No Lye, Easy Soft Sourdough Pretzels with Stiff Starter

These easy soft sourdough pretzels are made with a stiff starter and without lye using the home kitchen friendly boiling baking soda water method!

I love soft sourdough pretzels freshly baked or dipped into mustard. Perfect for a game day, Octoberfest, appetizer, or just a fun afternoon snack.

Learn how to make them and what makes them turn out so well!

Why use a stiff sourdough starter in these soft pretzels?

The sweet levain I use in this recipe is a form of stiff starter.

​A stiff starter creates a less sour flavor in your bread and it makes breads rise really beautifully without too much spreading.

I did a side by side test with a stiff sourdough starter and a 100% hydration sourdough starter, you can see the results and learn the differences between these two starter types: Stiff Sourdough Starter vs Liquid 100% Hydration

Why use a baking soda water bath, not lye?

We love soft pretzels because they have that iconic deep brown color and chewy texture.

Many commercial bakeries use a food grade lye solution to accomplish this. However, lye is a caustic chemical and can cause serious damage to the skin, eyes, and lungs if not used properly.

Yikes! There’s nothing easy about adding potentially dangerous chemicals to my busy kitchen. If you have children or pets, I would not recommend using lye.

Baking soda is a much safer alternative for the home kitchen that will still create the alkaline solution for the chemical reaction we need.

This alkaline mixture of baking soda enhances the Maillard reaction when our pretzels bake to produce the deep color and texture we want. Read more of the science from King Arthur Baking here.

How to make these Soft Sourdough Pretzels

The process of making this savory sourdough recipe has the following steps: Gathering ingredients, Starter preparation, Making the dough, Kneading, Bulk fermentation, Shaping, Proofing, Baking soda bath, Baking.

Ingredients for Soft Sourdough Pretzels

​This recipe also appears in my book, Everyday Bread BakingLINK

Here are the ingredients you will need:

Recommended tools

• 4-qt cambro
• Kitchen scale
• Dough scraper
• Large slotted spoon
• Pastry brush
• Bread lame

Sweet Levain Stiff Starter Preparation

You will need a healthy, established sourdough starter for making this recipe. If you need to buy one or make one, here are my resources to get started!

With your sourdough starter, you can use active sourdough starter or sourdough starter discard. You will be using a small portion to make this special levain and keep the rest of your established starter separate.

Add two tablespoons to small bowl then add sugar, all-purpose flour, and water to create the Sweet Levain Stiff Starter.

This sweet levain stiff starter will become active in 6 to 12 hours. It should be doubled in volume and thick with an aerated look. Overnight should be sufficient time.

The time range will depend on the room temperature in your kitchen, starting temperature of ingredients, and weather.

Note: If you’d like to omit the sugar you can, that has been my preference lately when I make a stiff starter. The timing without sugar will be 8 to 14 hours to become active.

Making the Soft Sourdough Pretzel Dough

Now that your sweet levain stiff starter is active, it’s time to make dough!

First, melt the butter and set it aside to cool down.

Mix the flour with the water and all of the prepared sweet levain stiff starter.

Once a rough dough has been created, add the salt and egg yolk and mix in.

Knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes before adding the melted butter. Use a dough scraper to make sure no flour sticks to the sides of the mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer.

Continue kneading until the dough is smooth, soft, and is no longer sticking to your hands or the sides of your bowl.

If you are kneading by hand, it will take 6 to 12 minutes to develop the correct texture.

If you’re using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment and low to medium-low speed (I recommend the lowest 2-3 speeds) to knead your dough. It will take 5 to 8 minutes to get combined and soft until it pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.

Bulk Fermentation for Soft Sourdough Pretzels

Place your bread dough into an airtight container or use a large clean bowl covered with plastic wrap. I like to use a 4-qt Cambro container like this one for bulk fermentation because it is easy to use and see the dough rise and gauge when the dough has doubled in volume.

Keep your dough at room temperature for 3 to 5 hours for the bulk fermentation or first rise until it doubles. For clarity on when this stage is done, see this post.

​

Shaping Soft Sourdough Pretzels

Once your dough has doubled, prepare a pan with a sheet of parchment paper on it.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface.

Divide your dough into 12 equal pieces, you can use a scale to make your pieces of dough equal in weight.

Roll dough under your hands into about 18-inch long rope pieces. Work from the center to the outside edges of the rope to lengthen evenly. You don’t want Pull ends of the rope outward as you roll them on your work surface.

