Name: Soft Sourdough Pretzels (Overnight Recipe!)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1000 min
Ingredients: 120 g active sourdough starter (1/2 cup, bubbly, at peak); 240 g water (1 cup, room temperature); 36 g brown sugar (3 tablespoons); 420 g bread flour (3 1/2 cups ); 6 g salt (1 teaspoon); 28 g salted butter (2 tablespoons, softened); 14 g extra virgin olive oil (1 tablespoon, for greasing bowl/plastic wrap); 1650 g water (7 cups); 60 g baking soda (1/4 cup); 24 g brown sugar (2 tablespoons); 1 large egg (whisked); 10 g coarse salt (2 teaspoons)

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Wow your guests and break out that bubbly sourdough starter with these soft homemade sourdough pretzels that pair beautifully with beer cheese dipping sauce! Golden brown, chewy texture, with coarse salt sprinkled over them–this recipe is going to be a hit! These guys are perfect for game day or as a potluck appetizer.

Homemade sourdough pretzel with several in the background. It's golden brown and topped with coarse salt.

I am so excited to finally get this recipe out into the universe! This sourdough pretzel is golden brown, brushed with egg wash, and sprinkled with coarse salt for the chewiest and most delicious snack. This sourdough pretzel recipe is very similar to my sourdough bagel recipe, so if you haven’t checked that one out yet, I suggest you do!

This pretzel would pair well with beer cheese or honey mustard, but also does great on its own! Perfect for game day, the Super Bowl, a holiday party, or just a good old-fashioned get-together as we Minnesotans like to call ’em!

You’ll need an active, bubbly (fed) sourdough starter, which helps with the rise and provides the natural fermented yeast (no active dry yeast needed).

No stretching or folding is required for this recipe. You will need to knead the dough, either with your hands or a stand mixer, You’ll then let the dough rise at room temperature for a few hours before transferring to the fridge overnight.

The next day, you’ll roll out the pretzel dough and shape them. These pretzels also require a baking soda bath, which consists of water, baking soda, and brown sugar. This recipe *does not* use lye.

After the baking soda bath, you’ll bake them and in under 20 minutes you’ll have the chewiest, softest sourdough pretzels!

Looking for More Sourdough Recipes?

Ingredients

Active Sourdough Starter – This provides the rise that we need for these pretzels, so it must be active, fed, bubbly sourdough starter.
Warm Water – Not too hot, not too cold. Lukewarm is perfect.
Honey – Regular flavored honey is great here.
Bread Flour – This gives these pretzels their soft, chewy texture. You may use all-purpose flour in a pinch, but it will not yield the same results.
Unsalted Butter – Unsalted butter is what works best in this recipe, but if you only have salted butter, simply add half a teaspoon of extra salt instead of the full teaspoon.
Salt
Baking Soda – This will be poured into the pot of boiling water when you are ready to boil the pretzels the next day right before baking.
Brown Sugar – This will join the baking soda bath for the pretzels. If you don’t have brown sugar, honey also works.
Egg – You’ll whisk the egg and brush it over the pretzels before they bake. This also helps the coarse salt stick to the pretzels!
Coarse Salt – Sprinkle this over the egg-washed pretzels before they go in the oven. It adds that classic soft pretzel flavor and look.

Several homemade sourdough pretzels with coarse salt. Beer cheese dipping sauce sits in the background.

Step-By-Step Instructions (With Video!)

Sourdough pretzel dough ball being kneaded in a stand machine with a dough hook attachment.

Step One: Combine all ingredients (sourdough starter, warm water, butter, honey, bread flour, and salt) into the bowl of a stand mixer.

Knead the dough using a stand mixer (5–7 minutes) or by hand (7–10 minutes) until it becomes smooth and elastic. The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky, but not overly sticky.

Sourdough pretzel dough ball sitting in a metal mixing bowl.

Step Two: You can check if the dough is done by pushing your finger against it. If your finger sticks, it needs a bit more flour (I add a couple of tablespoons at a time until I get the desired results).

If it doesn’t stick, transfer the dough to a medium-sized bowl that has been greased with olive oil. Place plastic wrap or a kitchen towel over the dough ball and let it sit in a warm spot at room temperature for 3-6 hours (or until it’s at least 50% risen or up to nearly doubled in size).

Once it rises, transfer the bowl to the fridge where it will ferment overnight (8-24 hours).

Sourdough pretzel dough rolled out and twisted before being twisted again into the pretzel shape.

Step Three: Remove the dough from the fridge and divide it into 8 equal portions (about 100–110 grams each).

I like to use a kitchen scale to measure the total weight of the dough before dividing it by 8.

Roll each piece of dough into a long rope, about 20–24 inches in length. Start from the center and work outward for even thickness.

Form each rope into a “U” shape, twist the ends twice, then fold them down and press gently to create the classic pretzel shape.

If the dough springs back while rolling, let it rest for a few minutes to relax the gluten before continuing.

Shaped pretzel dough preparing for its second rise.

Step Four: If you find the dough is too getting too warm and not keeping its shape, pop it in the fridge for 10-15 to chill again. Cold dough works best for shaping.

The sourdough pretzels sit on a baking sheet on parchment squares after their second rise.

Step Five: Place each shaped pretzel onto its own parchment square and arrange them on a baking sheet. Cover loosely and let them rest until slightly puffy, about 1 hour.

Two sourdough pretzels boil in a baking soda bath preparing to be baked.

Step Six: Bring the water, baking soda, and brown sugar to a gentle boil in a large pot.

Carefully place each pretzel into the boiling water. Boil for 30–40 seconds per side, then remove and place back onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Sourdough pretzels sit unbaked on a parchment paper lined baking sheet after getting brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with coarse salt.

Brush each pretzel with egg wash and sprinkle generously with coarse salt.

The freshly baked sourdough pretzels sit on a baking sheet. They are golden brown and topped with coarse salt.

Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15–20 minutes, or until the pretzels are deep golden brown.

Let the pretzels cool slightly before serving. Enjoy them warm with your favorite dipping sauce.

A closeup of a sourdough overnight fermented pretzel with coarse salt sits on a wooden cutting board.

Tips for Making the Best Sourdough Soft Pretzels

1. Start with an active, bubbly starter

For the best rise and flavor, make sure your sourdough starter is active and recently fed. It should be doubled in size and full of bubbles before mixing your dough.

2. Chill the dough if it gets too soft

Cold dough is much easier to shape. If your dough starts to feel sticky or hard to handle while rolling, place it back in the fridge for 10–15 minutes to firm up.

3. Don’t skip the baking soda bath

The baking soda bath is what gives pretzels their deep golden color and classic chewy crust. Even a quick boil makes a big difference in both texture and flavor.

4. Weigh your dough for even pretzels

Dividing the dough by weight (about 100–110 grams each) ensures all your pretzels bake evenly and look uniform.

The beer cheese is in focus in this picture surrounded by many sourdough pretzels.

Storage

These pretzels are best enjoyed the day they are made, but you can store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Soft Sourdough Pretzels (Overnight Recipe!)

Looking for More Sourdough Recipes?

Ingredients

Step-By-Step Instructions (With Video!)

Tips for Making the Best Sourdough Soft Pretzels

Storage

Looking for more sourdough appetizers? Check these out!