Reminiscing about the Mall and their Soft Pretzels

This soft pretzel recipe is easy to do and doesn’t make a ton of pretzels. You’ll have two medium sized soft pretzels. One to eat and one to share. Or perhaps both a savory and sweet pretzel to enjoy all to yourself? This recipe will create a chewy, buttery and crispy soft pretzel that is best eaten warm. Too often, when you find a soft pretzel recipe, it is for a large amount of pretzels, often a dozen! This is wonderful, but what if it’s just you or another person wanting to enjoy a soft pretzel? These are high in calories, so who needs twelve delicious pretzels lying around begging to be eaten? Well…maybe we do. But for those trying to maintain their weight, this recipe makes it much easier to enjoy the occasional snack.

We started making smaller recipes as we have found families are shrinking and budgets are tightening these days. Not everyone wants to try out a new recipe when money is tight and the ingredients are plentiful. By creating recipes with smaller portions in mind, you can enjoy your favorite foods or try a new recipe without breaking the bank. It’s much easier for us to try new recipes when they only call for one cup of flour rather than five or six! Try this soft pretzel recipe for 1 – 2 people and see what you think.

We simply love this mall style pretzel recipe. Hopefully, it will remind you of those trips to Auntie Anne’s® but without having to leave your home! Who doesn’t want to make a copycat mall pretzel recipe? What do you think? Did we come close? We like to think so! It will be delicious even if you think it’s not identical to the mall style pretzels! We’d like to think ours is better because it’s fresh out of the oven and made with our own hands. If you enjoy copycat recipes, how about trying Schlotzky’s inspired sandwich bread next? It’s even easier to make than pretzels and quite delicious.

Step-By-Step Instructions

We will show you both in a video and through photographs how to make mall style pretzels step-by-step. This is a simple recipe to do once you get the hang of it. Don’t worry if your pretzels don’t turn out perfect the first or even thirteenth time around. The dough is very delicious and it’s so fun to make them you’ll enjoy the process.

Step 1: Make the Dough

First, gather all the ingredients for the pretzel dough. There isn’t a lot to it. We studied the recipe on the back of the box and noticed one fun ingredient: brown sugar. Once we added that to our pretzel dough, it was like we were transformed back to our youths and chomping away on pretzels at the local mall.

Then, you will mix them all together into a shaggy dough. You could add the brown sugar, yeast and salt to the water a few minutes in advance to ensure the yeast is active.

Next, you want to knead the dough by hand 8 – 10 minutes or until it is smooth. It should look like this. You can use a stand mixer. Just knead it the same amount of time on the appropriate speed. The dough should stretch easily without tearing.

Rest the dough, covering tightly until double in size. This may take anywhere from 60 – 120 minutes. If your climate is hot, it could rise even sooner! If your climate is cold, have patience!

Step 2: Shape the Pretzels

Divide dough in half. Cover one half loosely while working so the dough doesn’t dry out. Be sure to leave room to shape your other dough. You’ll need a lot of room.

Roll one section of the dough into a long rope. You want 2 – 3 feet (just under a meter.) The longer the rope, the thinner, taller and chewier the pretzel will become.

Taking both ends of the long rope of dough, make a U shape. It should look like this.

Pick up one end of the dough and make an x shape by crossing the dough onto the opposing side. It will look like the dough is crossing its legs.

Cross the dough a second time to create the classic pretzel twist. It doesn’t look like it yet, but I promise it will next!

Bring the ends down to the bottom of the circle and lay on top of the dough just as pictured below. It’s still a bit misshapen. Don’t worry.

Using your fingers, manipulate the dough until you see a pretzel form! It’s like magic. Wasn’t that fun? Repeat for the second portion of dough.

Step 3: Make a Soda Bath

In a shallow pan, you’ll want to add a couple tablespoons of baking soda along with some hot water. Don’t get it so hot you can’t safely dip your fingers into it. Tap water hot, not boiling hot.

Next, briefly dip your shaped pretzel in the hot water. Repeat for the second.

Step 4: Bake and Decorate!

Place each pretzel on a parchment lined baking sheet. You can also use a silicone mat.

Bake the pretzels in a hot oven until they are golden brown. You’ll then want to spread a generous layer of butter on the pretzel while still warm.

