Homemade Pretzel Buns are easier than you think to make at home. They’re far superior to regular burger buns and sandwich bread, and they instantly elevate a burger to gourmet status.

One of the best things about this recipe is that you probably already have all of the ingredients in your pantry – all purpose flour, yeast, salt, sugar and olive oil. 

To showcase these for you I made a lovely chicken salad club sandwich that was nothing short of divine. 

It’s just a delicious, magical and sinful hot mess, full of chicken salad (and bacon) goodness all wrapped up in a pretty little pretzel bun bow. As you can see, these pretzel buns can handle some weight, so you can pile it on if that’s your thing.

I happen to love piling flavors on my sandwiches and burgers, but that’s me. The more, the better. Even a simple ham and cheese will taste like it was made by a James Beard award winning chef when you make it on one of these pretzel buns.

This pretzel recipe is easy, straightforward, and doesn’t require any kneading or overnight proofing. You can even make them the same day you need them

They’re so good, so soft, with just enough chewiness (but not too much). 

Of course, you could use these buns for burgers or whatever else you like to put on buns (which we did last night). I just happen to have a thing for chicken salad. 

And jalapeños.   

What’s the Difference Between Homemade Pretzel Buns and Regular Bread?

Can you see the texture of these?

That unique pretzel texture is achieved by the boiling aspect of the recipe. 

Now keep in mind that when you plunge these into the boiling water they are going to come out looking like a wrinkly little alien bun, but that’s normal.

You want it to look that way. I promise you they’ll emerge from the oven looking fabulous and very pretzel-y thanks to the baking soda bath, although they aren’t as dark as store bought pretzels.

If you’re interested, here’s a Food52 piece on “cooking” your baking soda to make a “more muscular and versatile alkali”. In other words, getting it chemically closer in make up to lye (sodium hydroxide). The idea is to put baking soda in the oven for about an hour on 250° to use in pretzel recipes to get a result closer to that of a bakery.

Of course, you can always order lye from somewhere on the internet to use for pretzel baking, but it’s a little on the dangerous side with mask and gloves being mandatory. Baking your baking soda seems like a good compromise between using a caustic agent in your kitchen and regular ass baking soda.

I did not bake my baking soda, and although I don’t get a very dark pretzel they are still amazing. And such a nice change to regular bread.

As far as the type of salt to use for the top of the pretzels, I personally love Maldon Salt crystals. They taste better than any finishing salt I’ve used, and their size and shape are perfect. I use both their traditional and their smoked sea salt crystals. You can definitely use regular kosher sea salt if you would rather.

Can I Make Homemade Pretzel Buns Gluten-Free?

Yes! Just substitute gluten-free all-purpose flour for the flour in the recipe and add the following: 1 tsp. of xanthan gum and 1/2 cup tapioca starch.

Here’s your printable-

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Homemade Pretzel Buns

Yield: 8 pretzel rolls

Prep Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

An easy recipe for pretzel buns perfect for burgers, sandwiches, and BBQ.

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (or 1 packet)
• 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 4 1/2 cups King Arthur's all-purpose flour - or any all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cups baking soda
• 1 egg yolk, whisked
• Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling on the pretzels

Instructions

1. Combine the water and sugar in a standing mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, until the mixture looks foamy.
2. Add the butter and stir to combine.
3. In a small bowl combine the flour and salt together.
4. Pour the flour mixture in the bowl with the liquid, and mix on low using the dough hook attachment, until all of the ingredients are combined.
5. Increase the mixer speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and starts to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 4 to 5 minutes.
6. Toss the dough with a little olive oil and cover with a kitchen towel. Place in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size, about an hour.
7. Preheat the oven to 450°.
8. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle with a little oil.
9. Fill a large pot with water about halfway and add the baking soda. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
10. Meanwhile, place the dough on a slightly oiled counter and divide into 8 equal pieces.
11. Roll each piece into a ball.
12. Place onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.
13. Drop the pretzels into the boiling water, 2 or 3 at a time for about 30 seconds, carefully flipping them around in the hot water.
14. Remove them from the water using tongs or a slotted spoon, and place on the oiled baking sheet.
15. Brush the top of each pretzel with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt.
16. Bake until golden brown in color, about 12-15 minutes.
17. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack to cool completely.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 388Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 5496mgCarbohydrates: 71gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 10g

The provided nutrition calculated may not always be accurate.

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This article was originally posted on April 22nd, 2014.