These gluten free soft pretzels are easier to make than you might think! Use either a store-bought blend or a simple DIY flour mix (tapioca, millet & sorghum). Thanks to both psyllium husk and xanthan gum, you can roll, twist & shape the dough easily. A quick dip in a baking soda bath before baking give these a classic pretzel texture and flavor.
🥨Homemade Gluten Free Soft Pretzels🥨
Soft, chewy, salty, savory & slightly sweet – what’s not to love about soft pretzels??
Though they might look tricky, this recipe is really quite simple (though, a bit messy to be honest)! The gluten-free dough comes together in little time, either by hand or in a stand mixer. Once the dough forms, divide into smaller portions for rolling & shaping.
Unlike my recent gluten free bread recipes, this pretzel dough uses two types of binders (psyllium husk and xanthan gum) to make this dough even more structured, flexible and easy to shape.
⭐️ Want a snack-sized version? Check out my Gluten Free Pretzel Bites recipe next! It’s basically the same thing with slightly altered instruction to make a more snack-able version that’s great for sharing! ⭐️
Key Ingredients
- Wet Ingredients: water + psyllium husk, apple cider vinegar, butter
- whole psyllium husk, not powdered psyllium
- dairy free butter works too!
- Dry Ingredients: flour blend, brown sugar, salt, yeast, xanthan gum
- use instant/quick yeast
- use your favorite, basic all purpose GF flour blend OR use the flour combo I tested for this recipe (tapioca starch, millet flour, sorghum flour).
Store Bought Flour vs DIY
Pretzels made with the store-bought flour blend (Freee Gluten Free Plain White Flour) were smoother & slightly shinier. The dough was also a bit easier to work with, but only slightly.
Pretzels made with tapioca starch, millet flour & sorghum puffed up a bit more in the oven which created stretch marks across the surface (a bit like tiger bread).
While I think the pretzels made with the store-bought flour looked neater, I found the DIY flour blend pretzels were softer, chewier and better overall.
That being said, I’d happily eat either pretzel (and then some!) and you can’t go wrong with either choice.
Make the Pretzel Dough
- Psyllium gel: Mix whole psyllium husk + water together. Set aside.
- Dry Ingredients: Whisk well in a large bowl.
- Wet Ingredients: Stir vinegar and butter into psyllium mixture.
- Combine: Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture.
- Make dough: Mix together until a thick, sticky bread dough forms.
↳Mix by hand or in a stand mixer?
You can do this by hand, but I recommend you make the dough in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or dough hook if possible.
It’s much faster and easier and it creates a smoother, more uniform dough.
Knead & Divide
Knead the dough on a generously floured surface.
Sprinkle a bit more flour onto your hands and work surface as you knead. Add a small amount of flour gradually to avoid overdoing it. Too much extra flour can make the pretzels dry & dense. Ideal dough texture should be soft and slightly tacky when you’re done.
Divide dough in 12 equal pieces (about 95g, each).
How to Shape Pretzel Dough
Start out by rolling one piece of dough into an 16-20 inch (40-50cm) long rope.
- Make a U-shape out of the dough rope.
- Twist the loose ends of the dough around each other twice.
- Pull the ends down over the u shape to create the classic pretzel shape.
- Straighten out the loops & ends.
FYI – Rope Length & Pretzel Size
A few things to keep in mind about dough length:
- Shorter dough ropes =
- small, chubbier pretzels
- smaller, less defined holes
- easier to handle and move
- Longer dough ropes =
- larger pretzels
- defined holes
- tricker to move without altering the shape
My sweet spot was about 18 inches (about 45 cm), but you can play around with your preferred size.
Baking Soda Bath
A quick dip in a baking soda solution is essential to giving homemade pretzels their distinctive flavor, color and texture.
By briefly submerging the dough in an alkaline bath, you raise the pH of the dough which gelatinises the surface starches of the pretzel.
As as result, this triggers the Maillard reaction which is what’s responsible for creating the signature shiny, golden-brown exterior & chewy crust.
↳Lye vs Baking Soda
Traditionally & professionally, pretzels are dipped in a food-grade lye-bath solution – not baking soda.
Lye is more alkaline with a ph of about 13 compared to baking soda which has a pH of about 8.
The higher alkaline compounds speed up the Maillard reaction in the oven which creates more shine and caramelisation (color + flavor).
Because lye is a caustic substance that can cause chemical burns if not handled properly, many home bakers prefer working with baking soda.
Egg Wash & Bake
Brush the pretzels with an egg wash then sprinkle salt over the top.
The egg wash will boost the overall shine and deepen the golden-brown color and help the salt stick to the dough.
Egg Wash Alternatives
- Aquafaba: Save the goopy bean-water found in cans of white beans to use as a vegan egg wash! It doesn’t add much browning, but it will add a glossiness & help the salt stick to the pretzel dough.
- See more aquafaba recipes.
- Maple Syrup + Dairy Free Milk: Mix 1-2 tablespoons of each. This combo is good for browning more than gloss.
- No egg wash: You can also skip the egg wash altogether – just keep in mind that the pretzels won’t brown much and and salt or seedy toppings won’t stick easily to the dough before baking.