Next, you want to cover the top with your favorite seasonings. Salt is a classic. Try to find coarse salt for the ultimate experience.

Perhaps you’d like a sweeter pretzel? Try some cinnamon and sugar for a nice surprise. Maybe eat one savory and one sweet and not share any of them?

Substitutions

Here are some common substitutions for the recipe.

• For a cinnamon topping, mix 1/2 tsp (.5g) cinnamon with 2 tbs (25g) of sugar.  More cinnamon can be added to taste.  Sprinkle generously on the buttered pretzel while warm.
• Sprinkle on powdered parmesan for a cheesy version.
• White granulated sugar can be used in place of the brown sugar.
• Melted butter or margarine can be used in place of the oil in the dough recipe.

Storage

These soft pretzels are best served on the same day while still warm. Fresh bread goes stale or molds very quickly. If you want to store them for later, cool completely on a wire rack. Store in a paper bag up to 2 days on the counter. If stored in an airtight container, the pretzels will become soggy and change texture.

They may be stored tightly wrapped in the freezer for up to 3 months before coating in butter. To reheat: Preheat oven to 425F (220C.) Place frozen pretzels on a baking sheet and bake 5 – 7 minutes or until hot. Then add butter or margarine and toppings.

Mall-Style Pretzel Recipe

Soft and chewy in the center and crispy, buttery and salty on the outside, these pretzels are amazing! Make one giant one or two large pretzels to enjoy with this easy recipe. This is a soft pretzel recipe for 1 – 2 people.

Print Recipe

Prep Time15 minutes minutes

Cook Time12 minutes minutes

Rest2 hours hours

Total Time2 hours hours 27 minutes minutes

Servings2

Calories 302.5

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 cup (150g) flour
• ⅓ cup (80mL) hot water
• 1 tbs (15mL) oil
• 1 tbs (14g) brown sugar
• ½ tsp (1.75g) yeast
• ⅛ tsp (1g) salt

Water Bath

• 4 cups (960mL) hot water
• 2 tbs (36g) baking soda

Topping

• ½ tbs (7g) butter or margarine
• ⅛ tsp (1g) coarse salt

Instructions

• In a bowl, combine flour, water, sugar, oil, salt and yeast. Stir until it forms a shaggy dough.
• Turn out onto a clean work surface and knead 8-10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise 90 – 120 minutes or until dough is double in size.
• Preheat oven to 425F (220C.)
• In a shallow pan, add baking soda and hot tap water. Do not use boiling water and only use tap water hot enough that you can safely handle. Set aside.
• Divide dough into two and cover one piece as you work. Roll each piece 36" or until pencil thin. Twist into a pretzel shape, and dip into the baking soda bath. Place onto parchment covered baking sheets, and bake 10 – 12 minutes or until golden brown.
• While still warm, spread with butter or margarine and sprinkle with coarse salt.

Notes

*Temperature of water for dough should be between 110° – 120°F (43° – 48°C) for best results.

Make sure your parchment paper can be baked at 425F (220C) or lower the heat to 400F (200C) and bake an additional 3 – 5 minutes or until golden brown.

An important note on dry yeast: Instant dry and active dry yeasts are not the same.  If using active dry yeast, you must activate the yeast according to the manufacturer’s instructions in order for the dough to rise properly.  You typically need to activate or “bloom” the yeast by adding it to warmed liquid for several minutes. 

Instant dry yeast can be added to the dry ingredients and typically does not need to be activated prior to use.  However, some brands of dry yeasts still require adding warm liquids, so be sure to read the label. Rapid, quick and fast acting dry yeasts will rise much faster than instant and active dry yeasts.  For best results, always read and follow the instructions provided on the packet as the rising time varies widely between manufacturers. 

Nutrition Facts

Mall-Style Pretzel Recipe

Serving Size

 

1 pretzel

Amount per Serving

Calories

302.5

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

9.3

g

14

%

Saturated Fat

 

1.6

g

10

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1.1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

6.3

g

Sodium

 

470.5

mg

20

%

Carbohydrates

 

50

g

17

%

Protein

 

6

g

12

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

* Calories provided as a courtesy and not guaranteed.