This copycat Auntie Anne’s pretzel recipe creates homemade soft pretzels that are buttery, salty, slightly sweet, and easy to make from scratch. They’re perfect for serving as a snack or party appetizer, and delicious alongside soup or chili!
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If you love homemade bread recipes, don’t miss these farmhouse cinnamon rolls, a crusty loaf of no-knead Dutch oven bread, and this jalapeno cheddar bread, too!
These pretzels are absolutely amazing! They taste exactly like Auntie Anne’s. I followed the recipe exactly, and my kids enjoyed rolling and twisting the pretzels… so did I! We left some plain, had some with butter, and some with cinnamon sugar. They were a perfect treat, and they’re already asking for more!
– Selena
An Easy Recipe for Auntie Anne’s Soft Pretzels
If my oldest son had to pick one favorite food to live on forever, it would definitely be soft pretzels! When he was an infant, his babysitter was an older Mennonite neighbor who used to make homemade soft pretzels with the kids. Gibbs learned to love them at a very young age (before he could even chew most solids!), so it’s no surprise that he still gravitates towards them today.
Not surprisingly, his top pick when we’re out and about are Auntie Anne’s pretzels — you can’t beat an airport or mall classic! That’s why we were so excited when I finally learned how to make a perfect Auntie Anne’s soft pretzel recipe in the comfort of my own home. My boys are now in heaven!
This recipe is a slight adaptation of the homemade soft pretzel recipe that I found in Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Table cookbook. The pretzels are big, soft, buttery, sweet, and salty — and utterly delicious! They get two giant thumbs-up from my pretzel-loving children, and I know that you’ll love whipping up the easy recipe in your own kitchen as well.
Ingredient Notes and Tips Before You Get Started
- This pretzel dough is quite sweet and tastes very much like Auntie Anne’s recipe. If you prefer a less-sweet dough, reduce the sugar to ¼ cup — or even less, if desired.
- Boiling the unbaked pretzels in a baking soda bath causes them to instantly puff, creating a chewy interior and giving the exterior a head start on forming a crisp crust. The baking soda also produces pretzels with a deep golden brown and cracked appearance. Don’t skip this important step — it only takes a few minutes, but it yields the most delicious homemade pretzels.
- If your pretzels puff up a lot (and look more like garlic knots than pretzels) once baked, squeeze the dough gently as you roll it into a rope. This will eliminate some of the air in the dough, which helps prevent the pretzels from getting quite as round. That said, a puffy, doughy pretzel is absolutely delicious, too!
- I use “pretzel salt,” which I purchase at the local country market near our house. You can also find it online. If you don’t want to buy pretzel salt, you can use coarse sea salt.
How to Make this Homemade Soft Pretzel Recipe
This simple copycat recipe for Auntie Anne’s soft pretzels is easy to make in just a couple of hours. The dough only rises once, and the ingredients are very basic. I bet you already have everything that you need! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Soften the Yeast. Dissolve the yeast in a bowl of warm water and sugar for 10 minutes. It will look nice and foamy!
- Make the Dough. Combine the dough ingredients in a stand mixer and knead with the dough hook for about 5 minutes.
- Let the Dough Rise. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl. Cover and let the dough rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- How to Shape Soft Pretzels. To shape the dough into classic big pretzels, start by dividing the dough ball into 12 equal pieces. I use a bench scraper for this task, but a long, sharp knife will also work well. Roll each piece of dough into a rope (about 24 inches long). It’s just like you’re playing with Play-Doh again! Lift the ends of the rope up, then twist. Fold the twisted ends over and gently press down. Ta-da!
- Boil in a Baking Soda Bath. Boil each pretzel for 20-30 seconds in a baking soda bath. This step gives the pretzels their classic flavor, golden brown color, chewy exterior and soft inside.
- Bake Soft Pretzels. Sprinkle the pretzels with salt and then bake in a 425° F oven until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.
- Brush with Melted Butter. Finally, brush the hot pretzels with plenty of melted butter. This is a crucial step for a classic Auntie Anne’s soft pretzel recipe!
Soft Pretzel Dip
These buttery soft pretzels are absolute perfection on their own — no additional sides necessary! That said, if you’d like to offer some dipping sauces with the warm pretzels, good options include yellow mustard, honey mustard (or this is our favorite store-bought version), beer cheese dip, spinach dip, and hummus.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: The prepared pretzel dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours or frozen in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight.
- How to Store: Soft pretzels are best when enjoyed warm — straight from the oven. You can store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze them for up to 1 month, but the pretzels will not stay as chewy on the outside.
- How to Reheat: To reheat a day-old pretzel, microwave for about 15-30 seconds, just until warmed through. For best results, reheat the pretzels in the oven or toaster oven. Preheat the oven to 325°F, wrap the pretzel in foil, and bake for 5 minutes. For a crispier exterior, don’t wrap in foil.
Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Recipe Variations
- Soft Pretzel Bites. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (as described in the recipe), roll each piece into a rope shape, and then cut the rope into individual bite-size pieces. Proceed with the recipe instructions for the baking soda bath and baking.
- Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels. Omit the coarse salt. Bake the pretzels as instructed, brush with melted butter, and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Seasoning. Sprinkle the pretzels with other seasoning blends (besides the salt). For instance, try everything bagel seasoning, Cajun seasoning, or ranch seasoning.
