Okay, I have to admit it – soft pretzels are totally one of my guilty pleasures. I’m all for maintaining a well-balanced diet, filled with a colorful array of fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and other nourishing foods. But, there’s just something about that warm, twisted dough, perfectly sprinkled with salt, that makes soft pretzels irresistible.
And that’s precisely why I’m thrilled to introduce you to an absolute winner of a recipe – organic, vegan soft pretzels. These delightful creations not only satisfy my cravings but also let me enjoy my guilty pleasure without that post-indulgence guilt. Seriously, they’re such a treat! It’s time to elevate your pretzel game!
Makes 6
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/2 tablespoon active dry yeast (I like Bob’s Red Mill)
- ¾ cup water (1/4 cup for proofing, ½ cup for dough)
- 2 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups organic, unbleached all-purpose flour (King Arthur is a great option!)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons baking soda (this is for the boiling water NOT the dough)
- 6 cups water, in a pot (for boiling)
- Coarse Maldon salt (for sprinkling)
Directions
- Proof the yeast: Put ¼ cup warm water, maple syrup, and yeast into a small cup and stir until yeast dissolves. If yeast does not foam, try again with another 1/2 tablespoon of yeast – this could also mean that your yeast has gone bad.
- Make the dough: Mix and knead the flour, salt, oil, proofed yeast mixture, and an additional ½ cup of water (for a total of ¾ cups water) for about 8-10 minutes.
- Brush the inside of a large glass bowl with a little bit of oil. Form the dough into a ball and put it in the bowl. Cover and allow the dough to rise for about 40 minutes, or until it has doubled in size. I recommend leaving the dough outside in the sun or on top of a preheating oven for some extra warmth.
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
- Uncover your dough and punch it down few times. Seriously – punch it!
- Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper on it. Set aside.
- Prepare an oiled work surface. Cut the dough into 6 equal sections (depending on the size you want your pretzels), and roll each out a long rope – about 18-24 inches.
- Form the rope into a pretzel shape – I would recommend watching a YouTube video if you’re a first-timer 😉
- Put 6 cups of water into a pot and dissolve the 2 tablespoons of baking soda into the water and bring to a rolling boil.
- Drop pretzels, one at a time, into the pot. Each should sink a little then rise up. Wait 30 seconds, then lift out using a slotted spoon and place each onto the cookie sheet. While still wet, sprinkle liberally with Maldon coarse sea salt – you cannot use too much salt in this step. Take a sharp knife and cut a 4-6 inch slit along the bottom of the pretzel. (This slit will open up during baking).
- Bake for about 14 minutes. Watch them carefully – when they’re golden brown, they’re done!
