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How to Twist a Pretzel Download Article Co-authored by Sarena Nelson
Last Updated: July 12, 2024 References
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The U-Shape
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The Lasso
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The Twist
|
Pretzel-Making Tips
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Expert Interview
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Expert Q&A
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This article was co-authored by Sarena Nelson. Sarena Nelson is a Private Chef and the Founder of Chef Sarena, based in Palm Springs, California. With over 10 years of experience, she specializes in customized menus for private events, has worked in 5-star restaurants, and has helped small restaurants redesign their menus. She earned her degree from Le Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, California. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 147,522 times.
Pretzels are a delicious snack that many people love, especially when dipped in mustard and other condiments. One thing that sets the pretzel apart from other snacks is its distinctive twisted shape. Twisting a pretzel into this distinctive shape is easier than you might think -- just see Step 1 below to get started.
Steps
Part 1 Part 1 of 4:
The U-Shape
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1 Hand roll the dough into a long, thick strand. Place the pretzel dough on a floured surface and use the palms of your hands to roll it back and forth against the counter top. Push the dough outwards as you roll until you achieve the desired length.
Pretzel dough tends to shrink back on itself after rolling, so a good technique is to roll it partway, then leave it to rest for a few minutes before rolling again.[1]X Expert Source Sarena NelsonPrivate ChefExpert Interview
The ideal length is between 18 and 20 inches -- this will give you nice, large pretzel.
2 Form a U-shape with the dough and twist the ends. On the floured surface, form the length of dough into the shape of the letter U.[2]XResearch source
Once you've done that, pick up the two ends and twist them around each other twice (as seen in the image).
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3 Attach the twisted section to the bottom of the U. Take the twisted section of pretzel and fold it over until the ends meet the bottom of the U.
Imagine the pretzel is a clock and attach the ends to the points where the numbers 5 and 7 would be, by pinching them firmly into the dough.
If you're having trouble getting the ends to stick, use a little water or milk to press them into place. You now have a simple, neatly folded pretzel, ready to bake![3]XResearch source
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The Lasso
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1 Roll out the dough. Use the palms of your hands to roll the dough into a long, thick strand, about 18 inches (45.7 cm) long and as thick as a cigar.[4]XResearch source
2 Pick up one end of the rope in each hand. Lift the pretzel stand off the counter, holding the ends about one foot away from each other. Your left hand should be slightly higher than your right.
3 Use a lasso movement to twist the dough. Use your right hand to gently flick the dough in a lasso movement, so the dough twists around itself.[5]XResearch source
Only allow the dough to twist around itself twice -- you can stop the twisting by laying the dough on the counter top.
4 Attach the ends to the curve of the pretzel. At this point, you should still be holding one end of the pretzel dough in each hand.
Fold the twisted part of the pretzel over and attach these ends to the curve of the pretzel, at the points where 5 and 7 would be on a clock.[6]XResearch source
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The Twist
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1 Roll out the dough. Take a piece of pretzel dough and use the palms of your hands to roll it out into a long strand, about 18 inches (45.7 cm) in length.
2 Fold and twist the dough. Fold the length of dough in half, then twist the two pieces around each other before pressing the loose ends together.[7]XResearch source
3 Fold the twisted dough in half again. Then pass the joined ends through the loop at the top. Press down on the dough to secure the twist.
4 Repeat with the remaining dough. When you're done, you should have between 8 and 12 pretzel twists. These provide thicker, doughier soft pretzel pieces than the classic pretzel shape.[8]XResearch source
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Pretzel-Making Tips
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1 Gather your ingredients. To make the perfect soft pretzels at home, you will need the following ingredients:[9]XResearch source
1 1/2 cups of warm water
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 teaspoons of kosher salt
1 package of active dry yeast
4 1/2 cups (or 22 oz) of all-purpose flour
2 oz of unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup of baking soda
1 large egg yolk
Coarse salt, for sprinkling
2 Combine the water, sugar, kosher salt and yeast. In a large bowl, mix the warm water, sugar and kosher salt. Sprinkle the packet of active dry yeast on top and leave the mixture to sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until it turns foamy.[10]XResearch source
3 Add the flour and butter. Add the flour and melted butter to the yeast mix and mix til combined. Keep mixing until a smooth dough forms, which pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
4 Leave the dough to rise. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and grease the bowl with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with cling wrap. Leave the dough to sit somewhere warm until it doubles in size -- this should take about 50 to 55 minutes.[11]XResearch source
5 Boil the baking soda and water. Combine the baking soda with 10 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Use this time to prepare two baking sheets -- line them with parchment paper and grease lightly with vegetable oil.[12]XResearch source
6 Twist the pretzels. Divide the dough into eight equal pieces and use one of the methods described in the sections above to twist the pretzels into shape.