- Add Cheese. Sprinkle the tops of the pretzels with grated Parmesan or cheddar cheeses before baking.
This recipe was a winner!! The pretzels tasted SO good, perfect texture and the recipe wasn’t as complicated as I thought it would be. Well worth the time and effort.
– Lena
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Auntie Anne’s Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
- 2 (0.25-ounce) packages active dry yeast (about 1 ½ tablespoons total)
- ½ cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 ¾ cups warm water (about 100-110° F)
- 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl
- 9 cups water
- ½ cup baking soda
- Coarse salt, to taste
- ¼ cup melted butter
Instructions
- Combine the yeast, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and the warm water in a small bowl. Let rest for 10 minutes to activate the yeast. It should look a little bit foamy.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, whisk together the flour, the remaining ½ cup of sugar, and the kosher salt. Add the oil and the yeast mixture, turn the mixer on medium-low speed, and mix for about 5 minutes (until the dough is smooth).
- Transfer the dough to a greased bowl. Turn to coat the dough with grease on all sides.
- Cover and let rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Near the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Bring the 9 cups of water and the baking soda to a boil on the stovetop while you shape the dough. Stir to make sure that the baking soda dissolves. Punch down the dough to release the air. Turn the dough onto a lightly-floured surface. Divide into 12 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece of dough into a long, thin rope (about 22-24 inches long). Twist each rope into a traditional pretzel shape.
- Drop 1-2 pretzels into the boiling water for 20-30 seconds. (Do not boil for longer than 30 seconds, or the pretzels may have an unpleasant metallic taste.) Using a slotted spatula, lift the pretzel out of the water and gently shake to remove as much excess water as possible. Place pretzel onto prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Repeat with remaining pretzels, arranging 6 pretzels on each pan.
- Bake pretzels in the 425°F oven until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Brush the warm pretzels with melted butter and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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Originally published in December 2020, this recipe was updated in January 2025.
We don’t have a stand mixer. Could you share instructions for those of us without one?
Hi Kalene! Several readers have had success kneading the dough by hand. Hope this helps!
These are amazing! I’ve made them just the way the recipe says like 4 times now! Each time they turn out perfectly! I froze half of one batch the second time making them and those turned out great! I’ve made them for work and they all love them. Going to be making them for my family Christmas this week!
Thank you for a wonderful recipe and instructions!
Thanks, Katrina! I’m so happy to hear that! Merry Christmas!
Fantastic recipe. My dough didn’t rise at all but I’m notoriously bad at any recipe that requires any kind of yeast rise. That being said, they still baked beautifully and were gone within minutes of coming out of the oven!
We’re so glad they still turned out well for you, Kayla! There are a number of reasons that dough might not rise. For instance, is your yeast fresh? Was the liquid the proper temperature (not too cool, or it won’t activate the yeast; not too hot, or it will kill the yeast)? Is your kitchen warm enough for proper proofing, and not too cold? Those are some of the most common issues. Hope this helps!
SOOO YUMMY I am drooling
Thank you, Liv!
These were simple, beautiful, and delicious! Great recipe. I will definitely use again!! Thank you!
Thank you, Stevana!
Used ¼ cup of sugar
Thanks, Pam!
Anyone try converting this into grams? I like consistency and repeatability.
Hi, Kayla! I made these before and added jarred jalapeños. They were awesome. I was going to make them again, but in the shape of little nuggets. Any advice?
These pretzels are so awesome!! My son has had the original Auntie Anne’s pretzels and he says these are spot on and THE BEST EVER! Saw the recipe on a YouTube episode of the Veggie Boys so we decided to make them tonight while our pork shoulder was on the pellet smoker. This recipe is a keeper for sure. Thank you Daniel and Sadie of the Veggie Boys (we enjoy your videos).
Thank you very much! We’re so glad you enjoyed them and appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback.
This recipe is exactly like the soft pretzels from Allrecipe.com, which has 2600+ reviews.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/24272/buttery-soft-pretzels/
Hi, Yumi! I note in the post that this recipe comes from Joanna Gaines’ book Magnolia Table. Maybe that’s where the Allrecipe version comes from as well?
These came out PERFECT! I did have to bake a little longer but not an issue at all!! Sooo delicious thank you for sharing this!!
We’re so happy to hear this, Olivia! Thank you for trying them out and taking the time to leave a review.
Hi, Kayla! I made these before and added jarred jalapeños. They were awesome. I was going to make them again, but in the shape of little nuggets. Any advice?
Hi Nicole! The recipe should be about the same. Just keep a close eye on your oven as pretzel bites will bake much faster!
Got all the way to the end and realized you’d plagiarized the recipe out of someone else’s printed, sold, copyrighted cookbook. Couldn’t even add enough of your own work to call it your own work, you had to steal it from a hardworking businesswoman who made her own way.
All for what? Click revenue? Shame on you.
Seriously. I bet you’ll blow off this comment, but you have to live with it and yourself. Joanna Gaines doesn’t deserve your mediocrity, even if you do.
Hi Megan,
We note in the post that this recipe comes from Joanna Gaines’ book Magnolia Table.
Tastes exactly like Auntie Anne’s, and a very straight forward recipe! 10/10 recommend.
Thank you, Eve! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
These taste more like bread. I’m not a fan of this recipe, I’ll try another one
We’re sorry to hear this, Patty, but appreciate your feedback. We hope you enjoy our other recipes!