º. Deflate the dough and divide into 6 pieces. Roll and stretch each piece of dough into a long rope, about 25-30 inch, holding the ends, stretch and shape each dough into a pretzel shape. You can also watch the tutorial video below from Auntie Anne’s!

Baking Soda Wash

  1. Dissolve the baking soda in 3 cups warm water in a shallow baking dish. Gently dip each pretzel in the baking soda solution and arranged on a baking sheet, sprinkle with kosher/coarse salt and bake for 10-12 mins.

Finishing

  1. After baking, dip the warm pretzels into the 8 Tbs of melted butter, turning to coat. Let excess butter drip off and serve with dipping sauce.

Notes:

  1. For dipping sauces we recommend are Yammie Noshery’s Amazing Garlic Cheese Sauce, or some marinara sauce, or honey mustard.
  2. For a sweeter option, try with a warm homemade doughnut glaze, caramel sauce or chocolate sauce.
  3. Another sweet option is to skip the coarse salt step of the recipe and sprinkle instead with lots of cinnamon sugar.