No need to head out to the mall - these soft Baked Greek Yogurt Pretzels satisfy the craving with an easy 2-ingredient dough and about 12 minutes of cooking time! The buttery taste and fluffy texture make the perfect snack.
This pretzel recipe is incredibly easy, without any proofing or rising necessary. Plus, you only need 2 ingredients to make the dough. The only "specialty" food item here is pretzel salt, which you can easily buy online and store for future baking projects.
Keep them in the traditional shape, or slice into pretzel bites for extra fun!
The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving (2 pretzels): $0.49
- Total Cost (about 8 pretzels): $1.95
- Those Other Guys: $4.99 per serving
Ingredients
- Self-Rising Flour - Self-rising flour already includes leavening (baking powder) and salt mixed in. This flour provides the perfect amount of rise to our pretzels.
- Plain Greek Yogurt - Greek yogurt will provide moisture, fat, and flavor for the recipe. I recommend full-fat if you can find it, but non-fat works great as well.
- Butter - We brush the pretzels with melted butter before baking. Save a little for after they come out of the oven to really make them taste like the mall versions!
- Baking Soda Bath - Similar to homemade bagels, boiling the dough in a baking soda bath before baking gives the chewy interior and golden brown crust.
- Pretzel Salt - This is a large, coarse salt that doesn't dissolve or melt; so it remains visible and crunchy on our pretzels!
Variations and Substitutions
Pretzel Bites: Right after baking, go ahead and brush with a little more melted butter before tossing the pretzels in a cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels: Right after baking, go ahead and brush with a little more melted butter before tossing the pretzels in a cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Dip/Topping Ideas: Make a savory cheese sauce or salted caramel sauce to dip these in! Other delicious toppings are a garlic & parmesan mix or everything bagel seasoning.
How to Make Soft Pretzels at Home
Step 1: To begin, create your dough by mixing together plain Greek yogurt and self-rising flour.
I like to use a food processor + dough hook to keep things easy, but you can always mix together in a large bowl.
Step 2: Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and hand-knead for a few minutes until you can form a smooth ball of dough.
Slice the dough into 8 even wedges.
Step 3: Roll each wedge of dough out into a long, even rope. I like to line them up to ensure each rope is similar in size.
Step 4: If you're making traditional pretzels, go ahead and fold into that classic shape.
If making pretzel bites, slice into little nuggets.
Step 5: Brush a baking soda & boiling water mixture over each pretzel. (You can also dip these if you prefer.)
Then, brush each pretzel with melted butter and top with pretzel salt.
Step 6: Finally, bake in a hot 400℉ oven until golden brown and gorgeous.
Let them rest for a few minutes before enjoying. That's it!
Recipe Pro Tips
- Use a machine for even more ease. Many food processors have a dough hook like this Ninja food processor that's my favorite. If you're doubling the recipe, you could also use a KitchenAid mixer with a dough hook attachment.
- Don't overbake! For a fluffy and light inside, remove the pretzels from the oven right as they begin to turn golden brown. They will continue to cook residually for a few minutes on the hot pan.
- The pan matters. In the recipe below, I list that you can bake these on a sheet pan or a wire rack over a sheet pan. I've found the wire rack allows better airflow for the pretzels, so they bake up a little fluffier - however, you get the cross section pattern of the rack on the bottom of the pretzels. A sheet pan will give a flat and even bottom, but you may have to take the pretzels out of the oven a minute or so sooner.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, that is a crucial part of forming the crave-able texture that makes a pretzel a pretzel!
You'll see in the recipe below, you can either dunk the unbaked pretzels in the bath, or brush the boiling water over the pretzels before baking.
Grab plain Greek yogurt; its protein content helps create the perfect 2-ingredient dough needed.
Whole-fat or non-fat both work fine.
You certainly can!
Allow the pretzels to cool completely before adding to a freezer-safe bag. Remove all additional air from the bag before sealing. They will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
When you're ready to enjoy, allow the frozen pretzels to thaw to room temperature.
Other Fun Baking Recipes to Try!
If you tried this Baked Greek Yogurt Pretzels Recipe, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Thanks for visiting!
Soft Baked Greek Yogurt Pretzels
Equipment
- Food Processor with dough hook
- Mixing Bowl (optional)
- Silicone Spoon
- Parchment Paper
- Sheet Pan
- Baking Sheet with Wire Rack (optional)
- Kettle (to boil water)
Ingredients
- 225 grams self-rising flour (about 1.5 cups + 1 tablespoon)
- 225 grams plain Greek yogurt (1 cup)
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 2 - 3 tablespoons salted butter (melted)
- pretzel salt
Instructions
- Add your flour and Greek yogurt to a large mixing bowl or a food processor bowl with a dough hook inserted.225 grams self-rising flour, 225 grams plain Greek yogurt
- Mix with a silicone spoon or combine in the food processor until a dough forms.Too sticky? Add a little more flour at a time. Too dry? Add a little more Greek yogurt.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Knead with your hands for a few minutes, creating a ball.
- Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into 8 wedges.
- Roll each wedge into a long, simliar-sized rope, then braid into a pretzel. Place the unbaked pretzels on a parchment-lined sheet pan (or a wire rack with a parchment-lined sheet pan underneath.)If using a wire rack, spray a little cooking spray on the wires.
- Preheat your oven to 400℉ / 205℃. Meanwhile, boil some water in a pot or kettle.
- Mix baking soda into 1 cup of boiling water until it completely dissolves.1 cup boiling water, 1 tablespoon baking soda
- Brush each pretzel with the baking soda water. Then, brush each pretzel with melted butter and sprinkle on pretzel salt.2 - 3 tablespoons salted butter, pretzel salt
- Bake for 12 - 14 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes before enjoying with extra butter or cheese sauce.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think!