Pretzel Buns

Homemade pretzel buns just may be your ticket to throwing the summer’s best cookout. Where a regular hamburger bun is seen merely as a vessel for a patty and all the toppings, pretzel buns offer a fresh take and a flavorful experience.

Here, a pretzel’s deep mahogany hue, signature chew and salty topping meet a hamburger bun’s rounded shape and squashy texture. Treat pretzel buns just as you would hamburger buns: Leave them soft and bouncy, or butter and toast them for extra flavor. Either way, these pretzel buns will make epic hamburgers at your next cookout.

Ingredients for Pretzel Buns

• All-purpose flour: Always measure the flour properly so you don’t add too much. Too much flour can create dense pretzel buns.
• Warm water: Warm the water in a saucepan on the stovetop or in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave. It must reach somewhere between 110°F and 115° so it can activate the yeast. Otherwise, your pretzel buns won’t rise.
• Sugar: The sugar doesn’t make the pretzel buns taste sweet. Instead, it balances the flavor to ensure the buns aren’t too salty.
• Butter: Soften 2 tablespoons of butter so it mixes into the dough seamlessly.
• Egg: Remove the egg from the fridge 30 minutes before starting the pretzel bun recipe so it can come to room temperature. Baking with room-temperature eggs gives the dough or batter much more volume.
• Active dry yeast: Make sure you buy active dry yeast and not instant yeast. They’re two totally different types of yeast, but people often confuse them since they’re packaged similarly and both are readily available at the store.
• Baking soda: Pretzels boil in a baking soda water bath before baking to get their signature color and chew.
• Pretzel salt: You can find pretzel salt through online retailers. Most grocery stores don’t carry pretzel salt, but you can always call ahead to check. You may use finishing salt, like Maldon, instead, but the process is a little different: Instead of adding the salt before baking, leave it off. After the pretzel buns bake, allow them to cool a bit, then brush them with melted butter and sprinkle on Maldon salt.

Directions

Step 1: Make the dough

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In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, warm water, sugar, softened butter, egg, active dry yeast and salt. You can use a large bowl with a wooden spoon or a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.

Step 2: Knead the dough

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Transfer the dough to a floured surface, then knead it until smooth and elastic. Place the ball of dough in a large greased bowl, turning once to coat the top of the dough ball. Let the dough rise until doubled, 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: How can you tell if the dough is kneaded enough? Use the windowpane test! Pinch off a bit of dough and stretch it between your fingers. If the dough rips, it needs a little more kneading. If the dough stretches without breaking and you can look through it like a windowpane, it’s good to go!

Step 3: Divide the dough

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Preheat the oven to 425°. Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Using a bench knife or sharp chef’s knife, divide the dough into eight equal pieces.

Editor’s Tip: If you prefer, you can use a digital scale to divide the dough equally by weight instead of eyeballing it.

Step 4: Shape and let rise

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Shape each piece of dough into a ball. Place the dough balls 3 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Cover the dough balls with storage wrap or clean tea towels so they don’t dry out, and let them rest until the dough has doubled, about one hour longer.

Step 5: Boil the pretzels

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In a Dutch oven, bring 10 cups of water to a boil, then add the baking soda. Drop the dough balls, one at a time, into the boiling water, top side down. Boil the dough for 30 seconds.

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Remove the dough with a slotted spoon and onto greased baking sheets.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t skip this step! Boiling the dough in a baking soda bath creates the pretzel’s signature color and chew.

Step 6: Prep the pretzels for the oven

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In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk and water together until homogenous, then brush the egg wash over the rolls.

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With a sharp knife, score an “X” into the top of each roll about 1/2-inch deep. If desired, sprinkle the rolls with pretzel salt.

Step 7: Bake

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Slide the baking sheets into the oven and bake the pretzels until they’re well-browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove the pretzel buns from the pans and place them on wire racks to cool to room temperature.

Now it’s time to use them! Slice the pretzel buns in half and build your epic burger, or serve them as rolls with dinner.

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Recipe Variations

• Brush with garlic and chive butter: Once the pretzel buns come out of the oven, brush them with melted butter, then sprinkle garlic powder and fresh minced chives on top. Easy and delicious!
• Top with everything seasoning: For even more flavor, omit the pretzel salt for everything bagel seasoning. The mixture still has big chunks of salt, plus sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic flakes and onion flakes.

How to Store Pretzel Buns

Allow the pretzel buns to cool completely to room temperature, then store them in a zip-top bag at room temperature for up to three days. Keep in mind, though, that the pretzel salt will dry them out a bit as the days go on. If you don’t think you’ll eat all the pretzel buns the same day they’re made, I would omit the pretzel salt.

Can you freeze pretzel buns?

Yes, you can freeze pretzel buns. Bake the pretzel buns as directed, leaving the pretzel salt off. Cool the buns completely to room temperature, then store them in a zip-top bag in the freezer for up to two months. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, no need to thaw the buns. Place the buns on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush them with melted butter, top them with the pretzel salt, then bake in a 350° oven until warmed through, 10 to 20 minutes. If you’re not adding the pretzel salt, then just let the pretzel buns thaw at room temperature.

Can you make pretzel buns ahead of time?

Yes, you can make pretzel buns ahead of time. The day before serving, make the pretzel buns as directed in the recipe, but omit the pretzel salt topping. Once the pretzel buns are baked, allow them to cool completely to room temperature. Transfer the buns to a zip-top bag and store them at room temperature.

If you’d like to add the pretzel salt topping, wait to add it just before serving. Otherwise, the salt will draw out moisture and make the pretzel buns wrinkly. To add the pretzel salt just before serving, place the pretzel buns on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then brush the tops with melted butter. Sprinkle the pretzel salt on top and place the pretzel buns in a 350° oven until warmed through, 5 to 10 minutes.

Pretzel Bun Tips

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Can you shape pretzel buns into hot dog buns?

Yes, you can shape pretzel buns into hot dog buns for hot dogs and bratwursts. After shaping the eight pieces of divided dough into balls, flatten the balls into discs 6 inches in diameter. Roll each disc into a log, then pinch the ends to seal. Place one log in front of you horizontally, and with your pinky fingers on the work surface behind the log, push it toward you using friction between your pinkies and the work surface. This will smooth out the log.

Place your thumbs and the inside of your hand on the front part of the log and, using the same friction, go backward to smooth out the log a bit more. Cover the buns with storage wrap so they don’t dry out and let them rest for 15 minutes. Then, follow the same boiling and baking steps as described in the recipe.

How should you serve pretzel buns?

Use pretzel buns as the vessels for hamburgers, cheeseburgers, or ham and cheese sandwiches. They’re perfect alongside cozy winter soups or lighter spring soups. Or, just serve pretzel buns alongside any regular dinner for a serious upgrade, even if it’s just Wednesday.

Why didn’t my pretzel buns rise?

Your pretzel buns most likely did not rise because the active dry yeast was not properly proofed. The water needs to be warm enough to activate the yeast, so be sure to temperature-check the water before adding it to the dough. Also, check for an expiry date on the yeast’s packaging. Always make sure your yeast isn’t expired, especially if it’s been hanging out in your pantry for a while.