How to Make the Best Vegan Soft Pretzels
If you’re vegan and miss those classic soft pretzels, then I am here to tell you that long gone are those days! My recipe is easier to make than you may think, requires only ten basic baking ingredients, and yields the most delicious vegan soft-baked pretzels! These are perfectly soft, buttery, salty, and addicting. So, get yourself some vegan nacho cheese because you’re going to want to dip these vegan soft pretzels in it; I can promise you that!
10 basic ingredients are all you need!
First, I combine sugar, salt, water, and active dry yeast in a stand mixer bowl. Once it is nice and frothy, I add in all-purpose flour and melted vegan butter. Then, I let my handy dandy KitchenAid mixer do all the kneading. (PST, this mixer is one of my favorite and best kitchen appliances I’ve ever spent money on!) After a few minutes, the dough is nice and smooth, so I plop it into a buttered bowl, cover it, and let it rest for one hour.
Once the dough has doubled in size, I cut it into eight pieces and shape them into large pretzels. Next, I boil them in baking soda water. The baking soda is what gives the pretzels their beautiful brown color in the end. Without the baking soda, the pretzels would barely get any color!
Lastly, I brush them with liquid Just Egg, sprinkle them generously with coarse sea salt, and bake them until their perfectly browned. If I’m feeling extra crazy, I’ll brush mine with vegan butter before dipping it into vegan nacho cheese. These are ABSOLUTE PERFECTION, I am telling you! You NEED to give these a try!
Buttery, salty, and oh so delicious!
These vegan soft baked pretzels are genuinely addicting. I’ll eat one and think I’m good to go, but then a few minutes later, I’ll find myself wanting another one. I love dipping these pretzels in melted vegan butter, but if you can find or want to make homemade vegan nacho cheese, I HIGHLY recommend dipping yours in that for a ballpark vibe. These also taste great dipped in whole grain mustard. Heck, they taste amazing, dipped in absolutely nothing, too! So what are you waiting for?! Take a peek at the ingredients down below and get baking!
If you make my vegan soft pretzels recipe, don’t forget to post a picture to Instagram, tag me @chefsummerstorm, and #gardengrub so I can see your recreation!
How to Make the Best Vegan Soft Pretzels
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- Cooking thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp organic cane sugar
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups water, warmed to 110 degrees Fahrenheit-IMPORTANT!
- 1 package (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup vegan butter, melted, plus more for greasing
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 10 cups water
- 2/3 cup baking soda
- 3 tbsp liquid Just Egg + 1 tbsp water
- Course sea salt, for sprinkling on top of the pretzels
Instructions
- Add the 1 1/2 cups of warmed water, sugar, and salt into the bowl of a standing mixer and stir well. Sprinkle the active dry yeast on top and let this rest for 10 minutes. The mixture should then be super frothy; if not, this means your yeast is spoiled or your water wasn't at the correct temperature, so please start over.
- Now, add the flour and melted butter into the bowl. Using a dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Then, change the speed to medium and knead the dough for 4 minutes.
- In the meantime, grease a large mixing bowl with some vegan butter. After the dough has finished kneading, roll it around in the greased bowl to lightly coat it, then place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the dough. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap as well. Let the dough rest in a dark, warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two large sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush them with melted vegan butter. Set aside.
- Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in a medium-large stockpot.
- In the meantime, lightly grease your counter with vegan butter. Then, punch the dough once down the center and turn it out onto the greased counter. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and place a piece of plastic wrap on top of them. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a u-shape with the rope, then take one end of the rope, bring it down to the bottom opposite side, and seal it into the dough. Next, take the other end of the rope, cross it over to the other bottom side, and seal it into the dough, giving it a traditional pretzel shape. Gently place this on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat this step with the other 7 ropes of dough.
- Gently lift a pretzel with a large spatula while also holding it with your other hand, and carefully place it into the boiling water to cook for 30 seconds. Then, gently lift it out of the water using the spatula or even two spatulas to make it easier, and put the pretzel back onto the prepared sheet pan. Repeat this step with all of the pretzels.
- Stir the liquid Just Egg with the 1 tbsp of water until combined. Using a pastry brush, brush the entire top and sides of a pretzel with the egg mixture and then immediately sprinkle it generously with coarse sea salt. Repeat with all pretzels.
- Bake one sheet pan at a time on the middle oven rack for 10-12 minutes or until medium-dark golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool down for at least 5 minutes. Repeat this step with the other sheet pan of pretzels.
- When you're ready to eat one, brush it with melted butter if desired, and dip it in vegan nacho cheese or queso, mustard, or whatever your heart desires!
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