- If you want to make cinnamon sugar, pretzels you should skip the egg wash.
Pretzel Variations
Seedy Toppings
- Sesame seeds, za’atar seasoning, everything bagel seasoning: Sprinkle about 2-3 tablespoons over the top of the pretzels after the egg wash for extra crunch & flavor.
Cheesy Toppings
- Mozzarella, cheddar, gruyere, parmesan, etc:
- Pretty much any grated cheese will do. I recommend you add the cheese about halfway through baking to avoid overcooking it. You can wait to add the cheese until fully baked, then broil for 1-2 minutes until melted & bubbly.
Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels
Skip the egg wash and coarse salt topping, then bake as directed.
While the pretzels bake, melt butter and make the cinnamon sugar topping.
- 1/4 cup butter (56g) – salted or unsalted
- 3/4 cup white sugar (150g)
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Brush pretzels with butter while still warm, then toss in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
FYI: Cinnamon sugar pretzels are best enjoyed on the same day as the melted butter can make them a bit too soft over time. If you want to enjoy them past day 1, leave them plain then reheat and add the butter + sugar topping as and when you want them.
Freeze for Later
- Store in an airtight container in the freezer up to 3 months.
- The salt will dissolve into the pretzels the longer they’re frozen, but they’ll still taste great in the end.
- Defrost at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or microwave for about 30 seconds.
- For a crispier texture, warm up (after thawing) in an oven or toaster oven for about 5 minutes at 350°F (180°C).
Enjoy!
Let me know if you try these Gluten Free Soft Pretzels! Leave a comment and review with your thoughts. I always appreciate the feedback and serving suggestions that you come up with!
Gluten Free Soft Pretzels Recipe
No-rise gluten free soft pretzels with a chewy crust, golden finish & real bread-dough feel!
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp whole psyllium husk (25g)
- 2 1/4 cups warm water (540ml)
- 1 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp tapioca starch (225g)
- 1 1/2 cup millet flour (180g)
- 3/4 cup sorghum flour (90g)
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar (28g)
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (8g)
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp xanthan gum
- 2 tbsp melted butter (28g)
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar (10ml)
Baking Soda Bath
- 4 cups water (940 ml)
- 1/4 cup baking soda (60g)
Topping
- 1 egg, whisked + 1 tbsp water
- coarse salt or pretzel salt
Instructions
- Psyllium Gel: Mix water & psyllium husk together in a medium bowl. Set aside to thicken as you prep the other ingredients.
- Flour Mixture: Whisk flours, sugar, yeast, xanthan gum and salt in a large bowl.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Stir melted butter and vinegar into the psyllium mixture.
- Add Wet to Dry Ingredients: Pour the psyllium gel into the flour mixture and combine. Make sure to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl every so often to get all the floury bits. Mix together until you end up with a thick, sticky dough. You can do this by hand, but I recommend doing this in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or dough hook for speed & ease.
- Knead: Knead the dough on a floured surface until the dough is smooth and only slightly tacky.
- Baking Prep: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Divided & Shape: Divide the dough into 12 equal portions (about 95g). Roll each dough piece out into an 18-20-inch rope (45-50cm). Make a U-shape with the rope. Grab both ends of the the dough and twist them around each other twice. Pull the twisted ends towards yourself over the top of the U-bottom to create the classic, pretzel-shape. Carefully transfer the pretzel dough to your prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Baking Soda Bath: Add baking soda & water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, carefully drop a pretzel into the water, boil 20-30 seconds. Use a large slotted spoon, skimmer or spatula to lift the pretzel - let excess water drip back into the pot. Place the boiled pretzel back on to the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pretzels. Tip: Don't fill the pot more than halfway full. As you boil the pretzels, the baking soda might bubble up. If it does, take the pot off the burner for a moment and lower the temperature.
- Egg Wash: Whisk 1 egg + 1 tbsp water in a small cup then brush the outsides of the pretzels with the egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
- Bake: Bake in the middle of the oven for 13-15 minutes or until the outsides are dark, golden brown.
- Cool & Enjoy: Let cool a few minutes, then serve and enjoy.
Notes
Use a kitchen scale: For best results, I recommend you measure ingredients by weight with a kitchen scale.
Flour: Feel free to use your favorite all purpose gluten free flour blend instead. You'll need 500g or 3 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp.
Egg Wash Alternatives
- 1/4 cup aquafaba
- 1-2 tbsp maple syrup + dairy free milk, each
- no egg wash - a good option if you don't plan on adding salt or other toppings before baking. Also good if you plan on making cinnamon sugar bites.
Flavor Variations
- Seedy Topping: Sprinkle about 2-3 tablespoons over the top of the pretzels after the egg wash for extra crunch & flavor.
- Cinnamon Sugar: Skip the egg wash. While the pretzel bake, melt 1/4 cup butter (56g). Whisk 3/4 cup white sugar (150g) and 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon in a large bowl. After baking, brush the warm pretzels with butter then toss in cinnamon sugar to coat. Eat within a day.
- Cheese: Sprinkle grated cheese over the top and bake as usual or add after baking and broil 1-2 minutes until melted & bubbly.
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