Tessa's Recipe Rundown
Taste: Buttery, garlicky, and so cheesy!
Texture: Crisp outside, soft inside.
Ease: Don’t be intimidated by the baking soda bath – it’s simple once you get the hang of it!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: The absolute perfect snack for game day, Super Bowl parties, or even a cozy afternoon in.
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As much as I LOVE the classic Soft Pretzel Recipe on my site (a recipe my fiancé Joe actually invented!), sometimes I want to spice it up a bit.
What better way to spice up pretzels than by adding heaps of garlic and cheese?! There’s almost nothing better.
These addictive Garlic Parmesan Soft Pretzels are the ultimate game day food, Super Bowl appetizer, or party snack.
Buttery, cheesy, and loaded with garlic. What more could you want out of a carb?!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Soft Pretzels
Knead Your Pretzel Dough
This dough is quite dense and heavy so it needs to be kneaded well in order to allow the gluten to develop. The gluten is the backbone of the structure of these pretzels, giving them their distinct shape and chewy texture.
If you don’t have a stand mixer with a dough hook, you can also knead by hand. It’ll just require some upper body strength and about 5 additional minutes.
How to Make A Baking Soda Bath for Pretzels
Don’t be afraid of this step. It is really easy and makes a big difference in getting that golden crispy outside with the soft inside texture.
- You’ll need 2/3 cup of baking soda and 10 cups of water.
- In a large pot, bring the baking soda and water to a boil.
- Boil the pretzels in small batches in the soda solution for 45 seconds, then flip and boil for an additional 45 seconds.
Note: Make sure to dunk only up to two pretzels at a time to ensure they are able to soak thoroughly.
How to Shape Pretzels
Shape logs of dough into a letter U. Cross the arms placing one over the other, then twist them around each other once. Bring the ends down to the bottom of the U and gently press to stick. Place on two greased parchment-lined baking sheets.
How to Store Pretzels
These pretzels are definitely best served the day they’re baked. Even better, still warm from the oven! However, you can store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat in the toaster oven at 350°F for a few minutes to refresh.
How to Freeze Pretzels
Store the baked but plain uncoated pretzels in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Defrost by letting them sit on the counter for about an hour. Or, simply microwave for about 30 seconds. If desired for a crispier texture, once defrosted, refresh in the toaster for about 5 minutes. Proceed with coating with butter and sprinkling with the topping as directed in the recipe.
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Ingredients
For the pretzels:
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (355 grams) warm water (about 110°F), divided
- 5 cups (635 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted
For baking soda bath:
- 2/3 cup of baking soda
- 10 cups of water
For the garlic Parmesan:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (add more or less to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Make the dough:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and 1/4 cup of the water. Whisk to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes or until frothy.
- Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups water, flour, and salt and stir to combine. On low speed, gradually pour in the melted butter.
- Increase speed to medium and knead for about seven minutes until the dough is elastic and completely smooth and doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl or your hands. This will be a dense dough, so be careful not to step away from your mixer in case it decides to jump on the counter.
Shape the pretzels:
- There is no need to allow this dough to rise prior to shaping. Remove the dough to a clean work surface (do not flour). Divide into 10 equal pieces (each should be about 100 grams). Roll each piece against the counter or between your palms into about a 20-inch long log.
- Shape the log into a letter U. Cross the arms placing one over the other then twist them around each other once. Bring the ends down to the bottom of the U and gently press to stick. Place on two greased parchment-lined baking sheets. Repeat with all the dough portions.
- Cover and allow the shaped pretzels to rise for 30 minutes while you prepare the bath. The shaped pretzels should be slightly puffed before 'bathing.'
Prepare the baking soda bath:
- In a large pot, bring the baking soda and water to a soft boil. Once risen, boil the pretzels in small batches in the soda solution for 30 seconds, then flip and boil for an additional 30 seconds.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the pretzels back to the prepared baking sheets. Using a paring knife, score two slices into the thickest part of each pretzel. Repeat until all pretzels have been bathed and scored.
Bake the pretzels:
- Bake both trays at 400°F for about 16 minutes, alternating the trays half through the baking time for even baking, until deeply golden brown. Bake for less time for softer pretzels and more time for crispier pretzels.
Prepare the topping:
- While the pretzels bake, melt the butter in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the salt, garlic powder, and parsley and stir to combine.
- Brush hot pretzels all over with the garlic butter mixture. Sprinkle generously with the Parmesan cheese. Serve warm.
This post was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2022 with recipe improvements and new photos. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
My husband made this with me and we had so much fun!! Loved the amazing flavor, he thought they needed more butter garlic mixture than just brushed on so he kinda poured it on, lol, then covered with the Parmesan!!! So fun!! Great Sunday together time!!
I was excited to make this recipe & while they tasted good, they didn’t turn out as expected. When I left my pretzels to rise for 30 min, they didn’t rise at all – maybe I did something wrong with the yeast or my kitchen was too cool? I wish there was some more explanation about that step in the process. Then when I took them out of the oven they were completely stuck to the parchment paper. My paper was greased so I have no idea what happened. They were so stuck that I had to cut the bottom of the pretzels completely off so I could avoid eating the paper. While my pretzels were mutilated by the time I ate them, the garlic parmesan topping was great!
Sorry to hear that, Carolyn! Your pretzels really shouldn’t stick if using parchment + spray. I’d suggest trying a different brand of either or both, and making sure to allow the excess water from the bath to drip off before placing back on the parchment-lined tray. Tessa just added a note in the directions as well that after letting the dough rise for 30 minutes, your shaped pretzels should be slightly puffed. If your pretzels didn’t puff up a bit, I’d recommend making sure that your yeast is fresh. You can find how to do so in this article HERE. I hope that helps, and I really hope you give them another try. Let us know how it goes!
One word: Delicious!
I made the garlic Parmesan soft pretzels using the baking soda bath. They turned out fantastic. Tasty, easy to make. We just love them! A great recipe.
Pretzels were good, but I used the baking soda method. I wonder if the lye would get closer to the traditional texture of the crust. The garlic parmesan topping was fine. The recipe is very simple to do.
Hi Paul! Yes, feel free to use the lye bath to achieve the texture of a Bavarian-style pretzel.
Just made these tonight and they are amazing! They were slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I made in the lye bath used in the classic recipe so not sure how that could have tributed to the texture but I would make them the same next time
I made these pretzels tonight. They are super good! I love garlic, parmesan cheese & pretzels so I thought it was the perfect combination. The recipe is so well written & easy to follow. I will be making this recipe again!
These garlic Parmesan pretzels are amazing. They are so soft and so chewy but not too chewy and the flavor is insane. These will be my go to.
These were so tasty! Great flavor especially if you like garlic.
Such a delightful recipe! Perfect to go along with soups or just as a snack… delicious!
Followed the recipe exactly as stated and my pretzels turned out beautifully! My husband was my first taste tester and he absolutely loved them! Great snack for football gatherings too : )
These are great and easy to make! Next time I’ll leave them in the baking soda bath for a bit less time because there was a baking soda aftertaste but otherwise awesome.