Take the two ends of the dough rope and twist about 2 to 3 inches from the ends. Pull the twisted ends over the middle of the loop.

Press to seal the ends to the loop center. Pull the loops and sides to make the traditional pretzel shape.

Transfer shaped pretzels to parchment lined pan to proof. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

Proofing ​Soft Sourdough Pretzels

Baking Soda Bath

Towards the end of the proof time, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F and bring a large pot of water to boil.

While the oven is preheating and water is coming to a boil, prepare the Honey Butter Wash. If you’d prefer to use a more traditional egg wash, you can. The Honey Butter adds an additional sweetness to the soft pretzels.

Once the oven is preheated and the pot of water is boiling, add 1/4 c. baking soda to the boiling water.

Boil pretzels in the baking soda solution in batches for 20-30 seconds on each side. Remove promptly with a large slotted spoon and place back on parchment lined baking sheet.

Baking Soft Sourdough Pretzels

Use a pastry brush to brush boiled pretzels with honey butter wash then sprinkle with coarse salt or other topping.

Optional step: Use a lame or sharp blade to score the bottom of the pretzel by making a 1-2 inch cut horizontally. This creates a nice look as the pretzels bake and rise in the oven.

Place the pan of pretzels in the preheated oven. Bake 15-18 minutes until dark brown in color.

Let these cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes before enjoying with your favorite dips!

5 tips for delicious homemade pretzels

1. Dough that has perfectly fermented, should not be sticky after the bulk ferment. Only a very light amount of dusting flour should be needed during shaping.
2. Let the pretzels sit uncovered for 10 to 20 minutes before the baking soda bath. This helps develop a skin on the pretzels so they are less tacky to the touch and easier to pick up and put in the bath.
3. When you put your pretzels into the baking soda bath, put them in topside down first so once they are rotated during the poaching, they’ll be right side up when you take them out with the slotted spoon.
4. Try different toppings instead of traditional salt like everything but the bagel seasoning, parmesan cheese, poppy seeds, cinnamon  sugar, and more!
5. Rather than making traditional pretzels, you could make this recipe into rolls or pretzel bites. Be sure to adjust the bake timing. Rolls or buns will need more bake time, smaller pretzel bites will need less bake time.

Savor and Share

Share this recipe with a friend! I love soft sourdough pretzels. They are such a crowd pleaser!

After you try it, send me a note, leave a review comment, or tag me on facebook or instagram @livingbreadbaker

I love seeing how people connect with people they love through bread.

More great savory sourdough recipes

• Easy No Knead Sourdough Bagels
• Easy & Soft Savory Sourdough Cheese Twist Rolls
• The Ultimate Guide to Sourdough Pull-Apart Christmas Tree Rolls

Just getting started with sourdough?

A competent guide transforms sourdough baking from overwhelming to uncomplicated and fun!

Get My Free Quick Start Sourdough Guide: Learn the key terms and concepts in sourdough baking, including the differences between active sourdough starter and sourdough discard, and how to care for your starter.

Time Planning Help for Sourdough Baking

The #1 need for sourdough bakers is help with time planning, so I created a resource for you.

Sourdough Time Planning Workbook: Perfect for new or experienced bakers, this workbook includes 8 templates ready to fill in and a baking journal. The templates cover 4 different ways to make classic sourdough country breads, 3 time planning worksheets for enriched sourdough bread depending on serving time target, and a blank template. The baking journal goes over baker’s percentages and how to take notes on your sourdough bakes.

Get a free sample of the workbook: Use this sourdough time planning worksheet sample to simplify your baking.

Living Bread Baker posts mentioned

When is sourdough bulk fermentation finished?

When is sourdough finished proofing?

Stiff Sourdough Starter vs Liquid 100% Hydration

Easy No Knead Sourdough Bagels

Easy & Soft Savory Sourdough Cheese Twist Rolls

The Ultimate Guide to Sourdough Pull-Apart Christmas Tree Rolls

Shop this post

4-qt Cambro container

Kitchen scale

Dough scraper

Large slotted spoon

Pastry brush

Bread lame

Parchment baking sheets

FREE Sourdough Quick Start Guide

Sourdough Time Planning Workbook

My Intro. to Sourdough online course

My sourdough starter

Breadtopia live starter

Cultures for Health starter

Sourdough Time Planning Workbook & Baking Journal

This post contains affiliate links. Read my policy here.