7 Dip the pretzels in boiling water. One-by-one, dip the pretzels into the boiling water for 30 seconds at a time. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to remove them from the water and place them on the prepared baking sheet.[13]XResearch source
8 Brush the pretzels with egg yolk. Mix the large egg yolk with a tablespoon of water, then lightly brush a little egg mixture onto the surface of each pretzel -- this will give them a nice, deep brown color once baked. Sprinkle each pretzel with a little coarse salt.[14]XResearch source
9 Bake the pretzels. Bake the pretzels in an oven preheated to 450 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes, until they are dark, golden brown in color. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool slightly before eating.[15]XResearch source
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Expert Q&A
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Question Why is the dough shrinking after rolling? Sarena Nelson Private Chef Sarena Nelson is a Private Chef and the Founder of Chef Sarena, based in Palm Springs, California. With over 10 years of experience, she specializes in customized menus for private events, has worked in 5-star restaurants, and has helped small restaurants redesign their menus. She earned her degree from Le Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, California. Sarena Nelson Private Chef Expert Answer The tendency of pretzel dough to shrink is a common characteristic, primarily due to the insufficient relaxation of gluten. To address this, it is recommended to cover the dough and allow it to rest. This resting period allows the gluten to relax, making the dough more pliable. Afterward, you can roll it out again, ensuring better handling and preventing excessive shrinkage during the baking process. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 0 Helpful 1
Question How do I roll the dough best when it keeps bouncing back in place? It takes me like five minutes just to roll the dough for each pretzel. Community Answer Try letting the dough rest for a little while before you try to roll it out into the pretzel shape. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 0 Helpful 4
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about cooking, check out our in-depth interview with Sarena Nelson.
Co-authored by: Sarena Nelson Private Chef This article was co-authored by Sarena Nelson. Sarena Nelson is a Private Chef and the Founder of Chef Sarena, based in Palm Springs, California. With over 10 years of experience, she specializes in customized menus for private events, has worked in 5-star restaurants, and has helped small restaurants redesign their menus. She earned her degree from Le Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, California. This article has been viewed 147,522 times. 2 votes - 100% Co-authors: 11Updated: July 12, 2024 Views: 147,522 Categories: Bread Making TipsArticle SummaryX
To twist a pretzel, roll the dough into a long, thick strand about 18 inches in length. Next, form the dough into a U-shape before twisting both ends around each other twice. Then, attach the twisted section to the bottom of the U. If you're unsure where to attach the ends, imagine the pretzel is a clock face and try to attach the ends where the numbers 5 and 7 would be. You can also use a little water or milk to make the ends stick. For tips on how to make soft pretzels and how to use the twist method, read on!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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ElizabethD
Jun 17, 2020
"This article is amazing! Thank you for helping me twist my pretzels. They came out great!"
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Sarena Nelson Private Chef Co-authors: 11Updated: July 12, 2024 Views: 147,522100% of voters found this recipe helpful. 2 votes - 100% Click a star to add your vote
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Co-authored by: Sarena Nelson Private Chef This article was co-authored by Sarena Nelson. Sarena Nelson is a Private Chef and the Founder of Chef Sarena, based in Palm Springs, California. With over 10 years of experience, she specializes in customized menus for private events, has worked in 5-star restaurants, and has helped small restaurants redesign their menus. She earned her degree from Le Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, California. This article has been viewed 147,522 times. 2 votes - 100% Co-authors: 11 Updated: July 12, 2024 Views: 147,522 Categories: Bread Making Tips Article SummaryX
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1 Hand roll the dough into a long, thick strand. Place the pretzel dough on a floured surface and use the palms of your hands to roll it back and forth against the counter top. Push the dough outwards as you roll until you achieve the desired length. 
2 Form a U-shape with the dough and twist the ends. On the floured surface, form the length of dough into the shape of the letter U.[2] 
1 Roll out the dough. Use the palms of your hands to roll the dough into a long, thick strand, about 18 inches (45.7 cm) long and as thick as a cigar.[4] 
2 Pick up one end of the rope in each hand. Lift the pretzel stand off the counter, holding the ends about one foot away from each other. Your left hand should be slightly higher than your right. 
1 Roll out the dough. Take a piece of pretzel dough and use the palms of your hands to roll it out into a long strand, about 18 inches (45.7 cm) in length. 
4 Repeat with the remaining dough. When you're done, you should have between 8 and 12 pretzel twists. These provide thicker, doughier soft pretzel pieces than the classic pretzel shape.[8] Advertisement 
1 Gather your ingredients. To make the perfect soft pretzels at home, you will need the following ingredients:[9] 
4 Leave the dough to rise. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and grease the bowl with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with cling wrap. Leave the dough to sit somewhere warm until it doubles in size -- this should take about 50 to 55 minutes.[11] 
5 Boil the baking soda and water. Combine the baking soda with 10 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Use this time to prepare two baking sheets -- line them with parchment paper and grease lightly with vegetable oil.[12] 
9 Bake the pretzels. Bake the pretzels in an oven preheated to 450 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes, until they are dark, golden brown in color. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool slightly before eating.[15] Advertisement 
Sarena Nelson Private Chef Sarena Nelson is a Private Chef and the Founder of Chef Sarena, based in Palm Springs, California. With over 10 years of experience, she specializes in customized menus for private events, has worked in 5-star restaurants, and has helped small restaurants redesign their menus. She earned her degree from Le Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, California. 
Community Answer Try letting the dough rest for a little while before you try to roll it out into the pretzel shape. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 0 Helpful 4