Use this delicious pretzel roll recipe to up your roll game! Gorgeous and delicious, these rolls will be the star at your Thanksgiving table!

I didn’t know pretzel rolls were a thing until I saw them at Costco one time. I gave them a try, and they were delicious! However, they seemed a little sweet to me (and pretzels are not sweet!) I decided to try my hand at a homemade version, and they turned out great! (Speaking of pretzels in general, you HAVE to make my Homemade Soft Pretzels! They are the best pretzels you’ll ever have!)

Pretzel rolls do take a few extra steps, but they are worth it to get that golden, crackly top. I’ve got a step-by-step tutorial with pictures for you, so keep reading!

Ingredients for Pretzel Rolls

You don’t need anything fancy for these rolls. Just the following:

• Water
• Yeast
• Oil
• Salt
• Brown sugar
• Flour
• Baking soda

How to Make Pretzel Rolls

The first thing you’ll do is whip up the dough. I always use my KitchenAid mixer with the dough hook.

The dough should be soft, but not sticky. Let the dough rise until doubled, and then all the fun starts!

Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface.

Now use a sharp knife to cut the dough into squares. You can see I’ve done 16 squares here, with some corner pieces that will probably need to be combined.

Now pick up each piece of dough and form into a ball. I like to take both of my thumbs and put them together on the top and gently pull the dough down to the bottom and tuck it under.

Here’s where the magic happens! You are going to boil water in a large pot and add baking soda to the water. Then you’ll drop each ball of dough into the boiling soda water for 20-30 seconds. (I set a timer so I don’t let the dough boil too long).

Remove each ball with a slotted spoon and allow the water to drip off. Then place the balls on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. (It’s o.k. if the parchment paper gets wet).

Now you’re going to take a sharp knife and cut two slits in the top of each roll. You can cut parallel slits, or cross slits, like I did.

Now if you really want your pretzel rolls to be gorgeous, you need to brush them with melted butter and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Now it’s time to bake in a 400 degree F. oven for 22-26 minutes, until golden brown.

These are best served warm, but can be stored in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to three days. The longer they are stored, the more chewy they become.

This recipe adapted from Easy Soft Pretzel Rolls on Sally’s Baking Addiction.

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Pretzel Rolls

Yield: 16

Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

Use this delicious pretzel roll recipe to up your roll game! Gorgeous and delicious, these rolls will be the star at your Thanksgiving table!

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup baking soda (for the water bath)
• 9 cups water (for the water bath)
• melted butter (optional)
• kosher salt (optional)

Instructions

1. Add the 1 1/2 cups warm water and the 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast to a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer. Let sit 5-10 minutes until frothy.
2. Add the 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 Tablespoon of brown sugar.
3. Add the flour, one cup at a time, stirring well after each addition, or using the dough hook on your mixer. Be sure to measure the flour properly (by spooning into the cup) so that you don't use too much flour.
4. After three cups of flour have been added, add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time. Once the dough is smooth and bounces back when poked with your finger, it is ready. (You may not need all four cups of flour. It's most important that the dough is not sticky, but you don't want to add more flour than is necessary).
5. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled (about an hour). To speed up the rising process, you can heat your oven to 200 degrees F., then turn off your oven and place your dough inside to rise. Make sure your dough is in an oven-safe bowl (metal or glass) and that you don't use plastic wrap to cover it. Instead, use a towel.
6. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and remove it from the bowl. Place it on a floured surface and let it rest for about ten minutes.
7. While the dough is resting, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. and put 9 cups of water and 1/2 cup baking soda in a large pot on the stove. Turn to high and bring to a boil.
8. Gently spread the dough out on your floured surface into a thick rectangle. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 16 pieces.
9. Pick up each piece and form into a ball.
10. When all the balls have been formed, drop them one or two at a time into the boiling soda water. Boil the dough for 20-30 seconds, and then remove with a slotted spoon.
11. Place the balls on a parchment-lined or silicone mat-lined baking sheet.
12. Use a sharp knife to cut slits in the top of the rolls. Brush each roll with melted butter and sprinkle with kosher salt.
13. Bake for 22-26 minutes, until dark golden brown.

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