Auntie Anne's dips pretzels in a baking soda bath before baking—this Maillard reaction trick creates that signature mall-food brown crust and chew.
Copycat Auntie Anne's Pretzels
Indulge in the irresistible delight of homemade pretzels that are soft, fluffy, and perfectly golden, just like your favorite mall snack! With a simple blend of warm water, yeast, and a sprinkle of baking soda for that iconic twist, you’ll be savoring these warm, buttery treats in no time. Get ready to impress your friends and family with this easy copycat recipe that captures all the magic of Auntie Anne’s!
Prep
30
min
Cook
12
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 1/4 cup water (60 ml)
- 8 cups water (for baking soda bath submerge 25-30 seconds MAX) (1.92 L)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 4 tbsp of cold milk (60 ml)optional
- 1 & 1/2 cups warm Evaporated milk (about 105 degrees f) (360 ml)
- Brush with melted unsalted butter (top with a mix of cinnamon sugar too if you’d like)optional
🫙Pantry Staples(6)
- 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling(spooned level into cup) (625 g)
- 1/4 cup baking soda (60 ml)
- 2 packages of instant yeast (about 1 ½ tablespoons total)
- icing is just canned sweetened condensed milk you can also make it by mixing 2.5 cups of powdered sugar with 4 tbsp of cold milk. (500 g)optional
- ½ cup sugar (100 g)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- Top with Pretzel salt or flake saltoptional
- 2.5 teaspoons salt (12.5 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Combine flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
- 2
Warm the evaporated milk to about 105 degrees F and add half to the dry ingredients, mix, then add the rest.
- 3
Add water and vegetable oil, mix until combined.
- 4
Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 8 to 10 minutes.
- 5
Grease a bowl with vegetable oil, place the dough inside, and cover.
- 6
Let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1.5 hours until doubled in size.
- 7
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- 8
Divide the dough into pieces, roll into pretzel shapes.
- 9
Prepare a baking soda bath with boiling water and submerge pretzels for 25-30 seconds.
- 10
Place pretzels on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
- 11
Brush with melted butter and optionally sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Warm the evaporated milk to exactly 105-110°F before mixing with yeast—above 120°F kills the yeast's cell membranes, while below 100°F slows activation significantly.temperature105-110°F
- ✓Knead the dough for a full 8-10 minutes until it passes the windowpane test, since this develops gluten strands needed for the classic chewy, dense pretzel texture rather than a bread-like crumb.technique8-10 minutes
- ✓Before baking, dip shaped pretzels in a baking soda bath (2/3 cup baking soda per 4 cups water) for 20-30 seconds to raise surface pH, which accelerates Maillard browning and creates the signature mahogany crust.technique2/3 cup per 4 cups water, 20-30 seconds
- ✓Let shaped pretzels rest uncovered for 10 minutes after the alkaline dip so the surface tacks up slightly, which helps the butter and salt adhere evenly after baking instead of sliding off.timing10 minutes
- ✓Bake at exactly 425°F for 12-14 minutes—this high heat ensures rapid crust set from the baking soda dip before the interior overbakes, preserving the soft, doughy center Auntie Anne's is known for.timing425°F, 12-14 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
30
min
Cook
12
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Auntie Anne's dips pretzels in a baking soda bath before baking—this Maillard reaction trick creates that signature mall-food brown crust and chew.
Copycat Auntie Anne's Pretzels
Indulge in the irresistible delight of homemade pretzels that are soft, fluffy, and perfectly golden, just like your favorite mall snack! With a simple blend of warm water, yeast, and a sprinkle of baking soda for that iconic twist, you’ll be savoring these warm, buttery treats in no time. Get ready to impress your friends and family with this easy copycat recipe that captures all the magic of Auntie Anne’s!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 1/4 cup water (60 ml)
- 8 cups water (for baking soda bath submerge 25-30 seconds MAX) (1.92 L)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 4 tbsp of cold milk (60 ml)optional
- 1 & 1/2 cups warm Evaporated milk (about 105 degrees f) (360 ml)
- Brush with melted unsalted butter (top with a mix of cinnamon sugar too if you’d like)optional
🫙Pantry Staples(6)
- 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling(spooned level into cup) (625 g)
- 1/4 cup baking soda (60 ml)
- 2 packages of instant yeast (about 1 ½ tablespoons total)
- icing is just canned sweetened condensed milk you can also make it by mixing 2.5 cups of powdered sugar with 4 tbsp of cold milk. (500 g)optional
- ½ cup sugar (100 g)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- Top with Pretzel salt or flake saltoptional
- 2.5 teaspoons salt (12.5 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Combine flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
- 2
Warm the evaporated milk to about 105 degrees F and add half to the dry ingredients, mix, then add the rest.
- 3
Add water and vegetable oil, mix until combined.
- 4
Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 8 to 10 minutes.
- 5
Grease a bowl with vegetable oil, place the dough inside, and cover.
- 6
Let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1.5 hours until doubled in size.
- 7
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- 8
Divide the dough into pieces, roll into pretzel shapes.
- 9
Prepare a baking soda bath with boiling water and submerge pretzels for 25-30 seconds.
- 10
Place pretzels on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
- 11
Brush with melted butter and optionally sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Warm the evaporated milk to exactly 105-110°F before mixing with yeast—above 120°F kills the yeast's cell membranes, while below 100°F slows activation significantly.temperature105-110°F
- ✓Knead the dough for a full 8-10 minutes until it passes the windowpane test, since this develops gluten strands needed for the classic chewy, dense pretzel texture rather than a bread-like crumb.technique8-10 minutes
- ✓Before baking, dip shaped pretzels in a baking soda bath (2/3 cup baking soda per 4 cups water) for 20-30 seconds to raise surface pH, which accelerates Maillard browning and creates the signature mahogany crust.technique2/3 cup per 4 cups water, 20-30 seconds
- ✓Let shaped pretzels rest uncovered for 10 minutes after the alkaline dip so the surface tacks up slightly, which helps the butter and salt adhere evenly after baking instead of sliding off.timing10 minutes
- ✓Bake at exactly 425°F for 12-14 minutes—this high heat ensures rapid crust set from the baking soda dip before the interior overbakes, preserving the soft, doughy center Auntie Anne's is known for.timing425°F, 12-14 minutes