Print Recipe

Easy Soft Sourdough Pretzels with stiff starter

Servings: 12 pretzels

Author: Jenny Prior

Ingredients

Sweet levain stiff starter:

• 30 g active starter
• 15 g sugar
• 50 g water
• 100 g all-purpose flour

Dough:

• 180 g of the now active sweet levain prepared 6-10 hours previous
• 380 g flour 40g Whole Wheat flour and 340g Bread flour
• 200 g warm water
• 7 g salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 T. unsalted butter melted

Baking Soda Bath

• Water
• 1/4 c. baking soda

Honey Butter Wash:

• 2 T. unsalted butter melted
• 1-2 T. honey
• 1 T. water
• coarse salt or optional toppings

Instructions

• With your sourdough starter, you can use active sourdough starter or sourdough starter discard. You will be using a small portion to make this special levain and keep the rest of your established starter separate. Add two tablespoons to small bowl then add sugar, all-purpose flour, and water to create the Sweet Levain Stiff Starter. This sweet levain stiff starter will become active in 6 to 12 hours. It should be doubled in volume and thick with an aerated look.
• Now that your sweet levain stiff starter is active, it's time to make dough! First, melt the butter and set it aside to cool down.
• Mix the flour with the water and 180g of the prepared sweet levain stiff starter. Once a rough dough has been created, add the salt and egg yolk and mix in.
• Knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes before adding the melted butter. Use a dough scraper to make sure no flour sticks to the sides of the mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer. Continue kneading until the dough is smooth, soft, and is no longer sticking to your hands or the sides of your bowl.
• Place your bread dough into an airtight container or use a large clean bowl covered with plastic wrap. Keep your dough at room temperature for 3 to 5 hours for the bulk fermentation or first rise until it doubles.
• Once your dough has doubled, prepare a pan with a sheet of parchment paper on it.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Divide your dough into 12 equal pieces, you can use a scale to make your pieces of dough equal in weight.
• Roll dough under your hands into about 18-inch long rope pieces. Pull ends of the rope outward as you roll them on your work surface. Take the two ends of the dough rope and twist about 2 to 3 inches from the ends. Pull the twisted ends over the middle of the loop. Press to seal the ends to the loop center. Pull the loops and sides to make the traditional pretzel shape. Transfer shaped pretzels to parchment lined pan to proof. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
• Cover the shaped sourdough soft pretzels with plastic wrap. Let the covered dough sit at room temperature for the proof or second rise for 30 to 90 minutes.
• Towards the end of the proof time, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F and bring a large pot of water to boil.
• While the oven is preheating and water is coming to a boil, prepare the Honey Butter Wash. If you'd prefer to use a more traditional egg wash, you can. The Honey Butter adds an additional sweetness to the soft pretzels.
• Once the oven is preheated and the pot of water is boiling, add 1/4 c. baking soda to the boiling water.
• Boil pretzels in the baking soda solution in batches for 20-30 seconds on each side. Remove promptly with a large slotted spoon and place back on parchment lined baking sheet.
• Use a pastry brush to brush boiled pretzels with honey butter wash then sprinkle with coarse salt or other topping. Optional step: Use a lame or sharp blade to score the bottom of the pretzel by making a 1-2 inch cut horizontally. This creates a nice look as the pretzels bake and rise in the oven.
• Place the pan of pretzels in the preheated oven. Bake 15-18 minutes until dark brown in color.
• Let these cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes before enjoying with your favorite dips!

Notes

If you are kneading by hand, it will take 6 to 12 minutes to develop the correct texture.

If you're using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment and low to medium-low speed (I recommend the lowest 2-3 speeds) to knead your dough. It will take 5 to 8 minutes to get combined and soft until it pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.

5 tips for delicious homemade pretzels

1. Dough that has perfectly fermented, should not be sticky after the bulk ferment. Only a very light amount of dusting flour should be needed during shaping.
2. Let the pretzels sit uncovered for 10 to 20 minutes before the baking soda bath. This helps develop a skin on the pretzels so they are less tacky to the touch and easier to pick up and put in the bath.
3. When you put your pretzels into the baking soda bath, put them in topside down first so once they are rotated during the poaching, they'll be right side up when you take them out with the slotted spoon.
4. Try different toppings instead of traditional salt like everything but the bagel seasoning, parmesan cheese, poppy seeds, cinnamon  sugar, and more!
5. Rather than making traditional pretzels, you could make this recipe into rolls or pretzel bites. Be sure to adjust the bake timing. Rolls or buns will need more bake time, smaller pretzel bites will need less bake time.