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Sourdough Discard Pretzels

These Sourdough Discard Pretzels are deeply golden and chewy, flavored with the tang of sourdough discard, and sprinkled with salt. This is an easy sourdough discard recipe for those of you with sourdough starter, but I've got an easy substitution for you if you want to make soft pretzels and don't have sourdough discard.

Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Rising times
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 52 mins
Servings: 8 pretzels
Calories: 239 kcal
Course: Snacks
Cuisine: International

Ingredients

  • 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon (3 grams) instant yeast
  • ⅔ cup (160 milliliters) milk whole or 2% works best
  • 113 grams unfed sourdough discard 100% hydration (equal weights of flour and water)
  • 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter melted
  • 2 tablespoons (42 grams) barley malt syrup
  • 2 teaspoons (10 grams) Kosher salt
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons baking soda
  • 1 egg lightly beaten for the egg wash
  • Coarse pretzel salt or flaky sea salt for topping

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, mix the flour and yeast. Then add the milk, sourdough discard, melted butter, and malt syrup and stir or use the paddle attachment until combined.
  2. Add the salt and knead the dough for about 8 to 10 minutes by hand or 5 to 7 minutes with your mixer's dough hook until it is smooth and elastic.
  3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the pretzel dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours.
  4. To make the baking soda bath, combine two or three cups of boiling water with a tablespoon of baking soda per cup of water in a pyrex or baking pan big enough to hold the pretzels one at a time. Stir until the baking soda has dissolved.
  5. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  6. Divide the pretzel dough into eight roughly equal-sized portions and roll each into a rope 18 to 24 inches in length. If the dough is very elastic and springy, set your rope aside to rest and move onto the next.
  7. Shape the ropes and put the shaped pretzels onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. They can be spaced relatively closely, but don't let them touch.
  8. Working one at a time, dip each pretzel into the baking soda bath, flip it over, and then transfer back to the prepared baking sheet. Cover the pretzels loosely with plastic wrap, and heat your oven to 450°F (230°C) while the pretzels are rising, about 30 minutes.
  9. Right before baking, brush the pretzels once or twice with the egg wash and sprinkle with the coarse salt or flaky sea salt. Bake until deep golden brown, about 12 to 14 minutes.
  10. Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

  • As written, this recipe will make 8 sourdough discard soft pretzels, but you can divide the dough into smaller or larger amounts to make more or fewer pretzels. You should have just about 720 grams of pretzel dough.
  • If you do not have sourdough discard, increase the flour by 57 grams (one-third cup) and the milk by 57 grams (one-quarter cup). If your sourdough starter is not 100% hydration, adjust the flour total to be 432 grams and the liquid to total 217 grams.
  • Barley malt syrup gives soft pretzels a classic flavor and color, but you can sub an equal amount of honey or brown sugar for the sweetness.
  • Aim to roll your ropes of pretzel dough to be 18 to 24 inches long. The shorter length will give you compact, puffy soft pretzels that you can use for sandwiches. Go longer if you want larger, thinner pretzels with large holes. You can see photos of both in the main post.
  • If you are comfortable working with food-grade lye, skip the baking soda bath and create a lye bath instead. Please be sure to use all precautions!

Nutrition Information

Calories 239kcal (12%) Carbohydrates 44g (15%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 4g (6%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g Monounsaturated Fat 1g Trans Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 10mg (3%) Sodium 908mg (38%) Potassium 96mg (3%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 120IU (2%) Vitamin C 0.01mg (0%) Calcium 37mg (4%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8pretzels

Amount Per Serving

Calories 239

% Daily Value*

Calories 239kcal 12%
Carbohydrates 44g 15%
Protein 7g 14%
Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g 2%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Trans Fat 0.1g 5%
Cholesterol 10mg 3%
Sodium 908mg 38%
Potassium 96mg 2%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 120IU 2%
Vitamin C 0.01mg 0%
Calcium 37mg 4%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.